Will My Fish Be Okay?

[Fishywishy333]

Hiya guys, I am going to get some dwarf loaches in a couple of days from a shop that is an hour away from me. Will they be okay travelling for an hour in the fish store bag?

It's Fishkeeper in Glasgow, by Maidenhead Aquatics. I can't wait to get my fish!

Hope you can help and thanks in advance.

 

[Wills]

yep they will be fine I would get a poly box though to protect them from the heat we are having at the moment though - just to put your mind at rest I am traveling possibly from Staford to Hull with fish tomorrow

 

[the_lock_man]

They will be fine for an hour, especially if the LFS uses oxygen in the bag (some MAs do, some don't).
 
When you get home, test for ammonia in the bag water, and also test its pH and KH. Compare the latter two to your own pH and KH. You need to make a judgment call on how different the water chemistry is to your own, and how much ammonia is in the bag water, as to how you acclimate them.
 
If you have very low ammonia in the bag water, and your pH and KH are very different to the bag water, then you need to do a long drip acclimation. If you have high ammonia, and the pH and KH are very similar, then just match temperature, and then release the fish.
 
If you are somwhere in between, then use your own judgement as to how long you take to acclimatise them.

 

[Fishywishy333]

Thanks a lot to both of you once again.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

1 hour in a bag should not be a problem. Remember, these fish are not being shipped so there is no need to try and figure out the absolute minimum amount of water to use. Stores can out in lots of water and that prevents serious ammonia build up over a trip home of an hour or two. I have sent folks fish that were in the bags for days because they got lost and nothing died. I have received fish the same way as well.
 
As Wills suggested, just protect them from overheating. Don't leave the exposed bag on the seat in the sun- obviously. If you stop for a snack, don't leave the fish in a car that will heat up in the sun. You would not do that with a baby, don't do it with a fish either

 
You may be able to save yourself from testing the bag water if you ask the store what pH and hardness they keep the fish in at the store. The bag water should still be close to those parameters after just an hour or two. Ammonia is not likely to be an issue for the times involved here.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

When I buy my fish from a store two hours away, I always bring along an insulated box ('cooler' here in the US).  This keeps them shaded from sunlight (keeps them calmer) and also insulates them from temperature fluctuations.  I also use that method whenever buying fish during temperature extremes even from closer stores.

 

[Fishywishy333]

Ok, thanks to everyone. I will buy some kind of insulated box just to keep the temp stable in the bag water.
I will ask them if they know the ph in their tanks as well twotankamin.
I assume it will be the same or very close anyway.