dfrap

Hi. Sorry if this question has been asked before, but I couldn't find anything posted. I'm going to be moving soon (about 990 miles) and I don't know how to transport my fish. I have 1 guppy and 3 cory cats in a 10 gallon tank. I'll be driving, and it takes about 14 hours. Does anyone know how I can bring the fish along? I don't know how long they'll be ok without filtration, etc. Thanks in advance

COBettaCouple

we'll be moving 1800 miles soon ourselves and may ship the fish overnight or i might fly with them and set them up in temporary tanks until their tanks arrive with my wife.

For your fish, I think you might want to look into putting each of your fish into http://www.novalek.com/kordon/breathing_bags/index.htm filled with water treated with http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

they could be packed in a cooler with packing materials, newspaper or towels, etc. to keep them fairly stationary. The dark can help reduce stress some to. Don't feed them for a day or so before moving.

If your tank is cycled and you can do so, put the substrata and filter media in a sealed container with enough tank water to keep them wet for the trip. Then you won't have to start all over cycling it.

capekate

Here is a small battery operated air pump that would be great to add to whatever you are holding the fish in for the trip. It comes with air tube and air stone as well. For 2.99 you cant go wrong!! One of the most important things the fish need during a trip like that is aeration, its essential for their oxygen supply.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113402

COBettaCouple

great link, fish-mom of the 3 stooges. i shop there a lot and missed that air pump somehow.. i think we'll get a handful of them in a future order as a "just-in-case" option for long-term power failures (less of a risk in denver than here though). that would be ideal for transporting fish like this.

capekate

LOL... well this fishmom has been calling the large discus, moe and althea the angel has a new name, olie and marble is now stan! : But I am NOT giving into calling the white discus, curly! Its name is casper! I also told my husband that he has named almost all the fish, except precious and phoenix. There was zig and zag the cories.. ying and yang the dalmation mollies... JEESH!!
But yes.. those battery powered air pumps would be great for a trip and for those emergencies when we loose power. I also plan on ordering the three pack asap. In fact its on my order list there.

COBettaCouple

casper is a name for a ghost cat.. a discus deserves the proud name of CURLY!

dfrap - another thing is that if you are going to stop anyplace for a while, take the cooler in with you if you can.. but it sounds like you're doing gas & go all the way.

susitna-flower

Remember fish like stable temperatures, and moving in the summer can be a problem. Warm is probably not a worry, but like FLBettaCouple said, take the cooler with you, if left in an unattended car for an hour, it might get much to hot! Up here when I move fish, and I have had them in the car as long as 4 hours, I try to use warming pack, as our problem is usually that it is too cool. Best of Luck

Fish in the Frozen North

capekate

LOL..... you snuck that one in didnt you Dave...... nuk... nuk....nuk..... :P

COBettaCouple

dfrap

Thanks for the advice everyone. I found a battery operated air pump at the local pet store, but I do have one more question. Would a regular cooler work (like the kind people use for food)? I was thinking of filling it about half way with some of the tank water and putting the fish in that (with the air tube inside it). Or should they only be transported in bags? Does this sound like it'll work? Thanks Also, I will be driving straight through, only stopping for gas, etc. but thanks for letting me know about leaving them in the car for long periods of time

Butterfly

We bought fish in Fla while on vacation a couple of years ago and kept them in our motel room until the next day in a cooler with a batter powered bubbler then used it all the way home. so i would say they were in the cooler 2 days. All did just fine.
carol

COBettaCouple

it could work. there is a risk of damage if the water moves around and slaps them against the sides and you'd want to avoid sloshing them out of the cooler when the water gets to moving with the lid closed as much as you can.