how long can fish last in a bag from the fish store?

smoney

smoney

Active Member
I was going to go to this fish store because it is about an hour from here and only five minutes away from the beach i was going to. I was wondering how long a fish or coral could last in the bag from the store?
I am considering on getting a fish, possibly a tang or a royal gramma, or something like that and/or yellow polyps, would they survive for like a little more than two hours or what, what is appoximately the amount of time they can survive for???
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
They can survive...remember they are shipped overnight...as long as oxygen is added to the bag at the store,and you keep the temperature even...ie: have a sturdy cooler on hand to place the bag in.An ice pack may be needed.
Also..remember as a fish is kept in a bag and expels waste..the ammonia will rise in the bag,that is fine until you open the bag ~then it becomes toxic.Acclimation may have to be altered....test water in bag for SG..PH...float bag for 20 minutes...add fish as long as tests check ok.
 
hot883

hot883

Active Member
I frequent a lFS that is 2 hrs. away. When I buy from there I bring along a styrofoam box and place the bag in there for the trip. As long as you go STRAIGHT home and not lock the car up at the mall in the sun, grocery shop etc. you should be fine IMO. I float the bag for 10 min. and then start adding small amounts of tank water to the bag every 20-30 min. or so. Bag gets full, dump 1/2 bag out (NOT IN YOUR TANK) and add sm. amounts of water again til bag is full, net fish and release in tank. This method has worked for me MANY times. Just my $.02.
 
carshark

carshark

Active Member
well everyone says to float the bags....my way i bought a "critter carrier" about 15 gallons, and i make sure the LFS puts a lot of water in the bag, and then i pour the fish and the water directly into the carrier, then i take a strip of airhose and tie a knot in the end of it so it drips water from my main tank, should be out of a QT, but mine isnt set up yet, anyway it should drip about 2-3 drips per second, mark the line where the water from the bag was and my rule is at least double the line from tank water if inverts i triple it!!! a fish can last about at least 24 hours in a bag, provided the weather isnt in the extremes, cold or hot.and wherever you got him from put oxygen in the bag, not carbon dioxide (breathing into the bag to fill it up with air) ok if you order fish online and they are shipped through say fed-ex or UPS contact the parcel service being used and state that the package you are going to receive you want to pick up at the store not to be delivered at home so you know its in room temperature and doesnt sit outside in extreme hot or cold weather...
 
johngebw

johngebw

Member
Originally Posted by SMoney
I was going to go to this fish store because it is about an hour from here and only five minutes away from the beach i was going to. I was wondering how long a fish or coral could last in the bag from the store?
I am considering on getting a fish, possibly a tang or a royal gramma, or something like that and/or yellow polyps, would they survive for like a little more than two hours or what, what is appoximately the amount of time they can survive for???

I travel almost an hour to my Fav place and I nevr had a problem. Should be no more then 6 hours.
 
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