Transporting Fish

[micko]

We're going to England this weekend, taking the car and would like to bring back some fish. My mother has two red spotted severum and also has 3 discus in another tank. They're breaking their tanks down as they're moving back to ireland.

My question is, what do I need to transport the fish? They will be travelling from one tank, to the car, to the boat and into my tank in less time than it takes for fish to come by post so I'm sure its possible.

By the way, I'm not keeping the discus, I love the look of them but I'm just not competent in their requirements.

Thanks in advance

 

[Tizer]

large fish bag, enough water to cover the fish whatever way the bag is turned, lots of air, in a box, perhaps a heatpad and shredded newspaper on the top to keep "some" heat in.

 

[micko]

Would there be enough oxygen in the bag for about 6 hours?

 

[lilfishie]

should be, you could get some oxygen tablets just incase

 

[micko]

I was always told them poly bags don't hold much oxygen. I'm hopefully picking up a few small rotkeil severum fry. At £2 each its a steal. Cannot get them here in northern ireland, or if you can I haven't seen them.

 

[Bazza57]

Go to your LFS or fishmonger & ask for a polysyrene Box. Your LFS may charge you or give it for free if you explain why you want it.
As normal bag-up the fish leaving room for air/oxygen, then place bgged up fish into polybox ready for transport. You can line the box with newspaper if you wish - the darker the container, the less stress for your fish. Take along a bucket for extra water (preferably from your parents tanks) & use this when setting up your new tank for the fish.

As an after thought, if you have a battery powered air pump & airstone, take it along just incase the fish get stressed.
Keeping them in the dark & well aerated is the key. Heat loss should not be much of a problem at this time of year.

 

[Tizer]

the bag should really contain plenty of air, when i get fish delivered its about 1/10th water 9/10th air, very light for transport and the fish are fine.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

"Bag Buddy" tablets added to each invidually, double-bagged fish will help for the journey. I could not say how much you would need for Sevs or Discus, but I used half a tablet for each Lionhead Cichlid I transported to the British Cichlid Association meeting at Redditch from Southampton at the beginning of the month. These tablets oxygenate the water; sedate the fish; add beneficial electrolytes; combat small amounts of ammonia (while the colour of the water will warn you if ammonia levels get dangerous). The receiver of the fish then drove them to Shropshire that night having kept them in the bags all day and the group of twelve are all doing well.

Starving the fish for at least 24 hours before being bagged, or even better 48 hours beforehand, will really help reduce the chance of a lethal build up of ammonia during the journey.