Transporting Fish

[.dsaavedra.]

I wanna bring some fish (2 warmouths) to put in the tank in my natural resources management class, but its the last period of the day. how do you think i should go about bringing them with minimal mortality rate?

[Hookemdown.]

I would set the tanks up, and then bring them in before school the next day.

[.dsaavedra.]

tanks already set up. it currently has 2 bluegill and 2 (maybe 3) small catfish about 6" long.

i dont have a ride after or before school...

[Tin]

Better start walking kid....

[CFFF 1.5]

get a cooler and put them in the cooler. Drill a hole through the top of the cooler and use one of the battery powered aerators. I use this method for tournament fishing and it works really well. I haven't killed a fish yet.

[J Francho]

Go to a local tropical fish store, and have them save a bag (two bags is better since they are spiny little devils) and a shipping cooler. You want a "full box" size, not a half. You only need as much water as it takes to cover their backs - about 4" - the rest is a air. You quickly grab the top of the box bag, capturing as much air as possible, and twist the bag. Tie a slip knot around the base of the twisted section with a rubber band, and fold the twisted section in half. Then make several wraps with the rubber band to lock in the air. You might want to add a couple more rubber bands as insurance. Close the box, and keep it somewhere dark and cool. DO NOT OPEN IT UP AND PEEK!!! When you get to class, open the box, and immediately net the fish, placing them in the destination tank.

This routine is somewhat different than the typical acclimation process when you buy fish at the pet store, but works. I've shipped fish air freight all over the country with less than 1% mortality this way. We've also done this to transport pygmy sunfish from the NJ Pine Barrens to our facility in Rochester, NY. Yes, we had special permits for this.

Here is the science behind it. There is plenty of oxygen in air trapped in the bag to support two small fish for more than 24 hours. As the fish respirate they create CO2 and Ammonia. You probably have learned that ammonia is toxic to the fish. Here is the catch: as the CO2 levels increase, the pH level decreases. As pH decreases, so does the ill effects of ammonia. Pretty neat?

Now, when you open the bag, the water will immediately be exposed to fresh air, and CO2 will leave the water, and O2 will go in, raising the pH, and increasing the toxicity of the ammonia. This is why you forgo any temperature/water chemistry acclimation, and get them into the tank as quick as possible. Its easier to deal with the stress of a sudden change into clean water, than a sudden change to toxic water, with a gradual change to healthy water again.

One last warning. I'm not up on my Centrarchid behaviors when in confinement, and know next to nothing about warmouth, other than they look like our rockies. If they are aggressive to each other, you will want to box them up seperately, but add them to the tank together.

If you have any other questions, or need explanation, PM me with your number, and I'll call you and describe the process over the phone.

[tyrius.]

how do you think i should go about bringing them with minimal mortality rate?

Talk to the teacher and get access first thing in the morning.  Bring them in as described above and put them in the tanks as soon as you arrive at school.  There is no reason to wait until the end of the day.

[Grey Wolf]

It's hard to believe that you can't make arrangments to put them in the tank as soon as you get to school.

[Bassboy15]

It's hard to believe that you can't make arrangments to put them in the tank as soon as you get to school.

He's bussed to this place after school

[SPEEDBEAD.]

If you happen to have it, use some of the Catch and Release formula too.  It will keep the fish sedated to a point and make it less likely they will harm themselves...

[J Francho]

If you go the aerated cooler route, then by all means, use a livewell treatment.  If you go with my shipping method, DO NOT ADD ANYTHING BUT THE WATER THEY CAME FROM.

[.dsaavedra.]

Bassboy 15 is right, this is a tech center that is off campus and i get bussed there for the last 3 periods of the day.

when i got home from school today i rushed to the creek, got the fish, and then my mom gave me a ride to the tech center and i got the fish in the tank. there was only a time of about 30 minutes between them coming out of the creek and into the tank. i think they're gonna live

warmouths are so awesome looking.

[J Francho]

Nice work, Dave.  I was able to dig up my copy of Our Native Fishes by John R. Quinn, 1990 Countryman Press.  Quinn used to be editor in chief at Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine, and was considered one the foremost experts on keeping native species in aqariums.

Two snippets:

Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris)

Aquarium Care:  Like most centrarchids, the rock bass can be aggressive and is an enthusiastic and sometimes cannibalistic predator, so tank mates must be chosen carefully.  Other large sunfishes and perch are suitable.  All of those should be roughly the same size to avoid conflict.  Ideally, as with all larger predatory fishes kept together, the fish should be collected as juveniles and raised together.  The tank should be large, and decor should include rockwork and adequate plant growth to provide territories and cover for smaller fish.  The rock bass will accept nearly all commercially available live foods, along with earthworms, small crayfish, and bait minnows.  In time, the rock bass, along with most other large sunfishes, will learn to accept cichlid pellets.

Warmouth (Lepomis gulosis)

Aquarium Care:  The warmouth can be aggressive when larger, and cannot be trusted with any fish smaller than itself.  Young specimens may squabble until territories are set up and a pecking order is established, after which they can coexist tolerably well as long as there is space and cover for the submissive fish to avoid the dominant.  Depending on size, warmouth will accept virtually all live foods, from brine shrimp and bloodworms up to nightcrawlers and small fishes.  The tank should be decorated with plants and rockwork to afford adequate cover and maintained under moderate to low illumination to bring out what color there is in a warmouth.

About the only surprise to me was the mention of dim lighting.  I imagine they may be skittish at first, but will adapt well, like most other sunfishes, to aquarium life.  Good Luck, and take some pictures!

[.dsaavedra.]

they're doing fine in the tank!

the tank has a bunch of big rocks, gravel, and a few logs. im not sure if it has any fake plants, but there is a backdrop (like a wall paper) of plants.

the tank seems perfect for them.

they were doing great today. they were kind of being bullied by the bluegills (the bluegills are about a centimeter bigger than the warmouths, so its really not a problem).

i saw the warmouths chasing the bluegills around sometimes.

cant wait for them to get big and colorful. they already have really cool looking mottled patterns.

[Troutfisher]

Congratulations on getting the fish in successfully!  I've transported tadpoles to school for a class project to watch them develop, as well as guppies and some other fish.  I'd love to see some pictures of them if you could manage to get a few.  8-)

[.dsaavedra.]

tadpoles are easy! lol!

i'll bring the camera on tuesday and try and get a few pics if i can. im not sure how easy it will be to take pictures of fish in aquariums....

[BassinWill301]

Yeah dave the fish looked great in the tank today. They were swimming around, and were active, which is a good sign. Im with you, I cannot wait till they get their bright colors. It will be sweet.

You definetly need to try to get a crawfish from your stream for the tank, or for the artificial stream we might make.

[DADto4]

You young guys gotter made ;D

I only can wish we would have had such places to learn,My school was renovated to have two toilets,but only one worked.......... (the old one)