Mary Allen
If an aquarist in the specialist trade is enthusiastic about one or more fish, he sometimes wants to take them home with him. This is also possible in winter without any problems – at least if the fish enthusiasts heed some tips for transporting in frosty temperatures.
“In principle, ornamental fish can also be transported in the usual bags or containers in winter,” explains specialist book author and ornamental fish expert Kai Alexander Quandt. “However, these containers should also be insulated against the cold.” For example, newspapers can be placed around the transport bag for this purpose. This coating has an additional advantage: the fish swim in the dark. This avoids excessive stress while traveling.
Sturdy cardboard boxes with lids are also suitable. These can then simply be lined with styrofoam. Alternatively, you can use styrofoam boxes and the insulated bag or box to transport the fish bags during the winter. Another completely filled bag with around 30 degrees warm water ensures constant temperatures like a “heat accumulator”.
Tips for Correct Fish Transport
Before isolating, however, the new ornamental fish must be packaged expertly, even in winter. Not too many animals should be placed in one container. How many and which exactly are allowed to travel together depends on the type and size of the fish. Armored catfish, for example, must not be packed with other fish because they secrete poison when they are under stress. This is not a problem for the catfish, but it can be fatal for other fish species.
In addition, the ratio of water to air should be right when transporting fish. The following applies here: 1/3 water to 2/3 air. “Bags should be placed sideways as much as possible. This increases the water surface and there is better gas exchange, ”recommends the expert.
However, if the fish are taller than they are long, such as angelfish, then the bag should not be put. Because then the animals would no longer be completely in the water, which means they would have to swim at an angle.
Ornamental fish keepers who are still not sure whether their new aquarium inhabitants will survive the cold way home can get more information and advice from their trusted specialist dealer.