Well, it's happening...

[BabsandLoon]

We are officially moving to Florida. The movers will be here Saturday (the 23rd) and we will be on our way.
It's a five hour drive from where we are now.

I am certain the bettas will be okay. I still have cups with lids that moss balls came in that the bettas can travel in.

I was able to snag some fish bags from my LFS. Will these be okay to transport the danios and Cory cats in? 1/3 water, 2/3 air? Or should I transport them in something else? I have a 1/2 gallon critter keeper (I store fish food in it) would they be better off in there?

My tanks are small, 15 and 5 gallons so moving them will be easy enough.

On a very happy note, we have decided once we get moved and settled we are sitting up a larger tank with cichlids! I am super excited. I've been wanting to set up a Mbuna tank forever just haven't been brave enough but we are going to finally do it!

 

[AquaticQueen]

I would move them in the critter keeper, personally. 1/2 a gallon of water is probably more water volume than the bags, meaning there would be less build up of ammonia if you used the critter keeper, and may make the trip less stressful for them.

 

[BabsandLoon]

I was thinking the critter keeper too.

I was actually thinking of putting the bettas in cups, the danios in the critter keeper (there's only 4 of them) and the Cory cats in bags and then putting everyone inside a styrofoam cooler.

 

[AquaCaitlin]

I would use the bags. When the air is contained like that I believe the ph becomes higher(?) meaning any ammonia in the water becomes less toxic? I could be getting it wrong but I believe that’s how it works.

 

[Gudgie]

I know you said it’s only a 5 hour drive, but how soon will you be able to move the fish out of the cups/bags/keeper and back into their tanks? Immediately after arrival, or do they need to stay in temporary homes longer, possibly overnight? If it’s going to be longer, you may want to have some air pumps handy that you can use in the temporary homes.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

If it is going to end up beeing longer then 5 hours, And it likely will,
Catching them-getting going- stopping along the way-setting up the tank again- it might be 8 hours by then. I know that fish are often sent in overnight shipping in bags, but if it were my babies, I would put then in buckets/coolers half full of water with a cover and battery operated air pumps. You might be able to put all the fish in one bucket or in the cooler. The moss balls could be put in a plastic bag with a few onces of water to keep them wet. I get them shipped to me like that all the time, they dont need to be in cups. one time they came in half frozen and they were still ok.