Help For Fish(FedEx Shipping Issue) - Trying to Save

[redstorm6]

All,

I just got a shipment of four fish that were stuck in Chicago for 30 hours @ FedEx due to mechanical issues with a plane. The fish were shipped overnight. Three fish were DOA and I thought my Filefish was also. Luckily, when moving the bag I saw a slight movement of a fin. Currently I'm acclimating and he's breathing and moving his back fins but it's been almost two hours and he can only right himself so far.

His bag is probably half tank water/half shipping water at this point. My question is how long should I give him to improve? I hate to have him suffer for hours for no reason. Anyone ever dealt with this and may have some advice? Thanks!

 

[Sailfin11]

I would give him as long as possible. Fish can sometimes surprise us. This actually reminds me of a video I saw a little while ago from PuffDaddyReef (click here)

 

[Tamberav]

All,

I just got a shipment of four fish that were stuck in Chicago for 30 hours @ FedEx due to mechanical issues with a plane. The fish were shipped overnight. Three fish were DOA and I thought my Filefish was also. Luckily, when moving the bag I saw a slight movement of a fin. Currently I'm acclimating and he's breathing and moving his back fins but it's been almost two hours and he can only right himself so far.

His bag is probably half tank water/half shipping water at this point. My question is how long should I give him to improve? I hate to have him suffer for hours for no reason. Anyone ever dealt with this and may have some advice? Thanks!

A slow drip is likely a bad idea...I am sure there is ammonia in the bag from the delayed shipping.

In a closed bag the pH drops which makes ammonia less toxic. As soon as you open that bag and expose it to air + dripping your high pH tank water in it. The ammonia becomes much more dangerous.

I never drip shipped fish. If I absolutely have to I add some prime and keep it under 30 min drip.

 

[Dine]

Get him out of that bag water immediately. It’s pure ammonia. Put him straight in the tank. No time for acclimating.

 

[Dine]

Also don’t add prime unless you know 100% there was no copper used at his origin.
I’ll be honest. If he’s spent any length of time in that bag water after you opened it, it’s a long shot he’s going to make it. But you’re doing everything you can, just get him in your qt (or display) right away.

 

[redstorm6]

Thanks for the advice guys. The YouTube video seemed like it was practically made for my situation hah.

I'm cautiously optimistic. He's trying to come up off the top of the bottom of the bag. He's able to right himself. The bag is cut in half so my tank water is what he's in 100% now. The bag is clipped to the side of the tank so it's stationary. He's only still in the bag so he can rest. I'll post pics later if he makes it.