EELS or HERRING????
 

What do you find easier to keep alive in a live well at home? I know herring are a pain in the arse, but are the eels harder to keep alive?

eels

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Sammy -

Eels are a WHOLE lot easier to keep - in season I keep 'em in a 120 quart cooler on my brick patio in the shade with fresh water and an aerator pump - as long as you change the water periodically and keep it cool (drop ice in it occasionally when the water temp gets too warm) they keep just fine. Leave the lid cracked open a little but don't leave it open too much - they'll get out on ya.

My wife likes to read on the patio in the summer and she found an escapee with her bare feet one morning - man, you coulda heard the shreiking all the way to Montauk. :laughs:

Oops, I mean :eek: :smash: :smash: :smash:

Herring really are a pain to keep.You need a rather larger round tank.They can will literally wear themselves to death in a square tank swimming into the corners.
The water needs to be kept really cool,meaning constantly adding ice.Unless you got a walk-in fridge in the basement!
The water also needs to be well agitated for oxygenation purposes.It also needs to be circulated at a rather aggressive rate or toxins can build up.
In the end a rather decent chunk of change has to be spent in both material and electricity to keep herring alive successfully on a regular basis.

What Crafty said.

I use black 5 gal bucket and air (fish tank pump) I keep a brick in there to hold the hose down. Be sure to keep a cover on it!

If you know someone who works for a beverage distributor, package store, or a convenience store, those round coolers they keep by the register full of ice and cans make great eel tanks! They are deep enough and there is a drain at the bottom when you need to change water or clean the tank. Make sure you get one with a black/dark inside so you don't bleach out your eels.

I think eels are hartier.

CT - Outstandin' idea with the beverage cooler - :btu: - I like a guy that thinks.

I'm all over that one - got just the guy to talk to, too - thanks!