Transporting Fish and Aquarium

Hi

Hope this is right forum to post in! Anyway need some advice so I can plan ahead.

In a few weeks am moving to apartment which is probably about 20minute journey. Once I am settled there and have place organised will be moving my fish too.

I only have one aquarium so have to move fish and it same day. What I basically have to do is remove fish from tank into large buckets with heater in.

Clean tank move it to the apartment and set it up. Also fill it about half full of original tank water then top up.

Then go get fish into bags and transport them. Whats the best way to actually transport them as I have several different species. In the shop they do some thing where they but water in bag then fish then somehow add air so bag is sort of filled out with air 3/4 of bag.

What kind of container should I pack all bags of fish in and do I release them all at once or one species at a time?

They all get on very well in tank.

I was half thinking of getting a cheaper smaller aquarium and setting that up in my current place. moving fish to it. then moving bigger aquarium to apartment and setting it up. So that fish would be safer than in buckets while I set it up. Then transport fish to original tank and keep smaller one as quarantine or 2nd small tank.

Any advice would be great so I can plan tings best as possible.

Thanks

Liz

ps. My fish are 1 dwarf gourami, 4 rummynose tetras, 4 red eye tetras, 4 bleeding heart tetras, 3 panda corys, 7 neon and cardinal tetras(mixture)

all are healthy and happy at moment

 

Sounds like you have a plan..When you clean your tank just don't use tap water that is not treated with water conditioner..use old tank water, so you don't kill any good bacteria, Also..What you can do since it's only 20 min away..I would put all the fish in a bucket or rubbermaid container with the heater so they stay warmm transport the tank and the fish at the same time..No need to bag them up..They will be fine in the rubbermaind container..Just be sure the lid is on and maybe put a towel underneath it just incase some of the water gets out. Set up your tank and then you can put them back in..I would put the least aggressive fish in first and leave the most aggressive for last..But if they are all getting along I wouldn't see a problem..Since they are all schooling fish I would put the schools in together. I've had to transport several fish in buckets for 2 hours or more..So 20 min should be no problem.

 

CHoffman sure knows about moving tanks, she's done her share recently. lol
Here's a link from Shaina's blog that might help you. She's included pictures and it's very detailed:
Moving Tanks

 

I agree 100% with Choffman.

I do his method of transporting fish all the time, I don't use heaters to keep them warm though. If the water gets colder (down to 50F, no lower) it will stop them darting around as much as they will be more docile and conserving their body heat. For an hour or so it won't make a difference to their health.

Also don't feed them for a couple of days before you move them, this way with will not be pooing in the water in the bucket, keeping the water fresh for longer.

One other thing rather than a heater a air stone would be good to keep oxygen levels up.

Anna

 

also, no need to completely clean the tank...id put the deco, rocks, and filter with its media in the tank water you remove....