Moving With Fish

[Tomato the Betta]

I am possibly moving to a new state in the future, and I am wanting to take my fish with me. I have 1 betta, 2 corydora catfish, and 2 goldfish. (Don't worry they are not in the same tank, and the tank size is good. They are all thriving and happy. I just want to clear all that up)

My plan for the move is the following:
(Betta and Corydoras)
5 gallon bucket with a lid
I put some gravel from thank to cover the bottom of the bucket
I put a cave on the bottom, possibly one of their plants if room permits
Fill bucket with water from tank
Put in an air pump to go throughout the trip
Put in a flat heater to go throughout the trip
Put in the fish
Put lid on bucket, secure it
Put bucket in car, secure it so it doesn't move around

Do the same setup with the goldfish, with possibly a slightly bigger bucket

This is the setup I am planning on doing, I am hoping to get some advice from people who have traveled and see what they say. The trip is 13 hours long, and I will be doing it in one day

I am really wanting to keep all these fish alive. I truly do love and care for them like any other pet and I want them to all make it. If anybody has any other advice, tips, stories, or anything else to help me out, please let me know!!

 

[Lucas92]

13h long? I would bag them and place inside a box... preferably a foam box/container 1 bag for the betta, 1 bag for each goldfish depending the size and one for the corydora's, you could buy a 24h heat bag if you want to (if the vehicle get to cold) just make sure that the bag have 50%water and 50%air (((it really need be full of air, not wobbly, after you close the bag it need to be "hard")))) also dont feet the fishes at least 24h before travelling, you don't want them pooping or vomiting inside the bag.... it sounds harsh but the bag in a dark box would be the safest and easiest way to move them. Good lucky))

 

[RayClem]

Where do you live and when and where are you moving? The reason I ask is that temperature is an important consideration. If you are planning to move in winter, maintaining a stable temperature is critical. I suggest using an insulated picnic cooler rather than the buckets. The coolers also have a larger surface area for gas exchange.

I have moved on several occasions with the moves taking two days. However, I do not remember ever losing a fish in the process. The last time I moved, I was moving a 90 gallon aquarium in September 1999. Since it was reasonably warm, I got a 50 gallon plastic tool box with lid and used that to hold the fish during the move. The tool box was large enough that I could leave them there even after arrival as I waited for the furniture to be delivered and the tank to be set up.

Be sure to keep all the biomedia from the tanks as you won't have time to do a normal cycle of the tanks upon arrival. You will need the seeded media to keep your fish alive while the tanks are established in their new home.

The first thing you should do upon arrival is test your tap water to see how it compares to your tap water at your current location. Tap water quality can be a huge consideration for your fish. When I lived in Virginia, the water was from a deep aquifer and the water was very soft, but had bicarbonate alkalinity that could easily be reduced by adding acid. It was perfect for aquariums. Where I live now, the water is super hard (20-29 dGH) and very alkaline pH 8.2+. The water is so hard, I have to use a water softener to provide water for showers, dishwashing, etc. It is treated with chloramine which means water changes add ammonia to the tank. In short, the tap water is unsuitable for aquariums. I had to set up an RO system to provide water for water changes. I add Seachem Equilibrium to bring back the water to the desired hardness.