Moving a Duplicareus C. breeding colony

[DitherFish]

I am making an unplanned trip back home with a breeding colony of about 60+ wild caught Duplicareus C. and 30+ F1's. It's about a1050 mile trip. I plan on using 27 gal. Tuff Tubs with lids. each will have a live sponge filter, polypads, ammonia pads, and a heater auto set at 80*(usually runs 78*). If I split the breeding colony and put 30 Cory's each into 3 tubs would you think they could make the 2-3 day trip? I do have 10 gallons of RODI and bought a 6 stage filter to make more if needed. I know how to move fish but not quite sure on this species needs. worried that many in a tub would cause stress or damage. I've searched for moving fish but OP's are either not traveling that far or do not have that many fish in one container.

 

[MacZ]

I'd probably go with less fish in smaller containers. Stressed Corydoras may release venom.
If you want to stick to containers instead of bags, use smaller tubs (maybe 20 liters tops), only put in air line and ammonia pads, put them in a bigger isolated container and heat said container. Without isolation you can forget any heaters, especially if you leave the fish in the car overnight. They will cool down faster than the heater can compensate for and will either burn out or overheat and boil the fish. Also so many heaters will just skyrocket your gas usage.

Probably best: Pack them as you would a shipment and just put 5 each in transport bags, add oxygen and put them in styrofoam boxes with heatpads. You can exchange those during the second day. That might work better than an over complicated plan with too many things that could possibly go very wrong.

 

[Stripedbass]

Most fish that we have in our hobby took a lot longer and more stressful trip than that. I think anything you do extra will help your tremendously.

 

[DitherFish]

Yea I had originally intended to ship 10 fish back and that's all the supplies I had brought with me. When I had the opportunity to get the colony I immediately ordered more bags boxes and heat pads from amazon but spaced out the shipping address so they sent it to my house. I pick up the fish tomorrow and heading back to colorado on Wed. I do have a 100 gallon isolation tub for one of the 27G tubs and putting the other in the Bathtub. I suppose I can get smaller crates and use these as isolation tubs. I have the climate control set to 78* in the trailer so not too worried about the heat. also have more than enough outlets everything has been up and going for 3 days now and has not popped a breaker even when the AC or heaters blowers come on.

Most fish that we have in our hobby took a lot longer and more stressful trip than that. I think anything you do extra will help your tremendously.

I agree. I just did not know if that many fish in one container is harmful. I have seen bags of hundreds of mollies guppie goldfish at my LFS's. did not know how long they were in the bag.
This is one of the tubs with 2 sponge filters. one with a white AC/battery backup pump and the other with a green usb pump. there is also a 100 W heater in the tub to keep the water temp up. the other tubs is a 100 gal with one of the 27 gal in it. The reason I went with the larger tubs is I only have to fill it 1/3 and it won't splash out.

 

[Stripedbass]

Good luck! I'm sure they will be fine.

 

[DitherFish]

Just got to Colorado this morning. the first 200 miles did not go so well. my mistake was putting it in the camper. camper has springs but no shocks for suspension. filled the tubs half way about 10" deep, 10gal., ended up bouncing all but 2" of water out. put the tubs in my pickup cab and filled them back up with no problems. glad I brought 30 gallons extra water and had the bathtub and 10gal retention tub to catch the excess water overflow.
I did lose 1 fish and I think it was injured by the sponge filter when it was bouncing around in low water levels. I took the filters out and just used the air stones like MacZ suggested and 99 fish made it safely.