Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Transporting fish

In 2 weeks I am going to purchase fish at a hatchery about 2 hours away, has anyone ever transport fish that far and if so how did you do it, will be getting 200 hybrid bluegill and a 100 regular bluegill and 5 grass carp

If you can keep the bags inside the vehicle in the A/C you should be fine. LIke Sunil said, you have to acclimate the fish to the water they are going in, like you float the bags in an aquarium to acclimate the fish. Water temps have to be pretty close to being the same before you release them.

These guys are giving good advice about transporting. That’s part of the trick. The next is acclimating them to the new water temps. Float them until the water temps are within 5 degrees of each other at the maximum. Watch for stressed fish if they start running out of O2.

The key to driving with water in the tanks is 100% full or 100% empty. Keep a lid on the tanks so water can't slosh out.

The air on top of the water won't do much, you really need to run pure O2, a pressure control valve and a flow meter along with an aeration stone to properly transport fish. You can get away with not using O2 if the fish load is very light and the trip isn't long, but with today's fuel costs it's probably cheaper to buy the fish and have them delivered.

At the very least use a pump and a spray bar in a cooler.

The fish did fine. Zero Morts. O2, a little salt, and a little clove oil, makes everything better. I'll post a pick of my portable O2 rig later today, That'll clear things up.

They sell o2 kits at bait camps all along the coast for hauling croaker for bait for trout and redfish. Any regulator for O2 bottle should work hooked up to an air stone