How to set up a Fish hurricane evacuation plan?

Question

So I live in South FL and have 2 tanks (a 10gallon and a 65gallon) very happy and well set up. But I had never thought about how to protect them in case of a hurricane. When a hurricane threatens, I usually go up north with my cat and my bird, but what do I do with the fishies? Also, the power goes out in my area, every time a hurricane comes, so the filter wouldn't be working for at least two days until I can come back and connect it to a generator. Any ideas, I'm kinda clueless here. Thanks

Answer 1

I live in Miami myself, and I have never evacuated my fish.

Go to Pet Smart (Aventura) and pick up a battery powered air pump ( they run on house curent, and when the power is cut they switch to battery), and a battery operated feeder (holds enough food for two weeks).

As long as your tank's are in good condition before you leave, and you are sure that the house isn't going to come down there is really no need to disturb your fish.

I just unplug the lighting and cover the tank (55 gallon) with a sheet of heavy plastic held down with bricks (In case a window breaks) and leave it alone.

If you must take your fish. A Styrofoam cooler lined with a heavy black garbage bag works well to hold your fish for transport.

If you evacuate to the same place every time and it is possible you might want to keep a basic aquarium setup there that can be used while your in residence.

Good Luck
E.

p.s. DO NOT try the peroxide thing suggested above. You would just come home to a bunch of dead fish. LOL;)))

Answer 2

You can get an air pump that plugs into the lighter in your car, so that they have enough air if you have to move them in a bucket. But if you evacuate them with you, then they'll be stuck in the bucket until you get back home...which is probably worse than the tank without the filter running.

You might have to leave them home and hope for the best...unplug the filters before you go so that they don't start without water when the power comes back on and possibly burn out the motors. It wouldn't kill the fish to go without the filter for a couple of days, as long as they're not overcrowded. You can get weekend feeder tablets to drop in before you go.

Answer 3

depends on how much time you have. I would always have one of the tanks with a sponge filter on it so it gets full of beneficial bactiria, an d when you need to evactuate, have a large(30-40 gallons) rubbermaid all clean(just with water, no soap) and ready. Just put the sponge filter in and hook it up to either a battery powered air pump or one you can hook up in your car. Then you can transfer like 20 gallons of water and fill the rest with fresh and put the fish in and transport them in your car and try to keep your car at a constant temp.

Answer 4

buy scum-sucking fish, too...and snails, and keep live plants. The more compelte your fishy ecosystem,lt he longer it'll last without help. Maybe soem shrimp the fish can snack on in dire straits! Also, have those dissolving "vacation" food tabs on hand to drop in.

a hydrogen peroxide bottle with a pin-hole in it may oxygenate the water...or poison the fish...but with a pinhole on top, and a few cut raw potato slivers, it can bubble oxygen out a pinhole on the top, far less likely to harm fish, and no liquid peroxide should escape.