Live Box

[waterchick]

Need some advice.  I have a prob with my crab pots.  I have a one level pot and the crabs keep eating each other even though there is plently of food.  I was thinking of building a live box.  Any suggestions on how to build one or what to do?  Thanks.

Waterchick in Myrtle Beach

[NJ Grasshopper]

Best suggestion is to 'harvest' the crabs more often. I typically lose 10% when I keep them in a holding trap off my dock after I go out to empty my traps. That's a heartbreaker when ya have 60 to 70 in a holding cage.

[jack1747]

Live boxes have kinda  gone away because  vinyl covered wire pots are a lot cheaper in the long run.  Keeping two dozen crabs in a pot with the funnels pinched closed should not be a problem.  The crabs should be fine for a few days.  If it makes you fell better throw in a dead fish or two. Most of the crabs that die in a day or two are ones that had their shells punctured while fighting out of water.  Once the crabs are in the water they will try to keep out of one another’s way.  However it is their nature to fight.  And they are cannibals.  Crowd to many into a small space and some are going to be killed/eaten.  

[madcrab]

 I have a few pots and all I do is throw about four fish in the holding section of the pot and they are set for about three days. (Best to check them before then though)

[kathi]

Does anyone have any advice on how to build a live box?  What to use for the frame?

[Crabslayer]

If you can get your hand on a bundle of plaster lathe you can nail them to a 2 x 2 at both the top and bottom.  Use small galvanized nails and predrill the lathe at the top and bottom to keep from splitting. Use one edge of a lathe as a spacer.  Make your legnth and your width to suit your need.  Use to make mine 4'x8' but 3'x5' will work fine.  Once you have all four sides made and fastened together by nailing the 2x2s then nail 1x6s across the top to form the bottom using a lathe again as a spacer.   Flip it over.  About 1/3 of the way down from the top, nail a 1x4 around the outside perimeter making sure the ends overlap each other. This forms a ledge that you can attach some floats to keep it floating.  You now have a live box.  You can even make a divider to slide in to keep your peelers seperated.  

[jack1747]

might wanta put a top on the peeler part.  dont take the gulls long to figure out your running a softcrab carry out

[Black Irish]

Herons love 'em too. Use a solid cover or one made from canvas, just so the birds can't see through it. Even if the birds can't pull them out thru chicken wire or something like that, they will punch holes in every last one trying.

[Crabslayer]

I keep forgetting about that lid.  The crabs I catch are big enough to eat the birds!