m.brent.rowe

Hey guys I'm getting married in a few months and will soon be moving. Thankfully the house we're buying is only about a mile and a half away. Still i'm sweating the move. Not for my furniture or stuff. But for my fish. I have a twenty gallon long right now and i have three otos, one white cloud, one neon tetra, and one cory in it. Any suggestions on who I can move all of them to the new house without putting them through any undue stress? What I'm really leaning towards right now is either A) using my extra ten gallon to keep them in in the new house that way I can just have it set up and cycled. Then move the fish. Or B) (which btw I'm totally behind but not so much my fiance) just get a larger tank and cycle it and move them there. Anyways I'm looking for suggestions from people who've moved their settled tanks before. thanks guys!

clinton1621

Either one would work... here are a few suggestions for moving,

Take all the gravel out of the tanks BEFORE you attempt to move them, a lot of people leave it in there, this can break the bottom glass or pull the seals out.

Put the gravel in a container and cover it completely with your current tank water to keep the bacteria alive during the move (try to keep it warm also) this is a good idea for the filters as well.

Get some large coolers to put the fish in (with your current tank water) these will retain the water temp better and have a lid to keep splashing down.

Lastly if you feel froggy about it, you can attempt to save as much of the water that you possibly can by getting large containers to move it in.

Lucy

That's good info, clinton, if I may add something.

I'd go to the fish store and ask for a few of those bags they use to bag fish. Put the fish (with some tank water of course) in the bags, but them in a soft sided cooler so they don't sloshed around.

Of course you're not moving that far, so you don't have to go to extremes as far as moving the fish. I really like B. Get the new tank cycled at your new house, then move the fish.

Good luck.

MousePotato

Okay, first I am not stalking you, clinton. We just seem to be interested in the same topics! <laugh>

We recently moved a 110 gallon tank about 20 miles, so I have some experience in this. We drained the tank, keeping as much water as possible. We put the fish in a large cooler with tank water and a battery operated aerator (probably overkill for you with such a short move). Put the gravel in totes with plenty of tank water to keep the bacteria alive. The filter was a cannister, so it was still full of water, but if you have an HOB you should float the media in some tank water. Put the tank decorations in buckets of water, if you can, or wrap them in plastic to retain moisture if they are too big.

Move the tank empty, as clinton advised, and be ready to set it up as soon as you arrive. I mean FIRST THING! All of my fish survived the move in 90+ degree weather, but my friend's did not (we moved two tanks at once and he left his fish in totes for a few hours).

Oh, and to retain water quality, you may want to avoid feeding them the day before the move - less poop in transport.

All in all, I support option B. Let me know if you get your fiance to agree. I'm working on that one for my husband for our upcoming 200 mile move.

clinton1621

You're not?? Lol, darn I was hoping I was just that much fun to be around! Seriously though Lucy and I do the same thing all the time, so no worries

Lucy

MousePotato, it's a good thing clinton didn't see that other thread.

Ooops

Chief_waterchanger

I agree that option B is a lot easier to day, and I don't know anything about your spouse, but try the line, "But if we do it this way the fish are less likely to die. " (Make sure to do the pouty face. hehe.)

Anyway.

Clinton, Lucy, and MousePotato have their methods down excellently.

Buckets, totes, fish bags (double bag the cory or you may spring leaks), preserving a bit of water, filter media staying atleast moist (even fishbagging with a small bit of water is fine), and never move a tank with water in it, and there you have the basics on how to transport fish successfully. Just think, when the fish go from the wholesalers to the stores they are travelling in large boxes usually in a bag with dozens if not hundreds of species mates either by truck (think of a semi's bumpy ride with fish) or by plane (turbulence anyway?)

MousePotato

Oh, he saw it, Lucy. His popularity amuses him!

Back on topic:

My 29 gallon tank has been moved a couple of times, as well, and the last time it was a four mile trip from my office to the house. I put my hooligans in separate tupperware bowls with tank water and held them on my lap for the drive. The rest we did just like the big tank and everything went just fine. In fact, my hooligans have been through at least four moves in the past two years and they always take it in stride.

I would not be concerned at all about a 1.5 mile move, though you may want to fake it if you're going to get a bigger tank!