Tropical Fish Forums

[Marcos Avila]

After many years, I'll finally be able to take control again over the koi pond at our family beach house, which I started there about 20 years ago. One of the most serious issues right now is that it's quite overstocked...the pond has about 10000 L and has more than 30 koi in it, most of which was born right there and almost all of them are around 40-60 cm large.

This was only possible all these years because it uses running water from a nearby spring, but still I don't like this situation...I'd rather select about 12 of the most good-looking ones, and pass the other ones on.

Thus the question...what's the best way to transport 20 large koi about 200 km from beach to capital? How do the exposition/competition people do it?
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Success with a fish/tank is measured in YEARS, not months or weeks...

[UncleWillie]

Marcos,
I don't know if this would work with the number/size of the koi you will be transporting, but I know of a few things. They may be expensive (especially for only one-time use).
You can sheck out aquaculture suppliers for large containers with airpumps, etc. I don't think those large trailers that are used for transporting sturgeon and whatnot is in the cards.
This next one I have seen many of, and the price is reasonable if you use them a lot. At the large outdoor shops like Bass Pro, Gander Mtn, etc they have very large, modified coolers. They have various sizes. They are drilled and come with water circ pumps and aerators. I don't know of the availability to these things you will have.

This summer, we had some coolers that we modified ourselves to add pumps, but not for 20 koi that are 50cm. Maybe you can do something similar with the largest coolers you can find.

Maybe you could contact a local fish hatchery manager for suggestions? Sorry I can't help out anymore, but some of the best options are too expensive for one-time use.

[UncleWillie]

I just thought of another way that I have seen only once, but is cheap and used a lot. You would need truck or trailer to put it on, becuase it is open-top and water will slosh.
You would have to make a make a very sturdy frame using PVC. Then have pond liner (or the like) attached to make a large tranportation container. The price woldn't be terrible, and you could easily break it down after use. I can't find any links to give to you on how to construct one, but maybe you get the idea.

[noriorafu]

Try a rubbermaid tub. You can cut out holes in the cover for air and still keep the water in For transporting my vet recommended an anti-stress herbal drop that one puts in the water prior to transport. On the bottle it reads: Natural Stress Treatments. Reduces erratic behaviour.

[tristonholl]

I disagree about the transport tank. I have seen more demolish from transport tanks. I have heard the transport tanks act like a washing machine when the vehicle is in motion. I also prefer a massive cooler to a box.

[Oscer]

I agree with Tristonholl.
A friend and I transported a shark in the back of a small truck, of which we just covered the bed with liner and filled it with sea water. Moved it about 110km from the coast, and the shark seemed fine but we lost half the water due to washing machine affect.

I'd say your best option would be a Styrofoam box, much like the ones used for packing fish.



I've always used them to move any of our Koi, with no problems. At 50cm I'd suggest that you only put one fish in per box unless you come by some really large boxes. Normally I bag each fish separately and then inflate the bag with oxygen, like a LFS would just on a much larger scale then place bag and all in the box and cover.
Limiting stress is key as then fish use less oxygen, so Stress Treatments are good and so is keeping surroundings dark.

All in all the trip would take about two hours , hey Marcos?
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Years of fish keeping = Good advice