Thoughts

Kung · 07/24/2007, 01:58 PM

recently visited an LFS which is about an hour and a half away from my home. We picked up a lovely fairy wrasse, had some dinner and returned home. The fish was in a styrofoam fish box as well as the bag. We parked in a parking garage, and left the windows cracked to prevent heat build up.

When we arrived home, I removed the fish from the box to discover that he had died.

profanity removed

Was this my fault? Are there precautions I could have taken and didn't? I don't see how a few hours in a bag is a bad thing if they ship them for a day or two at a time in the bag.

What, if anything, should I do?

ACBlinky · 07/24/2007, 02:42 PM

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you should have returned directly home with the fish. Fish shipped on long journeys are packed in larger bags with pure oxygen and then placed in coolers with heat/cooling packs (depending on the season). Many don't make it, or come out in rough shape - I've worked at a LFS and see it first hand, shipping is hard on fish. When you get a fish the best thing to do is get home ASAP, not stop for dinner.

returnofsid · 07/24/2007, 02:57 PM

Kung, I have to agree. LFS don't normally bag fish to be shipped, shippers do. The bagging process is totally different. LFS is bagging your fish for a very short time. In a small amount of water with a small amount of oxygen, ammonia can build up very quickly. I would venture a guess that this is what killed your fish. Next time, have dinner before purchasing your fish. Also, let the LFS know that the fish is going to be in the bag at least the 90 minute drive home. Take supplies, ie. cold pack/heat pack, with you as needed. Have the LFS bag the fish in the largest bag possible and if available, have pure oxygen injected into the bag instead of pumped air. An even better precaution would be to pick out the fish a few days ahead of time and have the LFS "fast" the fish for a couple days before the trip. This will reduce fish waste in the bagged water, which will reduce ammonia build up.

Kung · 07/24/2007, 08:39 PM

Fair enough. That's the question I was asking.

As for chosing the fish ahead of time, did you miss the part about the LFS being an hour and a half away?

Dewey58 · 07/24/2007, 09:17 PM

I recently had a similar situation. I bought a small Hippo Tang and was considering stopping at a restaurant before the 2 hour drive home. As I casually mentioned this, the LFS owner stopped me and said I should go to a restaurant and then pick up the fish. May have saved me a lot of grief. He said it doesn't matter if its 10 minutes away....get the fish home and start acclimatizing it immediately. The heat of the summer is very difficult during an already traumatizing situation. Hope that helps. It helped me.

Andrew · 07/24/2007, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kung
Fair enough. That's the question I was asking.

As for chosing the fish ahead of time, did you miss the part about the LFS being an hour and a half away?

What lfs do you go to?

Kung · 07/26/2007, 09:10 AM

I don't think that it's important. I don't want to bad mouth a guy who has taken pretty good care of me. Clearly, this was my fault.

Andrew · 07/26/2007, 09:26 AM

I'm not saying it was the lfs. Just saw you were from Ohio and wondered what LFs you went to,

Kung · 07/26/2007, 01:55 PM

I am from EXTREME southern Ohio (the river is in my back yard), so I mostly go to West Virginia. Fuji's in Charleston, JoMar's in Nitro are my top two. I used to like the Beach House in Athens, OH, but they closed. The other guys in Athens, Fish N Stuff, are fine, but you can't talk to them because they mutter and go off on tangents.

vanmo92 · 07/26/2007, 02:11 PM

I live in the mountains in colorado and the neared place that carrys saltwater fish is about 1 1/2 hrs from home. I remember one expirience where there was exessive traffic and took almost 2 1/2 hrs to get home and the fish were all fine (stressed, but fine) when we arrived home. I am sure it has to do with the type of fish you are transporting. I am not totaly blaming you although I have to agree that it is best to go directly home and not stop.

RichConley · 07/26/2007, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vanmo92
I live in the mountains in colorado and the neared place that carrys saltwater fish is about 1 1/2 hrs from home. I remember one expirience where there was exessive traffic and took almost 2 1/2 hrs to get home and the fish were all fine (stressed, but fine) when we arrived home. I am sure it has to do with the type of fish you are transporting. I am not totaly blaming you although I have to agree that it is best to go directly home and not stop.

I've had many experiences like this. IMO, I dont think 2 hours in a bag should kill a fish. How much water was in the bag? A lot of LFS put way too much water.

jimwat · 07/26/2007, 03:02 PM

I have often purchased livestock at the LFS on my lunchbreak at work and brought them home 5 or 6 hours later without issue. However, I do request larger bags (double bagged for leaks) and I do not leave the animals in the car. I'm guessing that there were others factors other than the time that contributed to your fish's death.

RichConley · 07/26/2007, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jimwat
I have often purchased livestock at the LFS on my lunchbreak at work and brought them home 5 or 6 hours later without issue. However, I do request larger bags (double bagged for leaks) and I do not leave the animals in the car. I'm guessing that there were others factors other than the time that contributed to your fish's death.

Yeah, I sometimes buy fish at lunch, and leave them on my desk all day.

Really wierds people out.

jimwat · 07/26/2007, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
Yeah, I sometimes buy fish at lunch, and leave them on my desk all day.

Really wierds people out.

So far I think the Sea Hare I had with me at work has gotten the most WTH looks.

snapper1 · 07/26/2007, 03:52 PM

Take the Fish straight Home,the Summer Time is a Beast on Fish in a Car.Dont beat yourself up over this you made a Mistake and we all Do.Learn from this experience and dont make the same Mistake and Happy Reefing.

Kung · 07/26/2007, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
Yeah, I sometimes buy fish at lunch, and leave them on my desk all day.

Really wierds people out.

Yeah, I have my LiveAquaria orders shipped to me at work, mostly because nobody will be home to accept them. I had a bunch of Sally Lightfoots on my desk one day. It was pretty funny.

07/24/2007, 01:58 PM	#1
Kung Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 648	Thoughts recently visited an LFS which is about an hour and a half away from my home. We picked up a lovely fairy wrasse, had some dinner and returned home. The fish was in a styrofoam fish box as well as the bag. We parked in a parking garage, and left the windows cracked to prevent heat build up. When we arrived home, I removed the fish from the box to discover that he had died. profanity removed Was this my fault? Are there precautions I could have taken and didn't? I don't see how a few hours in a bag is a bad thing if they ship them for a day or two at a time in the bag. What, if anything, should I do? Last edited by dc; 07/24/2007 at 03:05 PM.

07/24/2007, 02:42 PM	#2
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you should have returned directly home with the fish. Fish shipped on long journeys are packed in larger bags with pure oxygen and then placed in coolers with heat/cooling packs (depending on the season). Many don't make it, or come out in rough shape - I've worked at a LFS and see it first hand, shipping is hard on fish. When you get a fish the best thing to do is get home ASAP, not stop for dinner. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

07/24/2007, 08:39 PM	#4
Kung Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 648	Fair enough. That's the question I was asking. As for chosing the fish ahead of time, did you miss the part about the LFS being an hour and a half away? __________________ CARB for ARS President. Current Tank Info: empty 35 gallon hex

07/26/2007, 09:10 AM	#7
Kung Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 648	I don't think that it's important. I don't want to bad mouth a guy who has taken pretty good care of me. Clearly, this was my fault. __________________ CARB for ARS President. Current Tank Info: empty 35 gallon hex

07/26/2007, 01:55 PM	#9
Kung Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 648	I am from EXTREME southern Ohio (the river is in my back yard), so I mostly go to West Virginia. Fuji's in Charleston, JoMar's in Nitro are my top two. I used to like the Beach House in Athens, OH, but they closed. The other guys in Athens, Fish N Stuff, are fine, but you can't talk to them because they mutter and go off on tangents. __________________ CARB for ARS President. Current Tank Info: empty 35 gallon hex

07/24/2007, 02:57 PM	#3
returnofsid Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,852	Kung, I have to agree. LFS don't normally bag fish to be shipped, shippers do. The bagging process is totally different. LFS is bagging your fish for a very short time. In a small amount of water with a small amount of oxygen, ammonia can build up very quickly. I would venture a guess that this is what killed your fish. Next time, have dinner before purchasing your fish. Also, let the LFS know that the fish is going to be in the bag at least the 90 minute drive home. Take supplies, ie. cold pack/heat pack, with you as needed. Have the LFS bag the fish in the largest bag possible and if available, have pure oxygen injected into the bag instead of pumped air. An even better precaution would be to pick out the fish a few days ahead of time and have the LFS "fast" the fish for a couple days before the trip. This will reduce fish waste in the bagged water, which will reduce ammonia build up.

07/24/2007, 09:17 PM	#5
Dewey58 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: London Ontario Posts: 55	I recently had a similar situation. I bought a small Hippo Tang and was considering stopping at a restaurant before the 2 hour drive home. As I casually mentioned this, the LFS owner stopped me and said I should go to a restaurant and then pick up the fish. May have saved me a lot of grief. He said it doesn't matter if its 10 minutes away....get the fish home and start acclimatizing it immediately. The heat of the summer is very difficult during an already traumatizing situation. Hope that helps. It helped me.

07/26/2007, 09:26 AM	#8
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	I'm not saying it was the lfs. Just saw you were from Ohio and wondered what LFs you went to,

07/26/2007, 02:11 PM	#10
vanmo92 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Silverthorne, CO. Posts: 2,045	I live in the mountains in colorado and the neared place that carrys saltwater fish is about 1 1/2 hrs from home. I remember one expirience where there was exessive traffic and took almost 2 1/2 hrs to get home and the fish were all fine (stressed, but fine) when we arrived home. I am sure it has to do with the type of fish you are transporting. I am not totaly blaming you although I have to agree that it is best to go directly home and not stop. __________________ PBITAWA Current Tank Info: 72 gallon bow Mixed Reef 1 fw tank

07/26/2007, 03:02 PM	#12
jimwat Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,270	I have often purchased livestock at the LFS on my lunchbreak at work and brought them home 5 or 6 hours later without issue. However, I do request larger bags (double bagged for leaks) and I do not leave the animals in the car. I'm guessing that there were others factors other than the time that contributed to your fish's death. __________________ "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day and drink beer." Current Tank Info: 65 gal with 192w PC 10k, 192w VHO actinic, Blue-Moon LED, Tunze 6060 on WavySea, AquaController 3. 20gal sump, Natureef CDECX-1, Phosban Reactor, Remora, Kalk Drip, Ozone.

07/26/2007, 03:52 PM	#15
snapper1 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sanford FL Posts: 282	Take the Fish straight Home,the Summer Time is a Beast on Fish in a Car.Dont beat yourself up over this you made a Mistake and we all Do.Learn from this experience and dont make the same Mistake and Happy Reefing.