Keepin bait alive

[Lunker]

Unless those of you who keep bait alive keep then in an air conditioned house, what do you use to keep the water temp from killing them in this heat? I was wanting to keep some creek chubs and bullies, but figure they'd die off if kept in the garage without some sort of cooling system.

[DTro]

I set up a 40 gal rubbermaid container in my garage and a cheap aquarium aerator. Every night before I go to bed I take a 5 gallon bucket and scoop out one or two pails full and then refill with garden hose. Seems to work well. Just make sure you have a cover if you are keeping chubs. I had to duct tape my cover on because it fit loose and the chubs knocked the cover right off.

[Lunker]

Thanks. Does the hose water not kill the fish? I thought that the stuff city water was treated with would not be good.

[hanson]

Lunker-

Get some dechlorinating drops that are used to dechlorinate aquarium water and add them to the tap water according to the instructions, or in a stronger dose if you desire. My new cooler/aerator setup was working pretty good and then I killed off a good dozen plus sucker minnows the other night. I was not happy.

When I am keeping bait for a few days, I'll change out the part of the water daily, as well as add ice to the water in a ziplock bag. Just float the bag. Don't let the ice melt into the water or you have a chlorine problem again.

My last bunch of minnows stayed alive 3 days and then I used them up fishing. They seamed more lively on day 3 than they did when I bought them. Not sure why? I'm sure they would have been good for a longer period, they were looking real healthy.

I didn't realize how much of a chore it was to-

#1 Find Good Bait (bait shops in my area were running out of large suckers)

#2 Keep it Alive in this heat once you have some.

Seams like I've spent more time playing with the bait than I have fishing the last few days.

[rushing]

Bullheads like to puke up thier stomach contents after you catch them, so I like to change the water a few times the first day I have them and then they are good to go for awhile. After a few days of nice clean well water they are turbo charged!

I just keep em in a bucket with a fish tank airator which seems to work fine for bullies but sucker n chubs prolly need something bigger.

rob

[PierBridge]

Quote:

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Thanks. Does the hose water not kill the fish? I thought that the stuff city water was treated with would not be good.

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He's in jordan and I think thats well water which I beleive is okay.

[SteveD]

I have a 100 gallon stock tank and I keep about 100+ bullheads. I run an Aqua Clear 110 aquarium power filter and two 10" airstones to maintain the water. My tank temperature today is 74 degrees. I test the water and do about a 1/3rd water change every 3 to 4 days. I use city water so I treat any new water changes with a water conditioner to eliminate the chlorine and chloramine in the tap water. Early in the summer when the water temp was low I had high ammonia levels in the tank but as the water has warmed into the 70 degree range my ammonia levels are now very low. Now the nitrite and nitrate levels run high indicating I am getting some good bacteria growth going to stop the ammonia build-up. I use water changes to maintain the nitrite and nitrate levels. I have not had any trouble so far this summer, my water is clean and the bait is lively. I have been keeping bullheads in the tank since I filled it on 17 April. A few of those bullheads are starting to die because I don't feed them. A few days ago I dumped a scoop of crappie minnows in the tank and they were gone in about 5 minutes. I am going to try to do some feeding and see what impact it has on the tank. So far everything is cool - they haven't [PoorWordUsage]ed up the tank. I put out my minnow traps the other night to catch some crappie minnows and all I got was about 20 small (4") bullheads. I added them to my stash - they look like they might be perfect sized bait for about a 5/0 circle hook. I've been wanting to try circles on Flatheads and they may be the bait.This little project has turned into a kind of hobby. I'm retired so I have a lot of time I can spend on maintaining my bait stock. I haven't had much luck keeping suckers alive but my bullheads are hardy and can stand lower water quality and higher temps.

[ironman]

Seeing as how you've already taken more steps than the average joe to keep your bait alive...lets take you a few steps further. You have the amonia-nitrite-nitrate bacteria thing down. My question for you now is if you have any gravel, rocks, plants or any kind of aqua-furniture. I ask because this is were that bacteria lives. If you dont then it' just living on the walls of your tank. Put some gravel in there...maybe a large rock and maybe some driftwood...this will add more are for the bacteria to grow, thus creating a more natural water habitat. continue with the water changes and you should be able to keep your bait indefinatly or at least until they die of old age. I need to get out more.

[SteveD]

Basically what I have is a very large aquarium and that is how I attacked the problem of keeping my own bait tank. My aquarium power filter is a designed to support a 110 gallon tank and provides 3 stage filter providing mechanical, chemical and biological fitration. The mechanical filter is a sponge filter (which also grows some bacteria and provides a certain amount of biological filtration also), the chemical filter is an activated carbon filter (which I change monthly) and the biological filter is a large bag of boi-max ceramic media which grows a ton of bacteria. As long as I don't change all my biomax filter material at once I have a good source of bacteria media needed to sustain water quality.

My big concern is the fish density in my bait tank. A hundred large 7" bullheads produce a lot of ammonia and waste. My ammonia levels are in check now that the water has warmed but the nitrite and nitrate levels are almost toxic. I'm hoping my bacteria levels grow a lot more otherwise 2 or 3 day water changes will be needed to keep up water quality. I have streamlined my water change process to make it easy and simple. I can change out about 35 gallons in about 15 minutes.

[JJB]

I have never had luck trying to keep chubs for long, shoot Im happy to keep them for more than 24 hrs. I can keep suckers a while but its not a sure thing. Usually I will fill a cooler with cool water from the well. Remember the bait shops water is usually 55-60 degrees so you have to try and maintain that temp as much as possable. Usually I freeze pop bottles or 1/2 milk jugs and leave them in the cooler and use one of them cheap bubblers for a fish tank.

This will olny keep them till you are able to get more. Where I get bait they restock on thursdays every week like most. As long as you get them before there gone you will have bait for a few days but if you need them any longer you will want to flush the cooler every day. Like one of the other guys said I usuall just run the hose in there for a few minnutes. Before you put new bait in make sure to clean the cooler and let it dry. Seems to do ok for suckers.

Bullheads dont need much usually I just leave them in a 5 gallon bucket till I use them and change the water every day or two. Usually I use them in a week and the bucket works for that.

[Ralph Wiggum]

No single aquarium filter will sufficiently keep the water clean for 100+ bullheads. I had one Oscar in a 55 gallon with a Aquaclear 500 and a Emporer 400 on in, and I was still doing weekly or biweekly water changes. The best that filter will do on that tank is circulate some water. Luckily, I think you could keep bullheads in mud indefinitely.

[SteveD]

You are probably right. The main advantage for keeping a bullhead tank is the hardiness of bullheads. They can stand relatively high levels of nitrites and nitrates which is happening as the water warms. Another advantage is that frequent water changes may be all that is needed to keep them alive. It is easy to change water which for me I can do almost on a daily basis. I have to believe the filter is helping somewhat. At least it helps with the oxygen transfer and it helps to keep the tank clean. All I know is that my bullies are still going strong and I have bait when I need it.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yes, the water movement from the filter helps to oxygenate the water. I tossed my Aquaclear 500 because it was noisy. Got some sand in the impeller and scored it. I wish I would have kept it. I could have donated it to one of you for a bait tank. The noise wouldn't have mattered on a bait tank.

[Fisher Dave]

The warmer the water in your bait tank, the more oxygen that you need. It is best to use bait that you have within a week or so, or they start getting pretty lame... especially big baits.

The trick is to keep changing out the water.. I use tap water most of the time, and treat it with De-Clor and the bait is fine.. I usually use more declor than what is called for.. about 2 times the amount by volume to be sure it works quickly.

For suckers and creek chubs.. keep the water cold in your stock tank.. 50 degrees is ideal, colder will not kill them. When you put them into a bucket or smaller tank to take fishing, the water will start to warm quickly, and the shock issue is usually gone by the time you are fishing.. be sure to keep air on them if possible.. pump and air stones, etc.

The best thing that I have found for keeping mass amount of air in my tanks is a livewell pump.. a 500 gph pump is fine for most connected to a spray fitting at the top of the tank.. a 750 gph wouldnt be out of the question for a huge stock tank.. chest freezer size, etc..

Keeping high levels of oxygen in the water is very imortant if you want lively bait.. the bait that comes from a livewell pump tank compared to a bubble stone type tank.. the bait will seem *super charged* and kick like crazy from the livewell pump tank.

I focus on the liveliest bait possible vs trying to keep them alive for 2 years.. keep the water clean and cool and they will live.