Coral and fish transport question

bjledbetter · Aug 9, 2012

I am from Tennessee and am in Ohio visiting family. I have found a mated/laying pair of occ. clowns and my choice of a 6-7 head frogspawn or a 4-5 head duncan coral or a larger 7-8" toadstool. I can get the pair of clowns and one of the corals for $50. I think that this is a good deal and I'd like to get them and take them back with me to Tn. My first question is which of the three choices of coral would be the best choice for the money to go along with the clowns. My second and most important question is what would be the best way to get them back to TN? I will have to get them Sunday and drive them back to Tn on Monday. Also they said that the clowns were laying every two weeks but have stopped he said due to a lack of husbandry. Is that common for them to start and stop laying. He said they were 3 years old. Im going to go look at them later in the week and make sure I want them.

laskopyre · Aug 9, 2012

Are you driving or flying? If you are driving then bucket and battery operated air pumps would work for the clowns. For the coral, a bucket and plastic co.tai.ers with holes to keep them seperated.:attention: Easy way if driving. If flying, could ship it to yourself. If doing in the luggage, it cannot.leak or it will be confiscated upon landing.
on the egg laying, they will stop for.a short time. A month to 6 months. Just keep them happy and they will start again.

bjledbetter · Aug 9, 2012

I Will be driving back I was thinking of doing a styrofoam cooler from the grocery store. Do I need a to add the air pump Im going to hopefully have quite a bit of water and it wont be sealed.

laskopyre · Aug 9, 2012

Depends on the length of the drive. I normally bring one, and some prime/amquel just in case. Don't want to lose your investments. Buckets with lids can be bought at any hardware store.

Degener8 · Aug 9, 2012

Assuming you will keep the car at a comfortable temperature between 70-80 degrees I would just goto lowes or some where and get a bucket and lid. Pop just a couple holes in the center portion of the lid. I moved all my fish from oklahoma to Tn this way a bit over a year ago. Everything made it without incident in a 12 hour drive. ( i was tired as hell though)
For just a pair of clowns and one coral the water movement of the car/cornering/stopping etc will slosh enough to keep sufficient air in the water but a battery operated pump would definately be a good bit of insurance and they are cheapish. Better safe than sorry.

bjledbetter · Aug 9, 2012

I may go to Lowes and get a bucket i have a few at home and could use another one anyway for water changes. They will be in the bucket over night and then about a 7 hour drive to TN. I think I may go with the duncan and frag me a few heads and sell the rest to the LFS and get a few dollars of the money back I spent to get the clowns. $40 for a mated pair of clowns is good lol just hopefully i can get them to start laying again. How fast do duncans grow ive never had them before but have had frogspawn for a long time.

Degener8 · Aug 9, 2012

If they are going to be in the bucket overnight keep the room temp accordingly since no heater will be involved. I would also recommend the battery pump since they will be in the bucket so long.. and get that bucket about 3/4 full if you can.

SeahorseKeeper · Aug 9, 2012

If you keep the duncans well fed, they will grow pretty quickly. I agree with the above advice to get a battery operated air pump. Actually, I would get a couple (for insurance). Walmart sells them in their fishing section for bait buckets.

bjledbetter · Aug 10, 2012

I feed my bta and bubble coral shrimp/krill. And my blasto merlitti mysis. What would be best to feed the duncan? Ive never had one before. Do they have sweeper tent.?

Degener8 · Aug 11, 2012

Feed it mysis it will love you for it. Don't overthink the coral it's just another Los but its non photo synthetic so it must be fed but really no more than your already feeding your other corals.

bjledbetter · Aug 11, 2012

Ok good to know the one im getting has 5-7 heads and several baby heads starting to grow. Im thinking about getting it home and letting it settle in and then fragging off me a few heads and selling the rest back to the lfs.