The fish are fresh water fish. Will they live through this?
2006-06-30 07:54:00 · 12 answers · asked by newon_earth 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
it may be safer to put the fish in a plastic bag with enough water. empty the tank water. it'll be lighter and less messy.
2006-06-30 07:58:13 · answer #1 · answered by islandgrl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you have some great answers there. The only things I would add are...
They have battery operated air pumps at the petstore for like 5.00, I would get one because they are good to have around for other things too, like power outages.
Someone mentioned to keep the filter media wet and not to wash the gravel, VERY good points. You don't want to re-cycle the tank
I vote to move the tank FIRST though (so if taking a vehicle ahead of time to the new place this is when to move the tank). My reasons are... well I'm a mom so usually I am the one dealing with the kids so I can do the tank and watch the kids at the new place while my hubby and his buddies are moving stuff. Then when they arrive I can pause from the tank for a few minutes to direct some traffic, then get back to work. Also, the last thing you want to do at midnight once you have been moving all day (and are trying to find your sheets and toothbrushes) is set up a darn fishtank. If its done and out of the way first thing, not only can you rest when everything else is moved in, but you can also keep an eye on the new setup throughout the day and make sure your settings (such as heater) are correct and nothing is going to overload or leak... much easier than doing this overnight your first night in a new place. Also, if you do it first and find out your first choice of location is not going to work out because maybe its not level or something, you can choose another location without having to move more furniture. Don;t load the fishtank in the truck first or it will get unloaded last though, maybe thats what the other poster meant.
2006-07-01 18:12:22 · answer #2 · answered by laketahoedragoness 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you're only moving a short distance, the best thing to do would be to try to save as much of the water that is currently in the tank as possible. Use a cooler, or if you have them, you can use buckets.
Depending on how big the fish are, you can use bags, or a bucket. Either way, whatever you move the fish in, make sure it's dark inside, and don't feed them the day before the move. It helps keep them from stressing too much.
And don't clean the gravel... It already has all the bacteria living in it. If you don't clean it, it takes less time for the new water to get back to how it is now, and you don't have to worry about cycling it.
2006-06-30 16:14:28 · answer #3 · answered by jcrnr79 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've done this a number of times. Buy a strong garbage can and put a washed out plastic bag in it. Fill it up about a third with the fish tank water. Then put the fish in and seal the bag with some air and carry the can with the fish. Keep them cool in the car. If possible, get an air pump that will run off the car battery and put it in the water so they have air. Then disassemble the fish tank and move it. Re-assemble as quickly as possible when you arrive.
2006-06-30 15:03:03 · answer #4 · answered by Big Momma Carnivore 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I moved 11 hours away, what we did was empty 1/2 the water out of the tank, placed in on the back seat of the car, and some stores (at least here by the ocean) sell what is called a "bubble pump", it's a battery operated air pump. It's got the air stone and everything on it, works really well. Anyway, all my fish made it without the bubble pump, but that would have made the ride a little better for them.
2006-06-30 15:24:31 · answer #5 · answered by banshee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Save as much water as possible, transport the fish in 5 gallon buckets. Keep the filter media wet as well as the gravel. You want to keep your biological filter intact- Save the Bacteria!!! I made a similiar move-a little bigger. Keep the fish somewhere dark and make them your first priority.
They lived through being transported from dealer to petshop which was probably more then 2 hrs. Lots of fish are shipped for long periods of time. Your main concern should not be the actual transport but having a healthy cycled environment to put them in (your tank) when you get to the new place. You want it to be a very small adjustment for them.
2006-06-30 15:05:22 · answer #6 · answered by Lynn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've done this many a times. Get 2 five gallon buckets and use the aquarium water in them. Take the fish out right before you leave, drain the tank, high tail it, once you get there set it up, pour the water back into the tank, and gradually fill it up day by day. Your fish will be fine, make sure you have the instant clorine out. This has always worked for me and i have done this with sensitive fish. I also use a battery powered airator. I've moved fish from FL to IN and vise versa. Hope this helps!
2006-06-30 14:59:17 · answer #7 · answered by luke w 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should.
Make the tank the very last thing you move, add water to a plastic bag and put the fish in, dump the tank and take off. Usually 1 hour is all that's recommended for them without air, but I have traveled farther and they've made it.
2006-06-30 14:58:31 · answer #8 · answered by paj 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remove half the water , so you still have vital bacteria for a healthy tank environment , but before that get stress pills or coating at your local pet store and also you can purchase a battery operated aerater so your fish will have enough oxygen for the long trip
2006-06-30 15:02:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what my uncle did was take all the fish out and drain the tank and put the fish and other animals in like little coolers filled with water
2006-06-30 15:00:04 · answer #10 · answered by track_hottie3 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋