Fish Transportation questions

[jlieskovan]

Hey guys, its been a while. I have been busy with college, i am about to graduate in around 4 weeks. The downside to this is that i am moving from my bay area apartment where i have my 55g with a 5" Odoe Pike. I will be going from the Bay Area to the central valley, around 4 hour drive. What is the best way to transport fish? I used a trashcan with towels for transporting my 10 pbass around 2 years ago, that drive was around 1 hour but i lost the bass, it just beat its self up thrashing around. This trip will be much longer, and i would like to not lose the fish this time. any tips? thanks If it is too hard to transport i will probably just sell the fish, no point in killing a great fish to try and transport it.

Thanks

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Surprised you lost the pike. Fish are shipped thousand and thousand miles away a one hour drive should be no issue what so ever. Even a 4 hour trip just put it In a bucket and that's it.

 

[StIcKy~RiCe]

put them in a bucket or totes would be fine, I would bring battery pump and air stone for extra oxygen.

 

[johnny potatoes]

I always use a cooler, it helps keep the temp stable. Also drill a small hole in the lid for an airline to a battery powered pump.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

I always use a cooler, it helps keep the temp stable. Also drill a small hole in the lid for an airline to a battery powered pump.

When I picked up rays it was probably an hour or so I was fine.

But for good measure this is a 5" ode pike so its not massive or anything. Honestly a bucket for this type of fish will suffice but you can use a cooler and a battery powered pump.

Think about how long in transport these fish go with limited oxygen and space. If the fish was massive above a foot i would do battery powered pump and a cooler due to the fact they will be very stressed in a small envirnment and will hurt themselves. You can use clove oil to sedate big fish but too much you will euthanize them.

 

[Lawlboom]

Don't feed the day before. Use a cooler. Temperature is more important than extra oxygen in my opinion. I lined small coolers with trash bags when moving my Dovii seven hours away.

 

[fishnatics]

Like everyone said. For an hr or less I just put them in a bucket and go. For longer drives, I use a cooler and a battery air pump. I've done it this way for a long time.

 

[HarleyK]

Check out the Articles Forum for travel advice. There's an article on long distance travel, which you can translate to your shorter drive.

Good luck

 

[Ocean Railroader]

I would recommend buying a large bat saver tank from a fishing store. The bait saver tank is a large plastic tank that has a battery operated pump and a screw on lid to keep water form splashing out.

I did however once take a six inch long pet bluegill home on the bus in a plastic shoe box and it was messy due to the water. But the Bluegill got home fine.