Local shop no longer carries live bait (shiners, minnows), so I'm thinking of having a minnow tank on site to make life more complicated. And, so I don't have to plan my fishing itinerary around the hours of a distant bait shop being open. I'm thinking of a max of three dozen fish, 2.5-3" long. Would a typical aquarium setup be suitable? If so, how many gallons?
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Bait tank ideas?
- Thread starter pupchow
- Start date
EMTDAD
NES Member
I wouldn't overthink or overdo it.... basic 10-20 gal tank.., aerating stone.. jar of fish food to keep them alive. then get other things (a filter, or vacuum hose) as you need it..
typically the rule of thumb is 1 gal/1 in of fish, but that's for display aquariums... look at the pet store and see how they have the feeder goldfish set up.. that's more what you want.
typically the rule of thumb is 1 gal/1 in of fish, but that's for display aquariums... look at the pet store and see how they have the feeder goldfish set up.. that's more what you want.
Look for a smaller junk chest feeezer.
peterk123
NES Member
I used to do this when I lived in mass. I trapped shiners at a local pond then kept them in a tank. You have to get the ph balanced and the right bacteria going in the filter to pull the ammonia (I think) out. Number of fish makes a difference too. It was a bitch to get it working but once I had it balanced they would last several weeks.
For relatively short term (few days) storage, just an aerator in the bait bucket works pretty well. Daily water changes and ice cubes to keep water cold in the summer can keep losses to a bare minimum for a free days. Beyond that, the losses add up. Remove dead ones immediately also.
I'm afraid this is where I'm headed. Frabill has a cooler-type chest with integrated aerator, which can run on batteries or AC adapter.
Found this on CL but the wife is adamantly opposed:
50 gal fish tank with metal stand and cascade 1000 filter - general for sale - by owner - craigslist
50 gal fish tank with metal stand and cascade 1000 filter. comes with extra filter head
TG Pioneer
NES Member
The bigger the tank, the easier to keep it from getting out of whack. I keep a small ten gallon with tropical fish but the principle is the same. Start with just a few fish to get the good bacteria balanced on a sponge filter. Anything goes wrong, just change the water. Buy a conditioner like Aqua Safe to get the chlorine out of your tap water and put it in a bucket. Add water the same temp as the tank. Siphon the old water out. I use one bucket for old water and another for new. Takes five minutes. Do that once a week and you’re good.
A fifty gallon in the garage could keep three dozen shiners at your beck and call.
A fifty gallon in the garage could keep three dozen shiners at your beck and call.
+1
I've tried in the past for ice season, it was difficult for me to get the ph stable.
I have the frabil cooler now, keep it in the garage with a plug in aerator. I dump and fill the water (well water) daily, usually can get from one weekend to the next with minimal losses. This is in the winter, the summer would probably need daily ice added.
pj150
NES Member
My uncle used to do that with the fish he was going to eat. Few days to a couple of weeks in fresh clean water bath for the catfish/crappie/bass to purge itself of the 'muck'. No feeding but drain and fill water change every other day. Stone and aerator is a must.
MisterHappy
NES Member
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When we went to Kentucky for the Eclipse, we went to a cafe / bait shop.
The shiners were in one of those plastic Rubbermaid storage containers like this, with a fish tank areator.
www.uline.com
The crickets were in an open-topped aquarium.
Did I say that this was in a cafe? The bait shop was separated from the eating area by a half-height wall.
Things were....different there. The biscuits and gravy was great, though.
The shiners were in one of those plastic Rubbermaid storage containers like this, with a fish tank areator.
Brute® Totes - 28 x 17 x 15
RUBBERMAID Move heavy tools and equipment between job sites. Industrial-grade polyethylene construction with reinforced bottom. Snap-tight lid keeps contents dry and secure. Strong, easy-grip handles. Stackable and nestable. NSF certified.ULINE offers over 41,000 boxes, plastic poly bags...
www.uline.com
The crickets were in an open-topped aquarium.
Did I say that this was in a cafe? The bait shop was separated from the eating area by a half-height wall.
Things were....different there. The biscuits and gravy was great, though.
BlackwaterFence
NES Member
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- Oct 27, 2011
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My uncle had a huge outdoor pond/tank for saltwater baitfish (Herring then Pogies). It was 6’ deep, rubber lined, hole in the ground about 12’ diameter. Covered with a shelter logic type structure. A circulator pump rigged to a spinner type sprinkler which was suspended from the shelter framework. It aerated the water and moved it around some. He said if didn’t get very dirty because it was cooled by the earth, in the shade, and he fed them very little. Pretty much fished all season with live bait when there was none around.
I tried pushing the aquarium idea to the CFO, but no ground was gained. After looking at options to keep shiners fresh for at least a few days (since I'd have to buy them a day or two in advance), I ordered an Engel. The aerator is rechargeable, but it's supposed to be able to run continuously if plugged into a charger. After putting it in/out of my bezos shopping cart a few times, a $20 discount appeared. So I bit.
engelcoolers.com
It'll take up quite a bit of space on my kayak but should fit the rear well. And I'm going to try it on my SUP.
Engel 19Qt Live bait Pro Cooler with AP3 Rechargeable Aerator & Stainless Hardware
The Engel Live Bait Pro is a high-quality bait storage system that is designed to keep your live bait fresh and lively for extended periods. This system comes with a rechargeable aerator that helps to maintain a constant flow of oxygen, ensuring that your bait remains healthy and active. The...
engelcoolers.com
It'll take up quite a bit of space on my kayak but should fit the rear well. And I'm going to try it on my SUP.
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