I've been using standard 52 quart Coleman cooler chests for
at least a decade. (At least I think they're the 52 quart size.)
Since Anne and I live in an area with a paucity of fishes
that are both interesting (at least to me) and suitable for
home aquaria, I make at least one or two relatively long
distance collecting trips each year, usually along the Gulf
states - TX, MS, LA, AL and FL - and customarily have the
fishes in the chests for around a week or so, sometimes
longer.
I have several chests used only for this purposes. I drilled a
1/4 inch hole in the lid, then run an air line through it hooked
to an air stone in the water and a battery powered air pump
secured to the lid by velcro.
On a few occasions I've carried fishes for as long as 10 days
or more while on the road without any serious losses. I make
a point of changing about half the water each day, just using
water from filling station hoses and the like with an appropriate
dosing of NovAqua.
Anne and I will be driving to Cape Girardeau MO for the NANFA
convention in our Tacoma pickup with a recently acquired well
used slide-in camper unit. I gather from postings there won't be
much collecting available during the convention, but we plan to
route ourselves from Missouri down to Mississippi then over to
New Orleans to view what remains of the hurricane Katrina
devastation in the general area of Biloxi, Gulfport, Pass Christian,
Bay St. Louis and of course in the New Orleans vicinity.
We'll probably have two Coleman chests with us. Based on past
experience, I don't expect we'll have any difficulties even though
we'll probably be on the return trip for a least a full week or so.
I fill the chests about 2/3 full, and haven't had any serious problems
with water sloshing out, although I do try to stay mindful of the risk,
so try to avoid hard acceleration, braking, etc. Obviously the fishes
have survived whatever sloshing has occurred.
Even after more than a decade in this great hobby, I'm still more
a "collector of pretty fishes" than an ichthyologist, so maybe this
is way to basic for your needs. It sure works for me, though.
Bob Sinclair
Santa Barbara CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Unmack" <peter.lists-in->
To: "nanfa-l" <nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2006 4:30 PM
Subject: NANFA-L-- fish transportation
> G'day folks
>
> I am going to need to move a bunch of fish (minnows, mostly Cyprinella)
> over a two day road trip in the near future. I have always done short
> term movements in coolers, but it gets a bit messy with water splashing
> around. I have a few questions. Do folks have suggestions on different
> transportation methods? I have thought about using fish boxes (and/or
> coolers) and bagging the fish in large bags. This would be a lot less
> water (and weight), but would mean the fish would have to endure more
> sloshing around. Alternatively, if I do use coolers, do folks have any
> suggestions on brands/types that are less prone to leaking water out the
> top with the lids closed? Also, when I move fish in coolers I tend to
> keep them pretty full to reduce sloshing around. I presume other folks
> usually do this as well? I'm not really sure how important sloshing
> really is in terms of avoiding it.
>
> If anyone has any thoughts on that they'd be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Peter Unmack
> Provo River, Utah
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/ Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get
/ help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at
/ http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml