taking fish to market: to air or not to air?

[Kathy55g]

When I'm driving the fish to sell to the store, I have them in a bucket and I have been putting in an airstone connected to a battery air pump.

I've noticed when I put the airstone in the bucket, the fish go nuts. When I take it out, they swim like normal. It appears that the airstone freaks them out.

Stress being what it is, perhaps it is better to leave the air source out? What do you think?

K

 

[Fishboy42]

I've wondered about this as well. I always use an airstone/battery pump too-- for my local trips, I usually take 50 fish and they are in there for about 90 min total. I've never had a death during or after transport, so I've stuck with it. If you are transporting small numbers of fish, I'd guess the air isn't necessary.

Kathy, I think Joe L also uses this type of setup, so I took it as a "tried and true."

 

[CanesDave]

I put them in bags with about 6 - 8 fish in each bag. That way I can leave the fish and get paid without worrying about acclimation, etc.

 

[Kathy55g]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8275341#post8275341 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fishboy42
I've wondered about this as well. I always use an airstone/battery pump too-- for my local trips, I usually take 50 fish and they are in there for about 90 min total. I've never had a death during or after transport, so I've stuck with it.

...

Have you noticed the frenzy when you put the airstone in?

 

[Fishboy42]

Yes, I have noticed the frenzy, but I think (HOPE!) they ball up and settle down for the ride. Like you, I'm not sure what the trade-off is between stressing them and oxygenating the water though...

 

[BruceW]

Have you tried an open airline without the airstone? That's what I do with my seahorses.

Bruce

 

[Atticus]

You can put the airstone in first. I never noticed a problem, but they all grew up with tons of airstones anyway.

 

[David M]

Since I used to do a fair amount of shipping I already have an oxygen tank so I bag 'em and add 02. Here is my thinking, even on short trips sooner or later something will go wrong. An accident, car breaks down, whatever. You just know this is going to happen at 2PM on August 15th when it's 107f or 10 AM in February when it's near freezing. My feeling is that even if I'm only going a short distance I want 'em packed for overnight shipping, foam box and all. As your numbers ( and sales) increase you can easily justify the cost of the tank, for around $100 you have some serious insurance.

 

[ediaz]

David is right, I pack mine if they fliying to LA or driving to 45 min. trip to lansing.Buckets are heavy with the bag you need about 6-9 liters of water only plus they don't leak in the car.

The tank its free most companies just ask for a CC in case you run away with the tank, you must buy the regulator its about 80. The O2 is .25 a day about 7 bucks a month.

Ed

 

[Fishboy42]

I have the 02 tank equipment, bags, boxes, etc for overnight shipping; I just didn't want to do all that work for short drives...lazy I do see what you mean as an "insurance" though, definitely makes sense, as it would be terrible to lose fish that way if it was preventable.

Ed, do you mean using a single large bag in a bucket with oxygen? That wouldn't be sooo bad I guess.

 

[ediaz]

The box offers more surface area but I think the bag in the bucket for a few hours should work.

Ed

 

[David M]

For my local stores I'll put up to 25-30 in a large bag and I'm there in 20 minutes, I already know they are sold. For my LA runs I bag ten at a time and start a route of 8-10 stores. Some only take 10 but others will take 30, one woman who owns 4 stores took 50 the other day. This way they can decide how many they want and in the worst case (I don't sell them all) they can make it the whole day until I get them back home.