How to safely transport fish/corals 5 hours to my home?

notthatkindareefer · Nov 3, 2023

Going to make a five hour trip with a few fish and corals from the fish store tomorrow. Just wanted to know if you guys have any advice/tips to help ensure the safety of the fish on the trip? I have made the trip with corals (just some beginners softies and they all did just fine) but now that it’s colder I am a bit worried about the fish. I brought a cooler along with me and am prepared to possibly add a hot hands packet to the cooler. Would that work efficiently? Just plan on picking up a designer clown pair and possible a wrasse of some sort. And of course a few corals!

JayM · Nov 3, 2023

I’d probably have the store bag each fish separately and keep them in a cooler on the ride home.

Rusty_L_Shackleford · Nov 3, 2023

notthatkindareefer said:
Going to make a five hour trip with a few fish and corals from the fish store tomorrow. Just wanted to know if you guys have any advice/tips to help ensure the safety of the fish on the trip? I have made the trip with corals (just some beginners softies and they all did just fine) but now that it’s colder I am a bit worried about the fish. I brought a cooler along with me and am prepared to possibly add a hot hands packet to the cooler. Would that work efficiently? Just plan on picking up a designer clown pair and possible a wrasse of some sort. And of course a few corals!

Just bag them and put them in the cooler. Keep them in the cabin in your car and it'll be fine. 5 hours of transport is nothing for properly packed fish and coral. No need for any hot or cold packs if they're in a a cooler in an environment kept comfortable for people. Just make sure there's enough air in the bag and they're protected from temperature extremes and you're good to go.

notthatkindareefer · Nov 3, 2023

JayM said:
I’d probably have the store bag each fish separately and keep them in a cooler on the ride home.

Thanks! I’ll be sure to do that!

notthatkindareefer · Nov 3, 2023

Rusty_L_Shackleford said:
Just bag them and put them in the cooler. Keep them in the cabin in your car and it'll be fine. 5 hours of transport is nothing for properly packed fish and coral. No need for any hot or cold packs if they're in a a cooler in an environment kept comfortable for people. Just make sure there's enough air in the bag and they're protected from temperature extremes and you're good to go.

Great Idea! I didn’t think of just keeping them inside the cabin of the car. They should be just fine!

OctaviusBrine · Nov 4, 2023

notthatkindareefer said:
Great Idea! I didn’t think of just keeping them inside the cabin of the car. They should be just fine!

Agreed with what was said above. You have to remember the hell they go through with being shipped all over the world.

SpyC · Nov 4, 2023

You could also gonas far as two 5 gallon buckets and aeration for the fish

notthatkindareefer · Nov 4, 2023

OctaviusBrine said:
Agreed with what was said above. You have to remember the hell they go through with being shipped all over the world.

One LFS owner mentioned the same thing to me, and he said if they make it 24hours on a 747 I think 5 in a Nissan Sentra would be a breeze

notthatkindareefer · Nov 4, 2023

SpyC said:
You could also gonas far as two 5 gallon buckets and aeration for the fish

Would this work even better? I could do this easily as well!

SpyC · Nov 4, 2023

notthatkindareefer said:
Would this work even better? I could do this easily as well!

This is how I transport fish when moving for hours. Then keep the buckets on the floor in the backseat. The corals get double bagged and kept in a cooler. Sitting on the back seat

Salty_Northerner · Nov 4, 2023

I bring back fish from the states into Canada and it's a 10hr drive. During the winter I place the bagged fish into a smaller styrofoam cooler with news paper and toss a couple hand warmers into the cooler and that's it. The key is to leave the lid on and resist checking on them all the time. It lets so much heat rapidly escape it's best to just leave them alone. Ask the fish shop if they can bag the fish with more water and if possible ask if they can add oxygen to the bag. I've done it with and without oxygen and have never had an issue.