Method and apparatus for maintaining live fish during transportation and storage

Abstract

A cylinder is made of opaque material with a diameter slightly larger than the largest cross-section of the fish to be stored. Water is introduced directly into the cylinder or into a chamber which can either be attached to the outside of the cylinder or is created by placing the cylinder inside a larger diameter outer cylinder. The water enters the cylinder through perforations at a first end. The chamber may be positioned to stand vertically or horizontally with a water inlet tube and a water outlet tube through the side wall at its second end. A funnel or cone, which may have one or more perforations, is suspended pointing toward the second end within the cylinder a short distance from its second end. The incoming water flows through the perforations in the second end of the cylinder and up through the funnel perforations. As the cylinder fills, water will exit the cylinder through an outlet tube located near the first end of the cylinder. In one embodiment, a perforated baffle placed within the chamber breaks up air bubbles which may be present in the incoming water. The fish is placed facing toward the funnel and is centered in the cylinder by cradling its nose in the funnel. A cap may be fitted on the first end of the cylinder to retain water therein when it is positioned horizontally.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for maintaining a fish having a plurality of cross-sectional dimensions in a live, healthy condition comprising: a substantially cylindrical tube having a first inner diameter, a first outer diameter, a first end, a closed second end and at least one inlet opening at said second end, said first inner diameter being larger than a largest cross-sectional dimension of said fish and said . .tube having in.!. length . .which is.!. .Iadd.being .Iaddend.sufficient to enclose at least a substantial portion of said fish .Iadd.within said tube.Iaddend.;   a . .funnel suspended concentrically.!. .Iadd.conical interior surface disposed .Iaddend.within said tube near said second end above said at least one .Iadd.inlet .Iaddend.opening. .;.!..Iadd., said conical interior surface having an opening therein; .Iaddend.   a water inlet for introducing incoming water into said tube through said at least one inlet opening . .and into said at least one opening of said funnel.!.; and   a water outlet near said first end through which water exits said tube.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: a chamber having a first end, a second end, an inner wall and an outer wall for retaining water, said chamber being disposed adjacent said tube so that an outer wall of said tube is at least a portion of said inner wall of said chamber, said chamber being in fluid communication with said tube through said at least one inlet opening.   
     
     
       3. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said chamber comprises an elongated box abutting an outer wall of said tube and having a second length substantially the same as said length of said tube. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said chamber comprises an outer cylinder surrounding said tube to form said outer wall, said outer cylinder having a second inner diameter larger than said first outer diameter of said tube so that a space is formed between said tube and said outer cylinder, said outer cylinder having a second length substantially the same as said length of said tube. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising a perforated baffle disposed within said space. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said water inlet includes an inlet tube running from said end of said chamber to said first end. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said at least one opening of said . .funnel.!. .Iadd.conical interior surface .Iaddend.comprises a plurality of perforations. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said tube is opaque. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein at least one surface of said tube is dark colored. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising an insert cylinder having a second outer diameter smaller than said first inner diameter disposed substantially concentrically within said tube. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a removable cap for releasably sealing said first end. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said tube is disposed in a vertical orientation. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said tube is disposed in a horizontal orientation. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus for maintaining a fish having a plurality of cross-sectional dimensions in a live, healthy condition comprising: a chamber for retaining water, said chamber having a first end, a second end, an inner wall and an outer wall;   a substantially cylindrical tube adjacent said chamber so that a portion of said tube comprises said inner wall of said chamber, said tube having a length, .Iadd.a .Iaddend.first inner diameter, a first outer diameter, a first end, a closed second end and a plurality of openings near said closed lower end for fluid communication between said chamber and said tube, said first inner diameter being larger than a largest cross-sectional dimension of . .the.!. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.fish and said length being sufficient to enclose at least a substantial portion of said fish .Iadd.within said tube.Iaddend.;   a . .funnel suspended concentrically.!. .Iadd.conical interior surface disposed .Iaddend.within said tube near said second end above said plurality of openings, said . .funnel.!. .Iadd.conical interior surface .Iaddend.having a plurality of perforations therein;   a water inlet for introducing incoming water into said chamber and into said tube through said plurality of openings and said plurality of perforations; and   a water outlet near said first end through which water exits said tube.   
     
     
       15. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said chamber comprises an elongated box abutting an outer wall of said tube and having a second length substantially the same as said length of said tube. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said chamber comprises an outer cylinder surrounding said tube to form said outer wall and outer cylinder having a second inner diameter larger than said first outer diameter of said tube so that a space is formed between said tube and said outer cylinder, said outer cylinder having a second length substantially the same as said length of said tube. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus as in claim 16 further comprising a perforated baffle disposed within that space. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said water inlet includes an inlet tube running from said second end of said chamber to said first end. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said tube is opaque. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein at least one surface of said tube is dark colored. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising an insert cylinder having a second outer diameter smaller than said first inner diameter disposed substantially concentrically within said tube. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said tube has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said tube has an elliptical cross-section. 
     
     
       24. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said tube is disposed in a vertical orientation. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus as in claim 14 where said tube is disposed in a horizontal orientation. 
     
     
       26. A method for maintaining a fish having a plurality of cross-sectional dimensions in a live, healthy condition, the method which comprises: providing a tube having a first inner diameter larger than a largest cross-sectional dimension of said fish, a first outer diameter, a first end and a second end;   . .suspending a funnel.!. .Iadd.providing a conical interior surface .Iaddend.having at least one opening within said tube near said second end;   introducing water into said tube through an inlet opening in said tube;   forcing a stream of water through said at least one opening in said . .funnel.!. .Iadd.conical interior surface.Iaddend.;   releasing water from said tube near said first end . .through an outlet tube.!.; and   confining said fish within said tube with said fish facing said . .funnel.!. .Iadd.conical interior surface.Iaddend., so that water is forced past said fish.   
     
     
       27. A method as in claim 26 further comprising: providing a chamber having a first end, a second end, an inner wall and an outer wall;   disposing said tube within a cylinder having a second inner diameter larger than said first outer diameter; and   forming a space between said tube and said cylinder.   
     
     
       28. A method as in claim 27 wherein the step of introducing water includes filtering said water through a baffle to reduce air bubbles. 
     
     
       29. A method as in claim 26 wherein the step of confining said fish comprises placing said fish face-down in a vertical manner. 
     
     
       30. A method as in claim 26 wherein the step of confining said fish comprises placing said fish in a horizontal manner. 
     
     
       31. A method as in claim 26 further comprising: providing an adapter tube having an outer diameter smaller than said first inner diameter; and   disposing said adapter tube within said tube to confine a small fish having a largest cross-sectional diameter substantially smaller than said first inner diameter.   
     
     
       32. A method as in claim 26 further comprising blocking light from entering said tube to maintain said fish in a low light environment. 
     
     
       33. A method as in claim 26 further comprising adjusting a flow rate of said water according to a size of said fish. .Iadd. 
     
     
       34.  A method as in claim 26 wherein the step of releasing water from said tube attaching an outlet tube at said first end..Iaddend..Iadd.35. An apparatus for sustaining a live fish having a plurality of cross sectional dimensions comprising: a cylinder having a first inner diameter, a top, a bottom and at least one inlet opening at said bottom, said first inner diameter being larger than a largest cross-sectional dimension of said fish and said length being sufficient to enclose at least a substantial portion of said fish within said cylinder;   a conical interior surface disposed at said bottom above said at least one inlet opening for supporting and centering said fish within said cylinder, said conical interior surface having an opening therein;   a water inlet for introducing incoming water into said cylinder through said at least one inlet opening;   an inlet pump having means for adjusting a flow rate of said incoming water; and   a water outlet at said top through which water exits said cylinder..Iaddend..Iadd.36. An apparatus as in claim 35 further comprising an adapter tube having a second outer diameter smaller than said first inner diameter and a second inner diameter larger than said largest cross-sectional dimension of said fish, said adapter tube disposed substantially concentrically within said cylinder..Iaddend..Iadd.37. An apparatus as in claim 36 further comprising a plurality of spacers disposed between said cylinder and said inner tube..Iaddend..Iadd.38. An apparatus as in claim 35 wherein said water outlet comprises an outlet tube attached near said top of said cylinder..Iaddend..Iadd.39. A method for confining a live fish wherein the fish has a nose, gills and a maximum crossectional dimension, the method which comprises:   providing a cylinder having an inner wall, a top, a bottom having at least one opening and a diameter larger than the maximum crossectional dimension of the fish, the bottom having a conical inner surface;   supporting the fish's nose with said conical inner surface so that the fish is centered within the cylinder;   forcing water through the at least one opening in said bottom;   controlling a flow rate of the water to force at least a portion of the water through the fish's gills; and   
     
     
       releasing water from said cylinder at said top..Iaddend..Iadd.40.  A method as in claim 39 further comprising the step of inserting an adapter tube having a diameter smaller than said diameter of said cylinder and larger than the maximum cross sectional dimension of the fish..Iaddend.