OK, so what really is the blue stuff they put in the fish water when they ship some fish???

[Magnum Man]

I got a Dozen Jumbo Cardinals in today, along with a a couple different plecos... Cardinals were in one bag, with the blue stuff, and each pair of plecos, in one bag, with no blue stuff...
I have gotten fish previously with the "blue stuff" in the water... I don't remember specifically, which fish, or sizes...

but the fish looked poorly, about half on their sides... but within a few minutes they were swimming normally in the tank... wondering if it slows them down, either for bigger or hyper fish... being Cardinals, they were not "big" fish, but being Jumbo's they may have been wild caught, & or hyper???

 

[Aiken Drum]

Methylene blue.

 

[GaryE]

It's actually methelyne blue but also a sedative. I've used it for shipping swordtails, or I did back in the day.

Any fish sold at the jumbo stage is more at risk in shipping, as it's older. Young fish ship much better, so I would guess they were concerned about sending the oldies. It's good practice to sedate in such cases.

 

[Magnum Man]

I'm kind of bummed, as these Cardinals really are Jumbo... ( about the same size as my Rummy's are ), I was going to order more, & of course they are out of the Jumbo's, & just have small ones left... at least I know they really are Jumbos, if they list them again...

 

[Magnum Man]

Well, they are looking good, after work