Using macroalgae to ship fish?

[jmanrow]

Purely hypothetical but ... What if online fish vendors used a small amount of Chaetomorpha when shipping fish?

Chaeto consumes ammonia + carbon dioxide, releases oxygen ... The only real downside I can think of is if harmful pathogens (parasites, worms, bacteria) hitchhiked their way into the bag water via Chaeto.

;Cyclops

Chaeto, and all other macroalgae and plants in the presence of light.
In the dark they will use oxygen and release CO2.

 

[jmanrow]

Chaeto, and all other macroalgae and plants release O2 in the presence of light.
In the dark they will use oxygen and release CO2.

if you try shipping fish and plants together in the same bag you will end up with dead fish.

 

[The Reefing Scotsman]

I came across these a while ago. I've never used them but they look like they could be useful. They aren't cheap, so you would hopefully get them returned to you after the fish has arrived. Mind you, I'd rather lose one of these than a nice fish.

Söchting Oxydator FT Fish Transport oxygenator - Seahorse Breeder

The Söchting Oxydator FT makes it possible to transport or keeping fish in large numbers, in a bucket or plastic bag for several days.

seahorsebreeder.co.uk

 

[DawnfromPa]

I just had a seller from EBay send me coral today with carbon in each bag. It was a first for me but very welcome.

 

[Abdullah Al Faruq]

;Stop No use. Just drop it.

 

[OrionN]

Plants will only utilize nutrients and produce O2 only if supply with light. Without light (or other energy source), plants will produce waste and consume O2 like all other organism.

 

[Kryssie]

There is also this (but I've never tried them):

Breathing Bags™ | Kordon

But I know a wholesaler who uses those bags, and pumps pure O2 into the shipping cooler before sealing it shut. They use industrial tape all around the cooler lid to seal in the oxygen.

My LFS puts pure oxygen in the bags when I buy fish so they don’t have an issue during the hour long trip home from Austin. I’ve been getting fish there for 2 years now. So far so good.

 

[Ikserk]

It would hardly be economical but would a battery powered LED light in the box be enough to trigger photosynthesis in the macroalgae?

Not to mention the fact that the light in the box would not be good for the fish I believe. Dark would be better, right?

 

[Humblefish]

My LFS puts pure oxygen in the bags when I buy fish so they don’t have an issue during the hour long trip home from Austin. I’ve been getting fish there for 2 years now. So far so good.

I do the same; however sometimes Fedex loses the box for 2-3 days. I was just trying to brainstorm to come up with a way to prolong the fish's life when delays occur.

Not to mention the fact that the light in the box would not be good for the fish I believe. Dark would be better, right?

I actually use night lights in my fish holding areas. Not being in complete darkness has cut down on jumping which sometimes leads to spinal injuries in wrasses.

 

[FishGuru281]

Small squares of filter floss work well in the bags. Ive also had a lot of success with Prodibio SafeTravel.

 

[WheatToast]

Somewhat unrelated, but the last time I checked FloridaPets, they were selling their pods with macroalgae for cover, though it appears this has changed.