how long can you keep yabbies alive??

[j_man_84]

As the title describes boys im looking to pump some yabbies this arv round 3pm from my local spot to take down to the gc tomorrow morning for a fish round 4:30am. Now if i provide them a big bucket with an aerator and change the water just before bed can i keep these little buggers alive for a morning fish? And if thats not the way to do it please help me as i really want them for the morning rather then buying frozen bait!! cheers boys appreciate your help.;)

[bennykenny]

from my experience ive found it better if you dont keep them in water, some wet sand and a wet hession bag or the likes over the top of them will keep them in better condition.
i found when you keep them in water, it changes temperature, and this is what kills them.

[wayno60]

Ive never tried to keep them out of water, but i thought it might have been the lack of oxygen in the water that kills them. Anyway with out doing the sand and hession bag trick yes if you can keep the oxy up to them they should be right till the morning

[kercus]

A large tray is better than a bucket - gives them plenty of room. I suggest a large styrene box or similar - as big as you can get. Put them in about 3cm of clean seawater( collect at high tide ). Keep them COOL. Change water as you said.
Good luck,
kercus

[yellowbellyking]

i have put them in the bottom of a fridge for a couple of days and they stay alive

[Giffo65]

I used a polystyrene Broccolli box and put about 20mm of sea water in it,put in a frozen freezer block(like the blue flat ones ) as a frozen bottle will roll around and squash them.I found they stay alive for days this way.I did not use an aerator ,and pull out any dead ones.

[jaymart]

I dig them the afternoon before when fishing club comps, just wet a chuck superwipe with saltwater and place in esky, put yabbies on top of this along with freezer block put the lid on and they will be still alive the next day, If you keep the lid on the esky and in the shade they should still be alive at the end of the day.
Cheers Martin

[Horse]

I put about 1cm of water in a takeaway container (don't overcrowd) and chuck them in the fridge. They last for days

[Midnight]

Yep large flat tray for me, and clean shallow sea water, even 10mm or so. keep em somewhere cool and they will go the distance. And definitely pull the dead or injured ones.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Myles

[Mike Delisser]

A large tray is better than a bucket - gives them plenty of room. I suggest a large styrene box or similar - as big as you can get. Put them in about 3cm of clean seawater( collect at high tide ). Keep them COOL. Change water as you said.
Good luck,
kercus


I used a polystyrene Broccolli box and put about 20mm of sea water in it,put in a frozen freezer block(like the blue flat ones ) as a frozen bottle will roll around and squash them.I found they stay alive for days this way.I did not use an aerator ,and pull out any dead ones.


I put about 1cm of water in a takeaway container (don't overcrowd) and chuck them in the fridge. They last for days

Spot on.
"In the day" we use to dig enough on Fri for 5 or 6 of us to use all Saturday night on SQAFCA and club comps down at The Pin or at Combie (maybe 1500 yabs). The yabs would spend Fri night in broccoli boxes, big eskeys, and upside down esky lids, maybe only 1cm of water though. One water change through the night in winter, 2 on a hot summer night. Throw away any dead or soft ones you see, and also pop off the big claw when you pump them.
Cheers

[johncar]

Bit late on this but when wanting to keep yabbies alive and fresh for a couple of days I use just some clean plain pine wood shavings in any container, let them bury into it or place them in a couple of layers and lightly cover with the shavings, even a cardboard box will suffice and leave in a cool spot. So they don't have to be in any water at all.

[Muddy Toes]

A bit off topic but has anyone had the pleasure of smelling dead yabbie water that has been forgotten about for a day or so?
Wholly Crap!!!

[theoldlegend]

What does it smell like?


TOL

[Mike Delisser]

What does it smell like?


TOL

Uniquely rank