Hi,
I'm studying some other ways to transport larger fish. Clearly cooler air temps and keeping the water cool around the fish (ice) is a plus.

I was wondering about 2 other things.

1. If you could apply a higher oxygen source to a sample of pond water ahead of time and then immediately freeze the water, would the higher oxygen dissolved in the water STAY in the water and then when you transported (or mailed fish in a bag inside a box) would the blocks of ice help release a slow supply of higher oxygen to the contents of the water? I'm aware keeping the water cold longer will keep the oxygen dissolved longer, but it is all about bringing MORE O2 with the fish as they travel.

2. I've read about O tabs and there are a few other variants of this. The company that makes them in WI is still making them and it is nearly 70 years later. I can't find anywhere what is actually in these 'grey tablets that bubble'. It is crazy that even today they are not required to list what is in the tabs.

I see another option online for a whitish tab that bubbles and is marketed for keeping shrimp alive and for the aquarium trade, but these are shipped from china.

Here is an interesting 'experiment' on which of these tabs works the best and it sounds like the O tabs work BETTER than putting pure oxygen in the bag above the water.

O tab trial

Some of the reviews on Amazon suggest that when they get the tins open that are sold online that there is just useless degraded powder in them. So it might be hard to get a fresh supply of product?

Anyone have any ideas? If we knew the chemical make up of these O tabs we might be able to source the 'bubbling' agent that release oxygen. It must be a common substance, a salt that in solution ends up as oxygen gas?

Fisheries biologists or budding chemists?

Hopeful Snipe or Rainman sees this. They would have great experience for this.

I wish I could say I knew something about these tablets but because of the volume of fish they are designed to help support I've never tried any. They are designed to help transport a few dozen minnows in a few gallons(or less) of water.
The best source of aeration would be dependent on how many fish/gal of what size. Best put in lbs per gallon.
Species is also a factor as well as water temp-of course you already know that.
As for the highly saturated Ice, that's in a static condition and the lower temp will help more than the melting higher DO water-it's used as fast as it melts.
If you'd specify what you're wanting to do I could make some suggestions??

Mostly I was interested in the makeup of the tablets. Not much today can be shipped without disclosing the ingredients (especially if they could be toxic to pets, infants etc)

I agree..usually has to have some type of indication what's in it.
Hummm.. Maybe Joey can elude to what compound makes 90% O2 and 10% Co2 when it comes in contact with H2O..??

Google search oxygen systems for live bait and fish .... they work great.

thanks to all for their advice. I agree, if I'm moving a lot of fish a long ways I need a bubbler or oxygen system.

But I'm intrigued by the study I posted above where the tablets did 'something' that outperformed everything else and kept the fish alive in a small space with no water change for quite a while (overnight)

I'd like some help from the forum to figure out what the 'something' is and then can build from that science towards a new application.

But it isn't your fault if you don't know what is in those magic tabs. I guess I need to call the company They will probably say that the formula is stored in a vault right next the original Coca Cola recipe.

I'm not sure what's in it but it would be a simple experiment. Go to you local fish provider get two bags of fathead minnows. Use the tablets in one bag and maybe a small aerator or leave it without. Then watch which has the best results. Might get some quick results.

Mfitzs, someone did the trial already and I trust their results enough to not do it over.

http://www.nanfa.org/ac/do-oxygen-tabs-work.pdf

I was just thinking about doing it on a littler larger scale without buying tins and tins of these mystery tablets.