Bait Storage Question

[Dirk W]

The system I use for keeping bait works well but occasionally I have problems with the bait getting blochy, fungus type stuff on them which quickly kills them. I had a friend mention to me that putting tetracycline (sp??), an antibiotic, in the water will solve the problem. Anybody tried this or have any other solutions? Keeping my water fresh basically keeps this problem to a minimum but I'm always looking at ways to keep the bait fat and sassy. Were can you pick this stuff up at??

[EBass]

Any pet store, used to clear up "ICK" at least I think that what it's used for. The spelling is close.

[Aquaman01]

I use 'coppersafe' to kill off parasites for feeding my aquarium. Funny thing though, it turns my crappie minnows solid silver.

------------------
Aquaman
<')}}}}}><{
Peace and Fishes

[Walleye_GFA]

Ive been a saltwater tank guy for years...

The antibiotics are VERY expensive (about $16 for treatment)...

The coppersafe, or anti-ich is a great idea, but you ahve to stop filtration while your treating the system or the active carbon scrubbs it out of the water... this will prevent parasites and some "fungus"...

The best thing is top make sure you ahve regular water changes (30% every week or two), and keep filters changed...

You can also buy some water treatment that says it removes amonia (it actually renders it chemically inert, thus not bad for fish)... but the best thing is to make sure you ahve adequate filtration and oxidation...

Drop me a note at [email protected] and I will give you my number if you wish... Also you can bring me a sample of your water and I will test it for amonia, nitrates, pH, etc... there are alot of great chemical treatments out there, but filtration is still the best.

Wally

[DARK30]

I keep my bait in a creek down behind the house and they still end up wearing white sweaters after about a week to ten days. The only thing I can do is use up the older ones first and keep catching new stock every week. I think it has alot to do with the hot summer days cause in the spring and fall it dosn't happen very much.

WET NETS!

------------------
cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Ozzy169]

I get the same thing on the bait here in the shop. Bullheads get the fungus in a week - 10 days, Sucker minnows get it after 2 weeks. It happens in two different stlye tanks, ??? stumped, Ahh, sell more bait!!

------------------
Puff-Puff-Pass

[Dirk W]

The "white sweater" was an appropriate comparison. It can get all over their body in blochy spots. It looks like white, fuzzy mold. Must be a bacteria if antibiotics kill it. I keep up to 75 bullheads in a chest freezer so I get nervous when I see it. Its never wiped out the whole supply though. The ones that get it become fertilizer fast when I see it.

[Dennis Steele]

I had been having a problem with bullheads also.They were not wearing a "sweater but they were turning a palish grey in spots then dying.I checked for amonia,nitrates,but the only thing that was out of whack was the ph of the water and the hardness.The ph was off the scale at I am guessing about 8 and the water was VERY hard.I thought this had something to do with it but my last batch has been doing nicely for about a week and a half now.No losses and no grey.

[Guest]

A deal I have used in the past for large baits and minnows is a floating crib.

I took a 4" PVC pipe and made a frame 4 by 4 feet and enclosed it with fine mesh wire. We used it for suckers and frogs. Coons can be a big pain if they find the cage.

The trick was to put it in a flowing creek or river in the shade. The suckers would last a couple of months at the most. In finer mesh baskets we also kept river shiners, they are touchy as heck to keep in the summer.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"
701-281-2300
[email protected]

[Walleye_GFA]

I guess bait does not stay in my tank long enough to get it... I usually keep 5-10 suckers, some bullheads, maybe some crappie minnows in it along with leaches and I have not had that stuff...

Is it the white stuff that looks like "fin rot" ??? Would be white stuff on cracks on fins near body, or is it different stuff ???

Wally