How Long Can Fish Survive in a Bag?

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SalviniCichlidFan

Dovii
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May 30, 2021
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Hey y'all,

I'm driving from New Jersey back to Massachusetts, which is roughly a 5-6 hour drive. There is this epic fish store called Absolutely Fish that has some fish I potentially want to buy. However, I am worried about the long transport time back home. Do you all know how long fish can survive in a bag?

Thanks
 
That’s been a question that’s worried me for some time. With the waste output during transport stress and temperature variations I wouldn’t feel comfortable keeping them or it in a bag for more than an hour at best. If acclimation temp adaptation is roughly 30 mins, then the temp change in transport which would take easily 30-45 mins from my lfs is actually alarming.
I would be stressing the whole way home with that long of a drive of 5-6hrs. There are probably things you can do to assist with temp stabilization but that’s a long and detailed discussion.
lve keep a fish in a bucket in a controlled environment with adequate ventilation for 12+ hrs before but heat or cold influences were not a factor.
I hope this sheds some light on your question.
 
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That’s been a question that’s worried me for some time. With the waste output during transport stress and temperature variations I wouldn’t feel comfortable keeping them or it in a bag for more than an hour at best. If acclimation temp adaptation is roughly 30 mins, then the temp change in transport which would take easily 30-45 mins is actually alarming. I hope this sheds some light on your question.
Thanks for the input. I read online thought that fish can survive 7-9 hours? Do you think that's realistic or not?
 
Perhaps from the air they fill in the bag but, the water temp is going to take on that of the surroundings. Especially if it’s hot or cold depending on what you car interior temperature will be for your comfort. If the water temp the fish came out of is let’s say 78 degrees, and you drive home with your AC cooling the car cabin to more like 65 it won’t take long for that small amount of water to chill to 65 especially if it’s for 5 or 6 hrs. See the conundrum. Oxygen in the bag is one thing but temp stabilization is the killer here.
 
When I bought my fahaka, we were going to a kids sports and long story short, puff was in the bag for 5 hours or so. The bag was in a cheapy foldable cooler w hot water bottle. It was middle of winter in alberta Canada. U started the car for 10 min every hour or so. Fish survived. Next time I would get those hand warmers and styrofoam box.
 
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You can ask the store for the largest bag possible, and/or to spread the fish out over more bags than would be typically used. Oxygen would be useful, but many stores only have air, not pure O2. Regarding temperature...I agree that 65F is a bit too cold for fish in a small bag...so don't turn it down that cold! Set the car temp at 75F; compared to the outside 80F+ temps that will still feel comfortable, especially since the air conditioning will also dehumidify the air. Trust me, you'll survive.

When I buy fish on a visit into town I can count on them being in transit for a couple of hours. If I am buying more than just a couple of small ones, I bring a medium-sized insulated cooler with a tight-fitting lid. I have a 1/4-inch hole drilled in the lid and run an airline and airstone into the cooler, fed from either a battery powered pump or a standard 120v pump plugged into a small automobile inverter plugged into the cigarette lighter. I use the same set-up when bringing fish I have bred into town for trade.

Important to remember that the cooler needs to be at room temperature before the store fills it with water; don't leave it in a scorching hot car in the sun for hours, and then dump in your fish. Also, the air pump will be drawing air from inside the car and pumping it into the cooler, so again, try to keep the car more or less at the correct temperature.
 
Fish can be in transit for days at a time. 7 hours isn’t too bad in comparison. As said, insulate the bag and be sure to have lots of oxygen.
 
My hrps arrived three days late in transit in high temps (5 days total). They were boxed with oxygen in bags. I was a wreck. The fish were fine and fighting within the hour, lol.
 
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