Possible To Keep Yabbies Alive?

[dazzassj6]

hey fishraiders,

does anyone know how to keep yabbies alive for at least a week? i heard you can keep them in a bucket with sand and seaweed. do u have to regularly change water? or is having a airator good enough? and what else do they eat besides seaweed?

[jewgaffer]

hey fishraiders,

does anyone know how to keep yabbies alive for at least a week? i heard you can keep them in a bucket with sand and seaweed. do u have to regularly change water? or is having a airator good enough? and what else do they eat besides seaweed?

hi dazzassj6

i think this is a good description. it does apply to delicate saltwater yabbies and i hope it helps you

One method of keeping them alive for long periods is to drain away all water and ensure the yabbies are fairly dry. Place a 2 inch layer of untreated wood shaving in an esky and place yabbies evenly spaced on top of the shavings. Place as many layers as needed ensuring the yabbies are not on top of each other and each layer of wood shavings as about 2 inches thick. Put the lid on the esky and keep cool preferabley below 20 deg celsius. Yabbies can be kept alive and kicking for almost a week using this method.

cheers

jewgaffer

[Polynemus_sheridani]

Hi Dazzassj6

I remember when i was a kid and we use to fish botany bay a lot we use use yabbies for bait and we use to keep for weeks and this is how we did it.

We made up 3 wooden boxes all made out of marine ply say about 60cm x 60cm and 3cm deep with a lid, after you bring them home lay out the yabbies in the tray don't put to many in the trays and then cover them with water that we brought back from where we use to pump for them from in big 20lt drums. and once a day replace the water with new water the best place to keep them is in the coldest place you can find on the ground this helps slow them down and they use less engine and will stay alive a lot longer.

Also remember to check them often and remove any dead ones as they will kill all the others if you don't and freeze them in plastic bags, the best way to do that is to lay them out on tray and spry them with a water sprayer and then freeze them and then put them into the bag and take them with you when you go fishing they will still catch fish with them or use them when you want to have a quick bash and don't have time to get live bait.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Craig

[Guest DV8]

Jewgaffer would be on the money as usual!!!

The way Jewgaffer describes is the way live prawns are exported via sea freight to Japan.

Awesome Jewgaffer!!!!

Davo

[Davemmm]

If we are talking about pink nippers here then there is no need to go to too much hassle.

Esky, water and an aerator are all that is needed.

Clean the dead ones out every day and change the water as often as you possibly can.

Dont worry about what they eat they will last a week as long as they are kept cool and clean.

Dave