Transporting large fish

[toehead11183]

I have been doing a big fish rescue for a year now and the fish are getting bigger and farther away. I started out with a big cooler picking up 12" plecos and pacus but now the fish are getting bigger i need a better way. This past summer i has to strap a 55g PVC drum in the back of my truck for a 22" pacu (out of a 55g) and three 18" Albino Channel Cats of out a 75g. Next year, i'm expecting a 28" RTC from one guy and six 12+ Oscars from another. There has to be a better way than a 55g drum.

[Bas Pels]

You could, of course make a truck watertight, but I think such a drum would do nicely for fish fitting in it

However, in case of a long distance, I would stop after 2 or 3 hours to refresh half the water. A few buckets of tankwater of the new tank would also help acclimatize te fish in transit, and a tap in the bottom of the drum (with a hose) would complete the matters

[pturley]

If you are just loading it into the back of a truck, a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank would be ideal.

http://www.mcmaster.com
Item #:3673K53

If you have an agricultural supply company near you, these are generally available for about $1 per gallon (w/o shipping costs).
Build a plywood/pink foam board cover to prevent spills and you're all set.