How can I keep a lobster alive for a few days?
Posted by admin on February 19th, 2009 filed in Zoology
I get live lobesters from the grocery store for use in teaching science in my classroom. I’d like to figure out a cheap way of keeping a couple of them alive for a few days without having to have a saltwater fish tank.
Posted by Jeff B on 2009-02-19 02:45:12
Posted by Jeff B on 2009-02-19 02:45:12
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February 20th, 2009 at 12:11 am
It would be reallly nice if you decided to let it go back to its home in the sea.
February 20th, 2009 at 9:19 am
First of all, you’ll need a tank! lol
Seriously, you need a tank or cooler to keep it in but it doesn’t need to be a big one if it is only for a few days (5-10 gallons or 45-90 lbs!). I would use a minimum of 5 gal each. Next, you need some salt water. This can most likely be gotten where you got the lobster. If not, your local aquarium store will have some or you can make it yourself from a mix available at almost any pet store.
Last, but certainly not least, you need to keep the water conditioned. You will need an air pump to airate the water and a way to keep the water cold, VERY cold. I believe that most lobsters are kept between 45-55 degrees. This is quite difficult to do, and for aquariumists, we use a chiller that starts at around $400 and into the thousands. Perhaps a fridge on a high (warm) setting would work.
Good luck!
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Posted by laduron7
Lobsters will live for a short time out of water in a regular refrigerator if kept in a moist plastic bag. Don’t know exactly how many days, but I’ve done this in the past, and I think they’re commercially shipped in a similar way from Maine.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Posted by Jim
Whatever you do, don’t use water right out of the tap. It is chlorinated. Which will kill lobsters and fish. And is probably a terribly painful way to die.
If you are going to hold them any longer than overnight you will need some amount of sea water. Just a little in a bucket or plastic bag, preferable sealed.