Picking Out And Transporting Betta Fish

[Merilial]

HI all!

So, for the holidays, my sister would like a betta fish to keep her company in her dorm room. The town her college is in only has a Wal-Mart, and she sent me photos of their bettas and they are 100% no-go's. I tend to go for "rescues," as I did for the current betta I got for my mom, but my sister has never kept fish before and gets very attached to animals, and I know losing her new fin friend would really upset her.

While she's back in town over holiday break, I told her we could go look at what the LFS and chain stores had. The problem isn't finding a fish: it's transporting it back to her dorm room 5 hours away.

My question is this: how do you recommend finding the healthiest betta possible that would make it through the road trip, and the best way to transport a fish that distance with minimal stress? Or is it too big an ask for such delicate fish?

Thanks!

 

[Fanatic]

Hello!

It's very possible to this, driving a distance with a betta or any fish isn't that hard, but there are some essentials to doing it right so that your fish doesn't become too stressed out, or poisoned by bad water. You aren't driving far, which makes it a little bit easier.
Personally, if this was me, I wouldn't prepare to change the water while driving, because it's not too far of a drive, and the fish sits in a cup at the store just like it would in the car. The only main worry is the betta being sloshed around leading to stress.

I would bring along a small amount of water to change the water with, dechlorinator (which you could add to the container of water beforehand so you don't have to travel with it) and do a water change halfway through the trip. If it's in a bag, leave the bag opened, but if it's a cup then make sure it has an air hole and it'll be just fine.

Once you arrive, set up the tank first thing, or if you already have the tank and it's cycled, then you can put the betta right into it. Otherwise, just put the tank together, acclimate the betta to the water, and leave him be to adjust.

 

[Cicca]

I drove my betta from Sacramento CA to Washington D.C. in a coffee cup!
I also brought along 4 other tanks of fish 1 frog and several crystal red shrimp.

The trip took 3 days, I did partial water changes around lunch time to help keep the temps from getting too high in the back of the uhaul.

But more on point, I bought my grandpa a betta from a breeder, I won't get into the details of how pretty the fish was, it was a cull from someone who breeds show quality fish.

D.C. to MI is a 9-11 hr trip, I had months before, set up his tank and started a fishless cycle for him so that when we were due to come back, he would be ready to drop fish in and enjoy.

Whiteout ended up very slightly peeved with us because we got stuck in traffic for longer than expected, it was winter, so accidents on the turnpike... Anyway, he made the trip just fine and was happy in his new home until a few months ago, he died after about 5 yrs! I just made sure to feed him really well the day before we left, took his cup that he came in and stuck it in the cup holder with some paper towel around it to help buffer temp changes when we opened doors @ rest stops and gas stations.

We set him loose in his 10 gallon but did not feed him for 24 hrs.
He seemed fine.

Good luck, but she really should cycle the tank before she brings home the fish!

 

[Merilial]

Thanks everyone! I'm buying her the tank over Thanksgiving and giving her some established media to help get the cycle going. She already bought a API test kit off of Amazon too.

I'm glad to hear that transport shouldn't be too bad!!