Live eels/shrimps

**rusty51** · 10-03-2007, 14:58

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of setting up a little tank to keep some live eels and shrimps over the summer months. I've read a few old posts about keeping eels etc in permanent aquariums but all this sounds hellish complicated.

Basically all I want is something I can keep eels/shrimps alive in for a week/2weeks max with as little effort as possible maybe a max of 100eels at a time. I live 2 mins from the sea so water changes arent a problem, basically what im thinking is to just use some general purpose shallow plastic storage containers as tanks, and another as a sand/shell filter. Have a few mm of sand in the tanks and maybe 3/4 inches of water in each. Pump water from this up into another tank full of sand/shells etc to act as a filter ( a bit like a trickle filter) then let this drain back down into the main tanks.

1)Would this work or is it a bit simplified.
2)Would this overheat and kill all my eels if it was just kept in a shadey place.
3)Anything else major that ive missed out?

Cheers Guys
Phil

**Bass-ic Instinct** · 10-03-2007, 15:57

Interesting idea but i dont think they will keep mate. I use a Eddystone livebait bucket and pump for keeping a few live sandeels for bass fishing. You can only keep about 20 though and those i dont use i release at the end of the session. A friend has told me you can leave sandeels in the sand you doug them up for overnight and they will be ok the next day although im unsure on this. I dont know about the shrimps but they can be caught easily enough in a drop net and seem to last better than the sandeels in my livebait container.

**Largerider** · 10-03-2007, 16:06

I remember reading in an old book a few years ago that you can keep them alive by putting them between the layers of wet towels. This sort of makes sence as they will lie in wet sand until the tide returns. My guess is the only way to find out for sure is to try it though.

**big guy** · 10-03-2007, 19:32

the main thing is to keep them cool enough and give them enough air. some people take years of trial and error to find out how to keep them.

this year i'm gonna try a keepnet over the side of the boat

**steve sw** · 10-03-2007, 20:06

last year we fished a lot with sandeels tried about every method we could think off we had a large cool box 3-4 ice bricks in the bottom 5 or so sheets of wet newspaper layer of sandeels newspaper sandeels etc were fine for transportation purposes up to about 5 hours depending on how hot a day it was.
when we got where we were going simply tipped them into a bucket with small holes drilled around it which had a childs bike inner tube inflated around the top of it, rope tied to the handle and placed it in the water and tied rope off.
stayed alive all day and just reeled the bucket in for baiting up

**Billy No Baits** · 11-03-2007, 20:13

I'm looking for a method of catching live sand eels if anyone has a few tips I would appreciate an insight into the various methods that people use up and down the country.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Cheers
Billy

**Crossbow** · 14-03-2007, 18:57

Have a look at this mate, its hard work but it dose work.but i suppose its no differant to worm digging work wise

http://www.worldseafishing.com/news/...006-03-08.html

As for keeping them, thats the hard part. what i would recomend is setting up a "marine Aquarium". Can be expensive (skimmers, pumps ect.) but it will work. Have to keep an eye on nitrates and PH levels but it should work fine one you get the hang of it.........works for my live crabs.

**rusty51** · 15-03-2007, 10:54

I can get the sandeel thats no problem, just cant be arsed with everytime I want to go out I need to go get some first. Rather just dip a net in a tank and fish a few out every trip. Only need to be able to keep them for probly 2 weeks at a time max.

Cheers for the help

**ChrisP** · 15-03-2007, 11:03

Rusty, if you live 2 min from the sea have you thought of keeping them in the sea? Do you have a marina near you where a mate has a boat? If you get the stainless drum out of a washing machine and make a lid for it you can keep sandeels in it. Suspend it under the pontoon in the marina and as long as there is not a great deal of fresh water in the marina they will keep fine without tanks, pumps etc. The only problem is keeping the location of the drum quiet.

Oh and don't mix sandeel and prawn in the same tank, the prawn will nip the tails off the eel and it kills them

**rusty51** · 15-03-2007, 11:30

Hey chris,

Never thought of that to be honest, only thing is there isnt really anywhere suitable which is close enough to keep them like that. And I very much doubt if anyone saw them they would just leave them alone, they wouldnt last 2 minutes.

it was a grand idea tho