Managing shrimp in your bucket can be quite challenging when you’re not aware of the proper preservation methods. The most common mistake that most users make is that they would overstuff the bucket with shrimp causing the shrimp to die faster. So, you should always try to manage the quantity of shrimp according to the size of the container. With that said, let’s cover a few methods that can help you further manage the shrimp in a bucket. So, if you’re struggling with keeping shrimp alive in a bucket, the following solutions should help you.
Keeping Shrimp Alive in Bucket
1. Circulate Water
Water circulation is arguably one of the most important factors that you should keep in mind while trying to keep shrimp alive in a bucket. Instead of using a bubble maker or an aerator, you should try to cycle freshwater into the bucket. That way, you won’t have to spend any extra money on the aerators, and your shrimps will stay alive for a longer period. So, just keep changing the water in the bucket, and you won’t have to worry about the shrimp.
In most boat setups, it is better to rely on the use of a live well than a fishing setup. Even though a bucket might seem more convenient at first, cycling the water after every few hours can be quite troublesome. So, put the shrimp in the live well, and the water will keep cycling through the setup.
All in all, you have to manage the ammonia levels and the oxygen content in the water. Cycling the water aerates the setup and also takes care of excessive ammonia in the water. So, this method is more suitable when you don’t have anything to take care of the excess ammonia in the water.
2. Avoid Mixing Live Bait
Many anglers make the mistake of keeping all their live bait in a single container. Even though it might seem like you’re saving a lot of space, it can substantially impact the life span of your live bait and shrimp. So, if you want to keep shrimp alive for a longer period and also manage the efficiency of your fishing setup, try to keep shrimp in a separate bucket.
There is no need to put all your live bait in a single container. You should always choose a separate container for keeping shrimp alive. Similarly, the quantity of shrimps in a bucket also impacts how long your bait will remain alive. So, if you have overstuffed the bucket, the shrimps will run out of oxygen much faster.
The best method to get around this issue is getting a larger container for your fishing setup. That way, there will be plenty of oxygen in the water for your shrimps. On top of that, it will take a longer period for water to get contaminated with high amounts of ammonia. So, you’ll have a longer gap while circulating the water in the container. Hopefully, this will help you better manage your fishing setup.
3. Use Netting and Ice
Managing the temperature of the water as well as adding a net to the bucket will substantially improve the survival chances of the shrimp. Once you add a net to the bucket, the shrimp will be able to grab the net. They won’t have to exert any energy on swimming in the water. So, you should always start by making sure there is something for the shrimps to hang on to in the bucket.
Aside from that, hotter temperatures have a negative effect on the survival chances of life of shrimps. So, if you live somewhere with extreme weather conditions, try to add a bit of ice to the bucket of shrimps. Adding ice would help bring the temperature within a manageable range. Then, you will be able to keep shrimp alive for a longer period.
All in all, these three methods should help you in keeping shrimp alive in a bucket. With that said, it is always better to rely on the live well in your boat. The live well helps users with water circulation, temperature management, and aeration. So, you won’t have to put any excessive effort into keeping shrimp alive in the bucket. For more techniques, you should try seeking guidance from local anglers.