Toxic livewell?

[wdr2064]

Hello. I have a strange issue that I hope some of you can help me with. I have a 2016 Triton 18TX (same boat as the Ranger RT188). Anyhow I crappie fish a lot and usually keep some fish but release most of them. The issue I have is that even now with 50 degree water and catching fish 10 to 15 feet deep filling my livewell for a long time prior to keeping any fish to make sure it gets flushed out good the fish tip over in it almost immediately. When I release them soon after (everytime I move on to a different school) they swim away in the lake if I release them soon. If they stay in the livewell they die. It does not seem to matter if I run the aerator all the time or on auto. Now, the days when we keep a lot of fish there will be a fair amount but less than half that are swimming around and are lively. The livewell in my boat seems to be made out of plastic. My friend that has a glass boat with a glass livewell treats his the same as I do mine which is simply run it on manual for a while to flush everything out prior to putting fish in it. The fish in his livewell do not die.

This is of great concern to me. Any ideas you have would be appreciated!

[ECobb91]

How often do you clean your livewells? There could be toxic algae or bacteria residing in the livewells releasing chemicals that you can’t see. The first thing I’d do is clean the livewells with dish detergent or vinegar, they also sell livewell cleaner but vinegar does the job, just make sure you rinse it out well. With the temps being as low as they are, it’s not a temperature or oxygen problem.

[wdr2064]

I’ve never cleaned them. If there is bacteria or algae how do you get it out of the plumbing lines?

[jdwo2212]

Fill em with vinegar/water and run your recirc pumps to flush em.

[wdr2064]

I will definitely do that. Thanks!

[fishin couillon]

On my previous boat, i used bleach and water and let it circulate for about 15 mins., then repeated a few more times with just water to clean it out good.....

[larryhyco]

I've used vinegar

[huntertn]

After you clean it leave the lid open so it dries good.

[slonezp]

Panfish will do that caught in 15ft of water. their air bladders need to be fizzed. You can buy weights to keep them upright. If you're keeping them to eat, throw them on ice

[mbh78]

Panfish will do that caught in 15ft of water. their air bladders need to be fizzed. You can buy weights to keep them upright. If you're keeping them to eat, throw them on ice

Yep. That would be my guess too.

[wdr2064]

The crappies in our deep water reservoirs do not get the bends at 15 feet. That happens at about 25 to 30 feet. I know this is not the issue for sure in this case because my buddy fishes the same lake same depths same day and the fish in his live well are swimming around happy. So it’s definitely something to do with my live well. I am going to clean it with vinegar water as suggested and hopefully that will solve it. I REALLY appreciate the fantastic feedback from all of you. Thanks so much!

[Wackyjig]

Like others have said, you need to clean them. I put a few drops of dawn dish soap in mine, fill, recirc for 20-30 min then pump out and wipe out the grime with a towell. Then I just refill and empty 3 or 4 times to make sure the dawn in gone.

[high 2]

Are you pumping in fresh water, or just Recirculating it? Lots of bad stuff can build up in a crowded live well

[Brownmaniac]

I had the same thing happening in an older Cajun to bass (even spots). Washed the wells repeatedly with all kinds of different products, but finally figured out that there was a reddish colored bacteria in the rubber hoses(plumbing). replaced the hoses then sold the boat