Transporting fish!!! Help NOW

I have to trasnport a few fish to Dino's place today and am missing a few ingredients. First of all how big does the bag need to be to hold the fish?
Second of all do I have to transfer them in a styrofoam cooler? Keep in mind These fish need to survive for quite a while.

 

Do not put too many fish in a bag. It is always better to use a larger bag or put fewer fish in a bag.

Do not put too much water in the bag. Fish depend on oxygen dissolved in the water and need more air than water to survive. Fill the bag only 1/4 to 1/3 with clean tank water but use enough water to keep the fish submerged and in a normal upright position if the bag is laid on its side. Use a larger bag if these two conditions can not be met at the same time.

A cooler would be good, especially a soft-sided one. To help keep the temp. more steady overall and to give them dark.

 

Do not put too many fish in a bag. It is always better to use a larger bag or put fewer fish in a bag.

Do not put too much water in the bag. Fish depend on oxygen dissolved in the water and need more air than water to survive. Fill the bag only 1/4 to 1/3 with clean tank water but use enough water to keep the fish submerged and in a normal upright position if the bag is laid on its side. Use a larger bag if these two conditions can not be met at the same time.

A cooler would be good, especially a soft-sided one. To help keep the temp. more steady overall and to give them dark.

What he said. ;D

 

Well all I could find was some regular zip-loc bags, so that's why I needed some help. any other ideas?

 

Yep, Dave knows better than any of us about moving fish.

 

ok ok I found some garbage bags for a little garbage can about 12" wide and 18" tall will hold a few gallons I suppose, the thing is that they're white. So won't that stress the fish. Also today is water change day so do I use tankwater or do a water change and use that water?

 

I would do a water change and then that water. The cleaner the water, the better.
I would also go with the ziplock bags, unless you've got really thick trash bags (water is heavy, and you don't want the constant stress of the water to split a seam in the bags).

If you don't have a cooler, try to find a box and pad it with towels or blankets. This will help cushion/insulate the bags.

 

Ok I have a box and will do the waterchange. I have some thick garbage bags. But why not the smaller ones?

 

It's not the size, but the mil thickness that I'm concerned about. The bags that I have for my little 12" garbage can are extremely thin, and wouldn't be able to hold a lot of water without splitting. Ziplock bags, on the other hand, are extremely thick, and ziplock prides its bags on being able to be filled with liquid and survive.

 

I filled the small trashbags at over 50% and swung it around, no leaks and sturdy, is it the fact that their white?

 

If they can take that abuse, they're good.

 

ok, now how many fish per bag? I need to transport 4 cherry barbs? the puffer gets his own bag I know.

 

That one I'm not sure on. Dave? Dino?

 

also account for the length of time they need to survive, well now its water change time.

 

also account for the length of time they need to survive, well now its water change time.

Fish survive in bags for days on end when being shipped so don't stress
Carol

 

wow thanks butterfly that really makes me feel better.

 

How did the trip go? Any losses?

 

Nope.
All fish arrived here fine.

 

Lots of good news today!

 

Yea, glad to hear of another successful road trip.

 

I don't understand why this issue keeps cropping up...

When you buy a fish - they sell it to you in a plastic bag inside a brown paper one - The brown paper bag is simply to keep the fish from being too stressed during transit.

When you need to move a fish - just do the same. I asked my LFS guy and he just gave me a handful of both free of charge.

It's worth asking -but if they won't give 'em to you - you could always buy them - they're dirt cheap.

 

I've never been sold a fish that way.

 

I don't understand why this issue keeps cropping up...

When you buy a fish - they sell it to you in a plastic bag inside a brown paper one - The brown paper bag is simply to keep the fish from being too stressed during transit.

When you need to move a fish - just do the same. I asked my LFS guy and he just gave me a handful of both free of charge.

It's worth asking -but if they won't give 'em to you - you could always buy them - they're dirt cheap.

This issue keeps cropping up because not everyone is experienced in bagging their own fish and are unsure how long they can stay bagged. Most people are unaware of how they get to the LFS.
We all live and learn
Carol

 

I've never been sold a fish that way.

Just curious - how do your fish come??

 

Bettas are usually in cups and other fish in clear plastic bags. we put them in a soft-sided cooler for transit to give them cushioning from fluffy towels, protection from car climate control and dark to lower their stress. Especially on a trip of any fair amount of time.

 

Strange - I've never seen fish in cups...

Is that an American thing?
- in the uk I've only ever seen 'em like this...

I'm curious now:
Mine are in a clear plastic bag, tied with a knot at the top - in a brown paper bag.
How do your fish come?

 

mine have always been rubberbanded instead of tied at the top and I haven't heard of the paper bag on the outside..its seems like a good idea..cups are common for bettas in my memory

 

yeah my fish store puts a squirt of stress coat in the bag and ties it - then place it in a brown bag just so the fish don't see everything moving around as this may stress them.

Oh, what kind of cups?

Could somoene maybe post a pic example of one of these cups if you have one...?

 

Here's one of the betta cups.. being used to hold some newly droped platy fry in this picture.

 

Wow
- never seen anything like this. Only bags here.

Thanks for showing me this.

 

Yea, in the stores here Bettas sit in those tiny cups, sometimes only 1/4 full for days or weeks.