Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Transporting fish to new tank

I will be getting tilapia in a week or so and the person I am getting them from lives about an hour away. I will get about 100 fish. Will a 32 gallon tub with a good aerator and top on it do the job? The fish will be about 2 inches long. What is the best way to get the water temperature in the tank to match the water in my big tank at home? Any information will be helpful. Thanks Ricky.

Ricky,

I have no idea what amount of water is sufficient for 100 2" fish, but I have 2 thoughts:

1- By "big tank," do you mean an indoor or temp.-regulated tank? We Texans call ponds "tanks" as well, so I was just making sure you weren't referring to an actual pond. If so, one week from now may be a bit early to be exposing the tilapia to KY temps.

2-The best way to get the water temperature in the tank to match the water in your big tank is to add water from your big tank to the little tank a little at a time. Eventually, the temps will even out.

davatsa, I have a 300 gallon in my basement, did not make myself clear. It is heated for winter. Can not put my fish in my pond till April or May. Ricky

Thanks, Ricky. That's what I figured. Hopefully someone will chime in soon about how many gallons are needed to transport the number you are talking about.


My gut says that with 2" fish, 32 gallons should be enough to transport 100 of them, given the proper aeration.

When I got the initial stocking of Tilapia last year from Todd Overton, they brought out over 150 fish in the 6-7" range in their truck. The tank size could not have been over 150 gallons in each tank. They had O2 bottles to provide aeration instead of just atmospheric air. The transport was around 100 miles and 1 1/2 hour in transport. Based on what I see on web sites of companies that raise Tilapia, they keep them pretty crowded in the grow out tanks. i would bet your tank in large enough for the trip if you keep air going.
You might want to PM Todd to get his opinion

You should be fine. I just hauled 100 3-5in rainbow trout 1.5 hours in a 50 gallon drum with a aerator on. They all made it to their new home just fine none were lost.

The 32 gal tub will only keep about 25 gals of water. Each time you stop and start water will slosh out. That is enough water provided the O2 levels and temps are good. Will the tub be in the back of a pick-up ? If not it will cause a huge wet mess in a car or SUV even with the top on.

Yeah been there done that with the wife's car! Let's just say that was the first and last time! For some reason the fish hauling water leaves a funny smell.

That's that great "new fish" smell!

Ricky are you buying these talipa from a fish farm? Just wandering, becuse if so I may get some this summer for alge control. Hope all goes well with the transplanting.

Donnie

DonJovi, I am getting mine from from a man in Wincester Ky. He has nile tilapia. There are several people in this area that have tilapia, but only males. I wanted male and female. If you want his name and phone number I can email you. Ricky

Why not transport them in three or four plastic bags? I got 180 nile tilapia shipped to me in the beginning of Jan. They came from just outside of New Orleans to an undisclosed area in the midwest (roughly 10 hours by the FedEx tracking number). I didn't loose a fish. Just a thought.

fishtech, How big would the bags need to be. I only live one hour from where I pick up the fish. Will I need to aerate each bag? Should I put the bags in a big plastic storage box? Thanks Ricky

I think commercial fish shipping via air freight uses bags with about half water and half pure oxygen.

I got my fish from a place that was about 1.5 hours from my place. They were placed in a very thick clear plastic bags filled as Theo said, half with water and the other half was injected with pure oxygen. For support the bags were then placed in a large foam transportation containers (looked essentially like a very big cooler). I moved about 3,000 two to three inch BG that way (and about 18 six to seven inch RES).

I think I lost 2 or 3 BG and no RES (at least at initial transfer, could have lost some in the days following, it would be real hard to tell on my pond).