Can I protect my aquarium when my apartment is fumigated? It is too large to move and I can't run an airline.

Question

I cannot run an airline outside because the entire complex will be tented. It is a very well established and heavily planted freshwater aquarium and I must be out of the apartment for 2 and a half full days.

Are there any other options?

Answer 1

I'd do a lot more than a 30% water change. More like a 30% water change every day until you can't smell the stuff anymore. My friend had a 100 gallon saltwater aquarium, and when he used a few bug bombs (Safe around pets? not really!) everything died.

You'll pretty much want all new water when you get back, so you mgiht consider doing a lot of partial water changes without gravel vacuuming, and saving that old water if you can take it out in gallon jars, or anything else. Old water does not count as a water change when you put it back in.

Stress coat the water ahead of time. Make sure the aquarium hood is on, and tape a huge bag over the aquarium to trap as much safe air as possible. I'd double bag it if I were you. I'd also tape along the silicon seams and plastic rims. That stuffs bad, and it gets into everything.

If you can take anything out of it ahead of time, and transfer it to a smaller aquarium somewhere else, I'd do that too.

When you get back, expect losses. Open the windows, and turn on any fans you have. Then immediately remove all the bagging and tape, and start changing water. Find those losses, and get them out.

Answer 2

You can try to cover your tank entirely with a plastic drop cloth. (available from Home Depot) Tape the drop cloth securely with painter's tape, which is easily removed. If you have an outside filter that hangs on the back, cover it as well. Turn off all pumps that supply air to your tank as well and also slowly (over a period of 24 hours) drop the temperature of you tank to the lowest temperature that your species of fish can tolerate safely. During daylight hours, plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, so leave the lights on in your tank.

When you arrive back to your apartment, open the windows to air it out. If the fumes have subsided, uncover the tank and turn on any air pumps. Personally, I would do a 30% water change the following day.

Answer 3

Cover the tank and turn off all airlines. There will be enough oxygen in the water to keep the fish safe. If you run the air lines, you will get poison in the water.

Answer 4

2 and a half days is a long time without an aerator, the best thing to do is to put the fishes in a bowl and take them with you, leave the actual tank and seal it as best you can. Fishes will then be safe and alive and so will your tank.

Answer 5

cover the tank with heavy plastic.make sure the plastic goes all the way to the floor on all sides of the tank(cut to allow for power cords and such).use duct tape to create a seal against the floor and any areas that you had to cut to allow for power cords and such.your tank will be fine . just make sure you use a feeding block for the fish and that all the lighting is turned off.

Answer 6

take your fish + plants (with soil) out of it in little baggies while they're fumigating, and drain the tank. if you can find enough *deep* bowls or vases to put fish in individually, they should be fine for four the couple of days. it'll be a blow to the fish tank, but it's better than hoping for the best and coming home to a whole lot of dead =/

good luck!

Answer 7

if your fish tank can b cover n than do a 30% or 50% change of water. if yours is a pond than keep the water over flowing, n after everything do 25% change.

Answer 8

thry covering the fish tank as much as possible.then the poison might not harm the fish.....I know that was terrible but......