[Doug Ward]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Hart I never liked '3' and couldnt undertand it. Suprisingly, '2' is used by the most experienced dealer and one who is extremely knowledgable and well known. I've only assisted once there and it did suprise me that the bags were not floated. If I remember correctly, he said something along the lines that the Koi were already stressed and after a potential 30-hour bag journey, he wanted them out of that water now and into some good clean stuff. He imports some 75cm+ sized Koi and they all get the same 'service'. Have never seen a Koi in a picture at the shop before the import, not alive in his ponds after the import, so it must work!

#2 was completely correct as long as the bags were the same temp or a LOWER temp than the new tanks. This means they are going into equal, or warmer, water quickly. No problem there at all.
Koiphenators $$$$$$ fish were also done in that way by Mark, Graham and I ( pond was warmer than the shipping bagz)
If you have ALLOT of boxes and the fish are not stressed, floating is a good way to get all of the dang boxes out of the way so you can handle and check the fish !
If the new pond is COLDER than the bags ya can kill them quick and they MUST be floated to cool them down gradually.
That may have been the story with number one...

#3... um..er... I refrain from calling people b00b on this site. ;-)