For those who ship fish. How many to a bag?
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When I would ship Africans I would never go more then 4-5 per bag but they are bit more fiesty then the other community fish. Biggest thing is if one dies it creates ammonia and can take out the rest, same with any sickness that may prevail from the stresses of shipping. The ideal way is one fish per bag but......
I have received 2 shippements of fish recently. My farlowella's came 2 in a bag they were about 4-5 inches long. My dime size angels came 10 in a bag. Both orders had multiple bags and all were double bagged. Bags where about 1/2 full with water and then with air. The box was a standard USPS prioirity box, about 8x12x12. It was lined with styrofoam about 1 inch thick. There was newpaper and bubble rap to keep the bags from moving.
I have never shipped, but both those shipments arrived in great condition with no losses. They shipped 2-3 days.
Remember when PH drops below 7, the ammonia bonds becoming ammonium, I beleive, and is not toxic to the fish. This is good during shipping. During accumation though, when the ph rises with drip or mixing water, it becomes very toxic.
I have never shipped, but both those shipments arrived in great condition with no losses. They shipped 2-3 days.
Remember when PH drops below 7, the ammonia bonds becoming ammonium, I beleive, and is not toxic to the fish. This is good during shipping. During accumation though, when the ph rises with drip or mixing water, it becomes very toxic.
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It sounds like you shipment used the standard plastic bag. I'm taking about breather bags.
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+2 the poop factor is what limits you as far as fish per bag. I just received 8 Cory sterbai and they only traveled about 150 miles. They were packed 4 per bag. It's not worth skimping on shipping costs to risk the fish
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None. These bags are too small for fish. I ship snails in them. I use 11.5 x 8 inch bags for fish and I would not put more than 10 1" fish in a bag. Also use fresh declorinated water, never tank water and check to match the TDS of your tank water to the water you will use in the bag. If you use bag buddies (as a purigen) or the likes it can raise the TDS by so much it becomes lethal. I usually mix some fresh water with a tiny amount of a bag buddy tablet and then check the TDS until it is close to my tank water before I add the fish.
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Does TDS really matter that much for fish?
Do you think the 12x7.5" bag would fit say 10 harlequins?
How can purigen raise TDS? Doesn't it remove ammonia and whatnot?
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TDS does matter. Bag buddies change it drastically. I have never used purigen, so I am not sure if it acts the same way.
I would say 10 harlequins will go well in a 7.5 by 12 bag.
I would say 10 harlequins will go well in a 7.5 by 12 bag.
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According to Seacham is does not affect the TDS.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/seachem/46084-purigen-tds.html
I thought purigen is similar to bag buddies since they also remove ammonia and the likes but purigen appears to be an entirely different product. I might have to invest in getting some.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/seachem/46084-purigen-tds.html
I thought purigen is similar to bag buddies since they also remove ammonia and the likes but purigen appears to be an entirely different product. I might have to invest in getting some.
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Should I use half tank water and half dechlorinated water? since during a water changes over 60%, I don't see any effects on the fish.
Don't know what bag buddies are but purigen is indeed some good stuff.
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Never use tank water, not even a small amount. Always use fresh dechlorinated water.
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I've been shipping with tank water for almost two decades. Fish. Shrimp. Snails.
Small fish. big fish. Red fish. Blue fish.
If your tank water is so dirty that you can't ship with it, perhaps we should step back to problem #1. I fast for two days, do a water change the day before and ship away. I use poly bags(not breather) with oxygen(I aerate the tank with pure oxygen for about an hour or so before shipping and then bubble the oxygen in the bag while sealing it up).
Seems to me that pulling fish from a tank, to a bag of water that is 100% fresh would be more of a shock. Every time you shock fish you just make them more and more susceptible to disease.
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