How long can fish survive in a bag

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spartanalia

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Apr 12, 2010
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but fish stores put pure oxygen (probably mixed with some CO2) in the bags. That's the key. Fish will die if you keep them in a ziploc bag full of water. Having the oxygen-rich air in the bag is what keeps them alive, not the water. The oxygen in the air is dissolved into the water as the fish release CO2.
 

fishorama

AC Members
Jun 28, 2006
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SF Bay area, CA
Most of my lfs don't use oxygen, atmospheric air is fine, There needs to be lots of air in the bag, if it's FULL of water there won't be any oxygen to exchange.
 

SubRosa

AC Members
Jul 3, 2009
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This has to be the record! This morning one of our fishcatchers was changing water on our Bettas and needed a few clean containers. When she looked in the box there was a bag in there. In the bag were 20 Bettas in their tiny little 2" x 2" shipping bags. 15 out of 20 were alive. We haven't ordered Bettas for two weeks. They were in those little bags that long. Somebody's head will roll, but it's amazing nonetheless!
 

Chill

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Jun 16, 2005
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Newfoundland, Canada
just to update mine: The tiger Barb never made it out of the office that day, the plec was fine when I got home, I put him in the tank and have not seen him since. I suspect he is alive and hiding dead he would have shown by now.
 

Slappy*McFish

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Feb 18, 2002
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I wonder how effective the breather bags are inside a tightly packed and sealed box.
 

H2Ogal

Betta Be Good to Me
Mar 16, 2010
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Memphis, TN
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This has to be the record! This morning one of our fishcatchers was changing water on our Bettas and needed a few clean containers. When she looked in the box there was a bag in there. In the bag were 20 Bettas in their tiny little 2" x 2" shipping bags. 15 out of 20 were alive. We haven't ordered Bettas for two weeks. They were in those little bags that long. Somebody's head will roll, but it's amazing nonetheless!
That's bettas for you. Tough little fish!

just to update mine: The tiger Barb never made it out of the office that day, the plec was fine when I got home, I put him in the tank and have not seen him since. I suspect he is alive and hiding dead he would have shown by now.
Will want to see pics when he comes out of hiding. :)
 

excuzzzeme

Stroke Survivor '05
Not all fish store use pure O2 for shipping and neither do many of the members here. I have shipped with and without pure O2 and there was no difference in the outcome.
 
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