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Willee · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 5:42 pm Post subject: Dead shrimp in the live well ...

The other day all the the shrimp in the boats live well died before we finished fishing.
This is the first time this has happened as usually the shrimp are still alive when I get the boat home. (if there are any that were not used)
What was different this time is I bought the live shrimp at a bait store that is a ways from the saltwater and filled the live well with their water to keep them alive till I got to the boat ramp and launched the boat.
At that time the live well sprayed fresh saltwater from the ULM onto them and away we went.

Do you think the transport time from the bait shop to the boat ramp might have had something to do with it or possible the difference in water from the shop and the water in the ULM?

Got live shrimp at Marker 37 today and noticed their water was slightly tinted blue.
Was that something added to help keep them alive?
They lasted from 7am to about 1pm when we used the last one with only about three dying.

Also noticed there was a few that just pealed and were very soft ... wonder if they have a different scent than the other shrimp?
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apfb · Horse Mullet Joined: 28 Jun 2014 Posts: 163

The water at 37 is filtered and treated. The blue your seeing is a oxygen inrichment additive. Its very good stuff.

rodandroll · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:29 pm Post subject:

freeze ice in 1 liter bottles and put them in the bait tank. I usually get an extra bag of ice and put it in 1 gallon zip lock freezer bags and them into the bait tank at regular intervals. The cooler you can get the water the longer the shrimp will last.

I have found that keeping the water chilled and running an aeration pump actually keeps them alive longer than continuously pumping water in from the bay. The hot water from the bay actually has less oxygen than the chilled aerated water and the shrimp don't last as long in the heat.
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ziacatcher · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:35 pm Post subject:

Agree with randr. I would recommend freezing water in 1/2 gallon juice bottles rather than plastic zip bags because the bags often leak adding fresh water to the livewell which you don't want. That's another one of many I use lures.

BayFly · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:36 pm Post subject:

" The hot water from the bay actually has less oxygen than the chilled aerated water and the shrimp don't last as long in the heat." This is why a lot of people use oxygen bottles to inject oxygen into their bait wells this time of year, and others just use artificial baits.
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rodandroll · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 10:29 pm Post subject:

A keep alive aerator system works about as well as an oxygen system and costs a heck of a lot less. Take a look at the video.

http://www.keepalive.net/
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Now that food has replaced my sex life I can't even get into my own pants!!!!!!!!

Even duct tape can't fix stupid ... but it can muffle the sound!!!

ironmanstan · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:43 am Post subject:

Keeping the water cool and your hands free of contaminants such as sunscreen residue.
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BayFly · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:33 am Post subject:

Thank you Rodandroll for updating me on livewell facilities. I made up an oxygen rig when it first began being used for bait was too expensive and just another hassle, thus my exclusive use of artificials for many years. If the system you referenced actually works then it really simplifies preservation of bait in the livewells.

lagunarat1975 · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:37 am Post subject:

If you have a closed livewell system the blue treated water is great but if you pump in hot bay water into the cool water the shrimp have adjusted to at the dealer the rapid temp change is really hard on them .if you pump water in you are a lot better off buying shrimp kept a out side temps in pumped in bay water
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BayFly · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:26 pm Post subject:

I guess they oxygenate the blue water in a closed system, but how do they keep the fecal matter out of the water, so the shrimp and other baits are not poisoned?

maicodoug · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:17 pm Post subject:

The use of a lime wood aerator

link...http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=26550

Makes foam like bubbles under the salt water. A "protein skimmer" with one of these is also the hot setup. Takes the oils (protiens) off the surface by foaming and letting the oiled foam escape from over a top edge of a tall and open small diameter cylinder standing in or near the tank. Sometimes the air rising action will pump the water in from the below side connection and return to the tank at the above side connection. Works like a tank glass tube water level indicator, but with a foaming limewood aerator & a top lip for the foam to flow over.

The preferred technique is skimming the water off the top surface through a comb type strainer,, then send it to the bottom of a protein skimmer. You will need to pump it back however out of the skimmer's lowest section with a submerged power head. You need to watch the water level in the strainer cup and keep the water below the comb lip & high enough to siphon. This is the best way to add oxygen & "de-gas, remove natural occurring proteins-oils that block the ammonia from building up in the holding tank.

I wish my cruiser had more deck room, I'd have me one built like this.

Don't forget that if the transport was rough for them to your holding tank at all, be it temperature, contaminants, their slimcoat, makes stress for them which drastically shortens their life expectancy.
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ironmanstan · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:06 pm Post subject:

Shrimp also live longer if they have something to hold onto such as wiremesh or netting. Our live well on our shrimp boat was lined with wire so they would hang on to it as were others on other bait shrimpers.
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Drake · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:13 pm Post subject: Keep alive

Use a frozen gallon or half gallon jug with the keep alive too. It works great but the motor does cause and transfer heat.

Predapex · Horse Mullet Joined: 06 Sep 2013 Posts: 181

I recommend lineing your live well with foam it makes a great built in ice chest.

4theReels · Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 8:11 pm Post subject:

Hey willie.....what I did this past weekend in my Skiff was hang an aerator, that I use for my 5 gallon pail, right next to the seat and just put the hose inside the well. I bought $20 worth of live shrimp from the Bait Bucket at 7am and they all lived in the same water until I ran out at about 1pm or so. I found maybe 5 or 6 dead ones at the bottom afterwards...but not bad...not bad at all.
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