How long can corals live in a bag?

[GobyWanKenobie]

I need some advice. I am in Buffalo, and I bought a couple corals at the Lfs on Monday. Usually I drive home on the same day, but now I won't be home until Wednesday night. I can aerate the bags today with an air pump, but I cannot change the water. I dont want to disturb them if i dont have to. Should I use the air pump or just leave the bags alone?

 

[dcforester1]

IM no expert, but I just think of when you get something shipped across country? It is in there at least 24hrs? I would be worried about keeping the temp where it needs to be.

Good Luck

 

[frank180reef]

what types of corals ? u could bring extra water and swap the water out?

roughly 24 hours other wise , maybe 30 with softies and 24 with sps?

 

[frank180reef]

I think with the reduce O2 levels cooler water is ok, lower metabolism and all

 

[Turbosnail]

Funny you should ask this question. I got some corals at the last meeting. I float the bags in my DT before I dip them. Well one of them sank and went behind my rock work and I didn't find it till the following Saturday. The two frag plugs had polyps on them they are alive and well in my frag tank. So as long as the temp stays fairly constant I would say polyps at least can survive for a week.

 

[frank180reef]

wow were the bags closed?

 

[P-Nut]

What kind of coral is it?

if it is a hardy coral like a toadstool, kenya tree, finger leather, mushrooms, zoas...then more than 24 hours should be fine. the issue is temperature. if you can stay at a place that is around 70 - 72F then you should be fine.

 

[Turbosnail]

wow were the bags closed?

Yes the bags were closed. They were two incredible hulk zoas on one plug and 3-4 nuclear green palys on the other. The water smelled nasty but the corals were alive. They took a couple of days to open.

 

[KSC]

Funny you should ask this question. I got some corals at the last meeting. I float the bags in my DT before I dip them. Well one of them sank and went behind my rock work and I didn't find it till the following Saturday. The two frag plugs had polyps on them they are alive and well in my frag tank. So as long as the temp stays fairly constant I would say polyps at least can survive for a week.

I once "quarantined" a bag with zoas (which I thought had zoa nudi eggs on them) for 3 weeks, floating them in the display tank in their shipping bag. . They survived 3 weeks.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Those are some great experiences. Temperature is not a problem. I can keep them at 76 until the ride home, then I always use heat packs. I have a plate, a chalice and a gonipora. I can't decide if I should put an air stone in the bags until I leave for RI or just leave them be. They will be in the bags for at least 2 days before I can get them home in my tank. It's sort of like 2 day shipping, but I have the chance to add fresh air. Now I'm thinking since turbo and ksc had such good luck, I will be ok too.

 

[frank180reef]

all/most of the above experiences were zoos, not to say wont be fine

can u swap out some of the water?

 

[frank180reef]

what color goni btw

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

what color goni btw

Blue or purple. The lights were just coming on. No, I cannot swap out any of the water. So far everything looks ok. I opened the bags and pumped some new air in them. There's not much more I can do now.

 

[dlux5life]

your best bet would be to buy a styrofoam cooler and get a few hand warmers that you use when you ski. You can pick them up for a dollar or two.

 

[frank180reef]

how did the corals do?