Transporting Koi to the Show

[Steve E]

In the thread "To Show or Not to Show" a couple of folks raised the question of how/what do they need to do to transport a koi to a show. I thought I would start by listing what little I know about transporting basics.

1. A good net (round smart net or nycon as a minimum). Remember you will need to provide a net for the judges at the show.

2. A sock net is also a necessity for me.

3. A blue viewing bowl/tub. This will also be needed at the show.

4. A sturdy cardboard box, preferably rectanglular.
a) May need insulation (foam board scraps) depending on weather.

5. Bags - cost for 20-3 mil bags 20" X 30" is $16 plus shipping. For 20-mil bags 16" X 8" X 22" (square bottom) cost is $19 plus shipping.

6. Rubber bands to close the bags. Large ones, say 2" dia by 3/16" width.

7. Oxygen bottle and regulator. A small gas welding bottle is easy to transport and the regulator can be used for welding...the perfect multi-tasker

8. Extra water for the trip in case of a severe leak or breakage.

Can anyone think of anything else?

Steve

[koiczar]

Steve

You covered most everything you need! One further suggestion and this is for the "serious" hobbyist who wants/plans on showing on several occasions - a transport tank is better than a box. Less chance for damage to noses from hitting the end of the box or thrashing around and losing scales, plus there's 150 gallons of water, you add a battery operated air pump with airstone and off you go. I borrowed one for the ABAKS show and wouldn't transport fish any other way again (not that I ever will anyway) but that's my 2 cents worth on the subject!!

Mike

[Steve Nguyen]

for driving, I would use an inverter and plug in the cigarette lighter. then plug in the small aquarium air pump with 2 small air stones. depends on how many fish and how big they are. you can use one those 25 (or something like that) quarts/gals rectangular rubbermaid tube with lid. last time I transported 3 16" fishes to my friend's pond this way and it worked out well. I used a huge thin clear plastic bag as liner inside the rubbermaid and filled it up with water, then tight up the bag opening with the air stones inside. this is to prevent water from spill out as you drive and traps the air inside. use a small air pump to prevent the bag from exploding or don't tight the bag too tight to let some air out to reduce the pressure.

Steve

[l113892]

I disagree about the transport tank. I've seen more damage from transport tanks. I've heard the transport tanks act like a washing machine when the vehicle is in motion. I also prefer a large cooler to a box. A large net is very good but you need to know how to operate the net through the water. Also, it is good to have a helper even though I have moved larger fish on my own. A back brace is good- plan to get a workout.

[l113892]

I also like to use ice bags to reduce the water temperature during the trip. Travel with your oxygen tank in case you need it on a long trip.

[koiczar]

I disagree about the transport tank. I've seen more damage from transport tanks. I've heard the transport tanks act like a washing machine when the vehicle is in motion. I also prefer a large cooler to a box. A large net is very good but you need to know how to operate the net through the water. Also, it is good to have a helper even though I have moved larger fish on my own. A back brace is good- plan to get a workout.

Sounds like the transport tank wasn't used to it's advantage - IT MUST BE COMPLETELY FULL!!!This keeps the water from sloshing around during transportation. Anyone who has damaged fish in the past has most likely not filled the tank to capacity before transport. My fish went/came in the best shape of any of the 10+ shows I've done. Not one single scratch/scrape or any health issues upon return either. Actually, first time I didn't lose a fish during return quarantine!!

[Bern]

Here's my take on the subject.
Remember ........ it refers to the perils associated with transport within a small country.

http://www.koi-clubs.com/SouthEast/Transport.htm

rgds BERN

[Steve E]

Thanks for that link Bern. The article is very informative. It covers a lot of the procedures I wanted to bring out next. The link in the article to Koi Cymru is also good. Is the article available for reprinting in newsletters? With proper credit of course.

I added a viewing bowl/tub to the list after reading the BKKS article. A cooler was mentioned instead of cardboard boxes. How do others feel about this idea? Sounds okay to me for the appropriate size koi. Thoughts anyone?

I am also not a fan of transport tanks. Not opposed to them, just not a fan. Remember that water weights 8.33 lbs per gallon. So a 150 gallon transport tank will weight approximately 1250 lbs plus the weight of the tank. That means at least a 3/4 ton rated pickup for safety. The water the air pump becomes essential for this and a person would need a spare (to my way of thinking). Just not a fan.

So what else do we need to do to prepare our fish for the show. The actual transport to the show, not our koi keeping skills?

Steve

[JohnBender]

Anyone have the Kichi transport tank? It seems to be a very good tank to haul fish in. It looks fish friendly too.

kichitransport.com

[Danjols]

Bag & Box vs. Transport Tank; We have used both and found long haul from Spokane to Portland, Tacoma, Bothell or SEATAC has worked the best with our Travel Tank chuck full of water inside the "Koi Kruiser", a trailer in tow. However, for local around town transport the "Bag and Box" system works better for us. In each case, when we have properly used either idea for shipping, the results have been great!

Probably the biggest advantage of a Travel Tank when covering several hours of travel in most any kind of climate with our set-up the koi hardly miss a beat. They are tucked snugly in a plum full tank of water with plenty of air pumped into the water. We use a solar panel charging system for energy, so even if we break down or stop for snacks, the koi do just fine.

I'll admit, took some research and a few mistakes along the way to understand the proper use of a travel tank system. But once figured out I doubt I would ever use a bag & box system for the long haul again.

[koiczar]

Aaahhhhh!! Finally, someone who UNDERSTANDS the correct way to use a transport tank.

[bekko]

Those huge 150-quart Igloo coolers are handy for hauling fish. I think the insulation is an important factor. You can run the air line through a bored black rubber stopper sized to fit the drain port, but be sure the stopper is in REALLY tight. There's a real-life horror story to go along with this detail. The cooler will slosh some water even when the lid is snapped shut so you need a truck, trailer, or perhaps, that huge liner bag Steve mentioned. When you get where you're going, you can drain most of the water and carry the whole cooler in - assuming there is someone to grab the handle on the other end.

Put ammonia binder (Amquel, ChlorAm-X) on your list too. I also have a cannister of salt in my kit - just in case.

-stev ehopk

[Bern]

Hi Steve E,

Be my guest. I view the web as public domain unless stated otherwise. Some years ago our Aussie friends lifted an article from our site. They prefaced it with an introductory piece, printed the whole document in its entirerity, and then finished with a few more paragraphs bringing it in line with their own exigencies.

Infused with some Aussie humour poking fun at the Brits it made for a good informative read. Since then I've followed the same format for my club.

rgds Bern

[Clay]

Elbagin is a good thing to add to your list.

Rick

[Beadmaster]

Tip for transporting boxes with koi in a car; always place the box with the long side square to the driving direction. That way the water content will not move totally to one end of the bag with every braking action (and having the koi bump their nose or tail). It is easyer to make smooth turns then to avoid braking.......

I second the tip from Bekko about adding Amquel 100%! Together with Polyaqua (an artificial slime coat conditioner from the same manufacturer as Amquel) you can reduce the risks of transportation even more.

Clubs could help out by arranging that every participant gets a set of the waterconditioners from Allfish (see KB issue 4). These products effectively add oxygen, remove carbon dioxide and absorb vaporised ammonia as well, thus stabilising the conditions.
I had several shipments over the past two years with Allfish and can confirm that the koi arrived in very good condition.

Grtz, Hans