Moving Fish Long Distance: Bag or Bucket
 

I've read so many differing opinions on this that I just can't decide. So, you get to decide for me.

If you had to do a long distance move (say 10+ hrs), would you just bag all your fish up or move them in, say, 5 gal. buckets? For the sake of argument, we'll say 2 fish per bucket with an air stone running in each bucket.

I would definitely use a bucket. But prepared with battery operated air pumps. Size of bucket and number of fish per bucket depends on size. Also, be prepared to keep the area warm or cool.

Buckets the way to go

bucket with some type of hide out such as live rock or PVC pipes and have a small bubbler in the bucket for oxygen to make the trip least stressful as possible

I dont know about putting rock into the bucket with the fish. If it shifts while your moving it could kill one of them. Definately do buckets with air stones though, the last thing youd need is to be caught in traffic with a bunch of bagged fish slowly running out of oxygen.

Either will work, but I say go with buckets with airstones and no rock. The fish may get sloshed around against the rock.

Deff a bucket

bucket with airstone. been there, done that successfully.. all corals in two or three buckets and all fish in another. snails and hermits in another, separated of course.

I moved all my fish and corals from Virginia to New Mexico in buckets, no airstone During the drive but I did use powerheads and heaters in the hotel room at night. The sloshing when the truck was moving was enough oxygen during the day. The trip took 3 days and it was another week after I got to NM before I got them back in the tank.

+1 on bucket with airstones

I moved two b&w occ in winter from Wisconsin to Florida in a 5g bucket w/heater, and a venturi powerhead running off of a cig lighter power adapter. 1300 mi/24 hrs and they were fine.

You could use plastic storage bins.

Either buckets or sterilite containers with airstones it is! Thanks everyone! I feel a lot more confident now about my game plan!

I did a 460+ mile move and just put them in a 5 gallon bucket with a powerhead; no rock or anything else. The trip took 7 hours and everything was fine.

Thanks, Steve

I did a long distance move for a Blue Spotted Jawfish in the winter. Got an insulated bait bucket; put fish and water inside in a bag in the bucket; and ran the air hose in with an exhaust air hose closing the top with a rubberband. This way I could keep water oxygenated without worrying about water spilling or slopping out by just using a bucket.

I kind of used the best of both options bag and bucket.

I also kept a thermometer in the bucket. If the temp started to dip, I would pour in a little hot water on the outside of the bag to adjust the temp.

Bait bucket
 

Would this work?
https://www.amazon.com/Engel-Coolers.../dp/B01IDOAPN6

I wouldn't spend the $$ unless you will be using it often. I used a cheap styrofoam cooler from 7/11, lined it with a bag and cut a spot for the air bubbler hose. Ive also used a bucket with good luck too

Why would a bucket be better? The conventional wisdom for shipped fish is to keep the bag sealed as long as possible because the CO2 buildup lowers water pH and shifts the form of ammonia to ammonium ..... which is much less toxic. I would think, for long trips, that an unsealed bucket with an airstone would actually be the worst thing you could do. I've never given this a great deal of thought, so perhaps I'm missing something.

If you drive and have the room, covered bucket with air pump. I deliver clowns to LFS this way 25-50 fish in the 5 gal bucket with cover but have a small hole to have air stone. They can live for long time like this, if you keep temp reasonably OK.

No feeding, you not going to have much ammonia. The volume in a bucket is so much more than in a little bag.
IMO we worry about ammonia when we looking at 36+ hrs in small volume. Consider add ammonia binder for long long trip. Suffocation/hypoxemia trump over ammonia every time.

Ok, all good points; makes sense. I've never transported anything more than an hour or two myself.