Fish Shipping Question

[fugupuff]

1. it all depends on how the tap water differs from the existing tank water. often times people's tanks have low ph, maybe 6 or lower, and the tap water in almost all cities come out above 7, which is 10x higher. I almost always use existing tank water.

in my store, we had huge water containers with water that is conditioned and heated to the same parameters for this purpose.

as for starving the fish for 4 days, that is what I ask most people to do, if he did indeed do it, the fish should not be dead and water foul. since I'm not the shipper or the receiver, I can merely speculate what may have gone wrong.

if the fish are healthy, the bag doesn't puncture, and its not a overly sensitive fish, the survival rate is over 90%.

 

[strollo22]

1. it all depends on how the tap water differs from the existing tank water. often times people's tanks have low ph, maybe 6 or lower, and the tap water in almost all cities come out above 7, which is 10x higher. I almost always use existing tank water.

in my store, we had huge water containers with water that is conditioned and heated to the same parameters for this purpose.

as for starving the fish for 4 days, that is what I ask most people to do, if he did indeed do it, the fish should not be dead and water foul. since I'm not the shipper or the receiver, I can merely speculate what may have gone wrong.

if the fish are healthy, the bag doesn't puncture, and its not a overly sensitive fish, the survival rate is over 90%.

And the pro speaks. Thanks for the info Wes.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[BOTR]

Yes Wes, thanks for the information.

 

[duanes]

I go along with Matt on this one, when I take fish to auction, or ship, I fill bags with fresh dechlorinated tap water, and suspend the bag in the tank overnight, to equalize temp. Because I do frequent water changes, there should be little difference in water chemistry, except.....
The most obvious difference between tap and old tank water, is that the tank water can have lost its buffering capacity (alkalinity) in a short time, which can allow for rapid acidification in the confines of a shipping bag.
I do not suggest that this is what happened, because there are many variables in any shipping project, and I wasn't there. But I doubt fresh tap, unless un-dechlorinated, a drastic temp or pH difference due to lack of water changes, would be the cause.

 

[joe00]

I guess if my fish keeping instincts are wrong on this one I'll be asking employees at the LFS not to bag my fish with any tank water anymore.

"No no no, you're doing it all wrong! Don't bag my fish in that established tank water that it's in, go to the back and get some tap water with water conditioner for my fish please. I have a long ride home."

I respect everyone's comments regarding this and think everyone that has taken the time to read the thread to this point would love to find out if one way might be better than the other. Time for a super easy experiment that may or may not provide interesting results.

Two 5 gallon buckets filled with the exact same amount of water with a 2.5" Comet in each one. One bucket has established tank water that the fish were living in and the other has fresh tap water. 2 ml of Prime water conditioner in each bucket. Fish had not eaten for 24 hours before they were put in their buckets and won't be fed while monitoring them. Planning on testing ammonia and nitrite levels daily along with monitoring overall appearance of the health of the fish. I'll keep you posted.

Here are the fish. Note the waste in the bucket with the fish on the right in the fresh tap water and lack of any waste in the other. I took this picture within a minute of getting the fish into their buckets. Could have been a fluke but reminds me of a popular saying, "I was so scared I pooped my pants".

 

[MonsterMinis]

Knowing only what I'm reading here.. personally i'de lean towards believeing the fish was not truely fasted prior to shipment. to me thats the only logical reason not only your fish died but another memebers did as well.. it is def a possability the fish killed itself bashing around.. but the fouled water is evidence enough that the fishes system had plenty left in it.

 

[dogofwar]

A short ride home from the LFS is very different than a fish being in a bag for 1-3 days during shipping or an auction.

Matt

 

[Pharaoh]

Here are the fish. Note the waste in the bucket with the fish on the right in the fresh tap water and lack of any waste in the other. I took this picture within a minute of getting the fish into their buckets. Could have been a fluke but reminds me of a popular saying, "I was so scared I pooped my pants".

I'd say it was jsut a coincidence.

 

[duanes]

A short ride home from the LFS is very different than a fish being in a bag for 1-3 days during shipping or an auction.

Matt

Again agree.
From a purely chemical viewpoint, at least in my circumstance.
My tap water has an alkalinity of @ 100mgl.
Due to metabolic processes, even immediately after a water change, my tank water drops to an alkalinity of between 40-60mgl.
This means that my tank water can neutralize only approx 50% of the acid that my tap water can.
Since fish are constantly producing uric acid from their gills, whether gut purged or not, it only makes sense to me to use my dechlorinated, temp equalized tap water.

 

[dogofwar]

+1

I'd say it was jsut a coincidence.