How long can a fish be in a store bag for?

Major25

How long is it ok to keep a fish bought from a store in the bag that they give it to you in? I ask because there's a pet store near where my girlfriend lives that I like, but it's a two hour drive back home to the tank with the fish. Would the fish be ok for the two hour car ride?

Angel079

Yea they'll be fine. I get mine outta Nashville and that's 2.5 hrs from the house and then acclimating them takes time agin so mine are in the bags for while too and its never been a issue (I use a styrofoam box to transport them in so for 1) its dark which stresses the fish less and 2) its keeping them warmer these days)

Tyyrlym

Those would be my main concerns. Keeping it dark and keeping it warm. My local fish store inflates the bags with pure oxygen and you can easily keep those fish in the bag for four hours. The greater issue is going to be regulating temperature. A styrofoam box is a good idea as it can keep them in the dark and regulate the temperature to avoid any extremes in your car. There's not a lot of water in those bags so it can change temperature rapidly as the plastic bags provide no insulation. Even if it's not excessively hot or cold in your car a stray vent blowing on the bag can rapidly chill or heat whatever water is in it. I've taken to not using my AC at all in my car when bringing fish home unless absolutely necessary and I take a towel to wrap around the bag.