Transporting Fish/Coral 6 hours

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 06:01 PM

Title says it all. Next Thursday I am going down to Fort Lauderdale/Miami area to visit my older brother for his birthday. While I am down there, I am going to take advantage of the nice pricing and selection. The trip will be roughly 6 hours on the way back. So I had looking for some advice on how to bring them back up north.

Currently in my 80gallon I have a longnose hawkfish and six line wrasse (not a big fan of him/her but my local store doesn't have a lot of selection).
I have 2 20 gallon tanks that I want to try the tank transfer method with. Before I used 1 of the 20's and a cooler and it worked on the fish above. I just bought the smart aqua ATO and it has impressed me so far so I should be able to walk away from the tank for 48 hours no problem.

My brother showed me a picture of local stores in his area and it looked like his phone had...chicken pox.

SO, I would like to invest in some fish, as well as corals (not too worried about transporting those). I am going to bring 2 coolers/buckets with and some pvc. Should I buy store water, put fish in the coolers/buckets and get moving? How long can they last in there before ammonia starts to build? Should I just leave them in bags and stack them neatly? Those kind of questions.

For stocking wise, I would love a new wrasse, but without getting the six line out, I dont want to risk putting another in (and I dont want to teardown unless worth it). I love angels, last time I lost a flameback he bought me and it was 19.99 (cant beat that). I also enjoy anthias, and think my tank could handle a male and 3 female, but am worried about the feeding schedule required/hardiness of the fish. Can anyone recommend a hardier anthias species? I think my tank is too small for a tang so I am not going that route. I dont have any bottom dwellers so a nice blenny/goby would be good. I dont want to go crazy but I do want to take advantage of the selection/pricing.

Sorry for the long thread, but I could use some advice!

hotelbravo · 02/19/2016, 07:00 PM

you should be absolutely fine transporting them 6 hours in a bucket with just a battery operated air pump to provide oxygen. not much ammonia should build up in that much time but if your worried about it you can put some ammonia binding agent in the bucket.

gone fishin · 02/19/2016, 07:01 PM

I am about 4 to 4- 1/2 from Divers Den. In the past I have put the bagged fish and corals into a foam cooler and everything has made it just fine. Good luck and happy hunting.

albano · 02/19/2016, 07:08 PM

Keep them bagged, hopefully with oxygen added...

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotelbravo

you should be absolutely fine transporting them 6 hours in a bucket with just a battery operated air pump to provide oxygen. not much ammonia should build up in that much time but if your worried about it you can put some ammonia binding agent in the bucket.

So in this scenario you suggest battery operated pump in either the bucket/cooler and I should be ok. Hm I think I could get one of those for pretty cheap, not a bad idea.

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 07:13 PM

Gone fishin,

4 hours, comparable to mine. I was thinking whats the difference with ordering fish online. There is no oxygen added in that scenario correct? I appreciate the personal experience thank you.

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albano

Keep them bagged, hopefully with oxygen added...

So what do you mean by bagged and oxygen added?

Ou8me2 · 02/19/2016, 07:17 PM

If they are bagged properly you can just stick them in a cooler and be just fine. Remember people order stuff off the internet and most the time you are looking at 10-12 hours easily.. 6 hours should be a cakewalk.

gone fishin · 02/19/2016, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliving1

Gone fishin,

4 hours, comparable to mine. I was thinking whats the difference with ordering fish online. There is no oxygen added in that scenario correct? I appreciate the personal experience thank you.

No problem.

Some LFS and online places will shoot some oxygen from a tank into the bag for longer transports or in the online order the overnight transport.

albano · 02/19/2016, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ou8me2

If they are bagged properly you can just stick them in a cooler and be just fine. Remember people order stuff off the internet and most the time you are looking at 10-12 hours easily.. 6 hours should be a cakewalk.

Yes bagged by LFS and they add some oxygen, will be fine in cooler...

Online orders are usually bagged before 3pm, then shipped to arrive by 10am...that's well over 12 hours

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 08:01 PM

With all the responses it seems I should be OK with leaving them in bags and stacking them in the cooler or some other container (with oxygen supplied). That is great news I have never bought online I was not exactly sure how long they stayed in a bag.

So, any suggestions on stocking this tank with some other fish?

Anthias?

Angel?

Tang? (my opinion no)

Butterfly? (possibly?)

Goby?

Blenny?

Basslet?

ETC? haha

gone fishin · 02/19/2016, 08:18 PM

I got a longnose hawk myself, I love watching him perch in the gorgonians.

My tank is stocked predominately with wrasses, no sixline. I really liked watching my lawnmower until my kole decided it didn't like the competition. I got a yellow candy hogfish that has some great personality, he can get a bit feisty.

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 08:27 PM

Yeah the longnose has to be one of the greatest personalities that I have ever seen. Everytime I come near I swear he is challenging or staring at me. Yeah I love the flasher/fairy wrasses, but with the sixline I have heard to many stories that they are mean. Maybe a blenny would be a good addition.

albano · 02/19/2016, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliving1

Yeah I love the flasher/fairy wrasses, but with the sixline I have heard to many stories that they are mean...

Don't let a $10 fish dictate what other fish you can keep!...get rid of the 6 line ASAP !

Cliving1 · 02/19/2016, 08:36 PM

ahh... thats a teardown then. sneaky little one.

02/19/2016, 06:01 PM	#1
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Transporting Fish/Coral 6 hours Title says it all. Next Thursday I am going down to Fort Lauderdale/Miami area to visit my older brother for his birthday. While I am down there, I am going to take advantage of the nice pricing and selection. The trip will be roughly 6 hours on the way back. So I had looking for some advice on how to bring them back up north. Currently in my 80gallon I have a longnose hawkfish and six line wrasse (not a big fan of him/her but my local store doesn't have a lot of selection). I have 2 20 gallon tanks that I want to try the tank transfer method with. Before I used 1 of the 20's and a cooler and it worked on the fish above. I just bought the smart aqua ATO and it has impressed me so far so I should be able to walk away from the tank for 48 hours no problem. My brother showed me a picture of local stores in his area and it looked like his phone had...chicken pox. SO, I would like to invest in some fish, as well as corals (not too worried about transporting those). I am going to bring 2 coolers/buckets with and some pvc. Should I buy store water, put fish in the coolers/buckets and get moving? How long can they last in there before ammonia starts to build? Should I just leave them in bags and stack them neatly? Those kind of questions. For stocking wise, I would love a new wrasse, but without getting the six line out, I dont want to risk putting another in (and I dont want to teardown unless worth it). I love angels, last time I lost a flameback he bought me and it was 19.99 (cant beat that). I also enjoy anthias, and think my tank could handle a male and 3 female, but am worried about the feeding schedule required/hardiness of the fish. Can anyone recommend a hardier anthias species? I think my tank is too small for a tang so I am not going that route. I dont have any bottom dwellers so a nice blenny/goby would be good. I dont want to go crazy but I do want to take advantage of the selection/pricing. Sorry for the long thread, but I could use some advice!

02/19/2016, 07:00 PM	#2
hotelbravo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,175	you should be absolutely fine transporting them 6 hours in a bucket with just a battery operated air pump to provide oxygen. not much ammonia should build up in that much time but if your worried about it you can put some ammonia binding agent in the bucket. __________________ -Hodge Current Tank Info: 180 gallon, 40b sump. 3x OR T247 lighting, Reef Octopus protein skimmer, phosban 550 reactor, tunze ato, gyre xf 150, 2x mag 9.5 returns.

02/19/2016, 07:01 PM	#3
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I am about 4 to 4- 1/2 from Divers Den. In the past I have put the bagged fish and corals into a foam cooler and everything has made it just fine. Good luck and happy hunting. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

02/19/2016, 07:08 PM	#4
albano SALTWATER since '73 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Katonah, NY/ San Fernando Ca./ Sea Isle City NJ Posts: 6,210	Keep them bagged, hopefully with oxygen added... __________________ ______________________________________ Jan. '11 TOTM Manhattan Reefs Current Tank Info: 500g & 200g acrylic DTs/2 separate reef systems

02/19/2016, 08:18 PM	#12
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I got a longnose hawk myself, I love watching him perch in the gorgonians. My tank is stocked predominately with wrasses, no sixline. I really liked watching my lawnmower until my kole decided it didn't like the competition. I got a yellow candy hogfish that has some great personality, he can get a bit feisty. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

02/19/2016, 07:13 PM	#6
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Gone fishin, 4 hours, comparable to mine. I was thinking whats the difference with ordering fish online. There is no oxygen added in that scenario correct? I appreciate the personal experience thank you.

02/19/2016, 07:17 PM	#8
Ou8me2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 743	If they are bagged properly you can just stick them in a cooler and be just fine. Remember people order stuff off the internet and most the time you are looking at 10-12 hours easily.. 6 hours should be a cakewalk.

02/19/2016, 08:01 PM	#11
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	With all the responses it seems I should be OK with leaving them in bags and stacking them in the cooler or some other container (with oxygen supplied). That is great news I have never bought online I was not exactly sure how long they stayed in a bag. So, any suggestions on stocking this tank with some other fish? Anthias? Angel? Tang? (my opinion no) Butterfly? (possibly?) Goby? Blenny? Basslet? ETC? haha

02/19/2016, 08:27 PM	#13
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Yeah the longnose has to be one of the greatest personalities that I have ever seen. Everytime I come near I swear he is challenging or staring at me. Yeah I love the flasher/fairy wrasses, but with the sixline I have heard to many stories that they are mean. Maybe a blenny would be a good addition.

02/19/2016, 08:36 PM	#15
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	ahh... thats a teardown then. sneaky little one.