Transporting fish?

Question

Im on my way soon to buy some fish but the closest pet store that is half decent is about an hour away from me. How long can the fish last in the plastic bags? Is there some other container that can be used other than a plastic bag that would give the fish enough air to make the trip?

Answer 1

Your dealer will usually just package fish in a plastic bag. The bag should be filled 1/3rd full of water and 2/3rds air. The water simply keeps the fish wet and allows the gills to function, the air keeps the fish breathing and the fish can be contained for up to 2-3 hours in this condition, depending on the sensitivity of the species.

For longer journeys of 4+ hrs, the bag should be filled with pure oxygen rather than air and in this state the fish can survive up to 7-8 hours.

For general fishes, even large ones, a strong plastic bag will suffice. If bags are used, either tape the corners to make them round or turn the bag upside down. This prevents the fish from becoming trapped in a corner and injuring itself. Double bagging adds security against leaks and should be used for transporting fish with spines.

Temperature is another major consideration. Unless extreme temperatures dictate otherwise, short journeys of less than 5 hour temperature should not be a concern. For longer transportation times, the dealer should provide a polystyrene box, alternatively use a cool box.

It is also advisable to keep the fish in darkness during transportation. Wrap the bag in newspaper as flashes of light can shock fish. Finally, to reduce pollution to the transit water, do not feed fish for 24 hours prior to packaging.

Answer 2

They will be fine as long as you make sure the fish store bags them properly. They should put in only enough water to cover the fish plus one inch. The rest should be air. The water will absorb the O2 from the air much better if there is about 4-5 times as much air as water in the bag.

I sell fish at fish club auctions and bag them up in the morning with a small pellet called a "Bag Buddy" that adds some O2 to the water and has a mild sedative in it. They are fine for the duration of the auction which sometimes lasts until 6 or 7 in the evening. One hour in a bag is not a problem if they do it right.

Answer 3

Your best bet would be a plastic bag, because since the sides are able to fit the shape of the water, the force of the water hitting the side will not be as hard, so not as shaky for the fish. I would reccomend you to get a few fish at a time, even though the ride is long. You shoud probably have a container that's larger than the bag to hold the bag, so it doesn't roll around while you're driving. I know, I've got great ideas, but I can't explain them well.

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Answer 4

Sure you can. The ammonia will be somewhat high when you get home and your fish will be kinda stressed out but other than that your fish should be fine.Just think about what fish that have been shipped to a home feel like. Or you can also take a large container such as a plastic bin or something thet's been cleaned before you use. They can put your fish there and it should be good for long enough to go home.

Answer 5

Your fish will be fine for that amount of time.

Consider than when fish are shipped from Florida farms to your pet store that they are bagged up to about 25 fish to a bag (about the same size as what you take them home in), boxed along with others in the order, taken to the airport, flown to their destination(maybe 3-5 hr. flight), taken by UPS to the store on arrival (another 1-2 hrs), then unpacked and acclimated into the tanks. This can stretch out to be 8-10 hrs for domestic-raised fish, even longer for imported. I base these numbers on known flight lengths and shipping times and from experience working in the pet industry.

The only concern you should have is maintaining a comfortable temperature for them during the trip - if it's too hot or cold, a picnic cooler will keep the temperature of the water they're in from changing too rapidly. And limit stops and time of stops. A car can heat up quickly with the windows up when parked in the sun, even if the air temperature is cool. As long as the car is moving, there is a vibration which will keep the water in the bag oxygenated. I've personally moved fish (including several sensitive saltwater species) from an exotics store 5 hrs. away to my home with no problems.

Answer 6

Unless the ambient temperature is way below freezing or up around 100F you shouldn't have a problem with an hour in their bags...there's sufficient oxygen in the water and the bag for the fish.

I always took a small cardboard box with me to put the bags in to support them for the trip home. And certainly if the temperature is extreme, keep them inside the car with you and not in your trunk. The water temperature of the tank they were removed from was probably around 77F so you don't want the bags to vary too much from that if you can.

Of course, as soon as you get home, let the bags float in your aquarium tank so the temperature can adjust and equalize before you release them.
Good luck!.

Answer 7

yes fish can last an hour in a plastic bag or you could bring a small container with you and tell them to put some fish water in it

Answer 8

Let the owners know. They will probably have a little larger bags for the larger specimens.

I transport large pond fish over two and a half hours in large bags in a cooler. They are always fine.

Answer 9

They will be fine.I've had fish shipped to me and they were in plastic bags overnight and were recieved just fine. In fact, I've had some of them for four years. If you still feel leary about it , if you have a black plastic bag it help calm the fish, but it will still be afftected by travel trauma.

Answer 10

they are able to live in the bags for about an hour, see if they are able to send the fish to you, or look at a map and find out the fastest way to get there, and go in the midle of the days o there isn't any traffic.