forgot to mention i didnt feed for 2 days before and did a large water change the day before too.
Help! Anyone moved long distance with their fish?
- Thread starter Ang
- Start date
You might want to pm MTN pike. He and his wife travel long distances to take their fish to shows and they win many competitions!
I am going to be traveling from colorado to florida with about 30 fish! anywhere from 6 inches to 16 inches! I plan on buying a powerful power inverter like 2500 watts a 55 gallon drum to store water in and a few large coolers! I will have the coolers far enough of the ground that i can keep my fx5 on one cooler and a few othe canisters on the other coolers! I will also have a 50 watt heater in each cooler and run my 60 watt airpump 4 outputs one or 2 lines to each cooler! about every 12 hours i am going to do a 20% or so water change and use prime! I also will not feed the fish 2 days prior to the move and make sure i make tghe move a lil stressful as possible wish me luck! if anyone has ideas please let me and the op know!!!
I’ve moved across town with fish many times… and interstate a couple times as well… While I wouldn’t consider anything suggested here as “bad advice” I find it a much simpler/easier process than some are making it out to be…
　
　
I find using a battery powered air pump totally unnecessary. The vibration of the vehicle and the ‘bumpiness’ of the road cause far more “surface agitation” than I supply any of my tanks at home. Thus oxygenating the water is taken care of…
　
While I do not feel the turbulence of driving is enough water movement to offer “thorough filtration”, I do feel it is plenty to prevent “dead spots”…
　
　
Temperature is definitely something you will want to concern yourself with though. Where will the fish be when you move? If you plan to keep them in the back of a truck it will be a bit more difficult to regulate temperature and time of year / time of day will become critical details.
　
　
Styrofoam coolers are great as they insulate well, but they suck as they crack easily. I did a short ‘across town’ move once and had one of these crack open in transport. I was quite surprised when I arrived at my new house and had fish flopping on the floor of the truck. Luckily it was a short move…
　
Rubbermaid Totes are more difficult to regulate temperature in but are much more reliable traveling containers…
　
　
Starving fish for a day or two before the move is a great idea, as this lowers their ammonia output during the move…
　
On my longer moves I simply spread my substrate and decor somewhat evenly between travel containers, spread fairly clean filter media fairly evenly between travel containers, filled travel containers ½~2/3 full with brand new water (same PH as tank), then spread fish evenly…
　
In my most recent 12 hour move (Char, NC to Det, Mi) I moved 50+ fish in 12 Rubbermaid totes using these steps and lost one fish. That was due to aggression because I mistakenly placed it in the wrong tote.
　
I do suggest you put each fish in it’s own container. They may get along very well in their peaceful aquarium but traveling in tight quarters may put them in a stressful condition they do not wish to share…
　
　
Doing water changes during multiple day moves is a great idea. Just make sure you do not cause PH swings. This may be an additional stress they are not prepared to deal with.
　
　
I find using a battery powered air pump totally unnecessary. The vibration of the vehicle and the ‘bumpiness’ of the road cause far more “surface agitation” than I supply any of my tanks at home. Thus oxygenating the water is taken care of…
　
While I do not feel the turbulence of driving is enough water movement to offer “thorough filtration”, I do feel it is plenty to prevent “dead spots”…
　
　
Temperature is definitely something you will want to concern yourself with though. Where will the fish be when you move? If you plan to keep them in the back of a truck it will be a bit more difficult to regulate temperature and time of year / time of day will become critical details.
　
　
Styrofoam coolers are great as they insulate well, but they suck as they crack easily. I did a short ‘across town’ move once and had one of these crack open in transport. I was quite surprised when I arrived at my new house and had fish flopping on the floor of the truck. Luckily it was a short move…
　
Rubbermaid Totes are more difficult to regulate temperature in but are much more reliable traveling containers…
　
　
Starving fish for a day or two before the move is a great idea, as this lowers their ammonia output during the move…
　
On my longer moves I simply spread my substrate and decor somewhat evenly between travel containers, spread fairly clean filter media fairly evenly between travel containers, filled travel containers ½~2/3 full with brand new water (same PH as tank), then spread fish evenly…
　
In my most recent 12 hour move (Char, NC to Det, Mi) I moved 50+ fish in 12 Rubbermaid totes using these steps and lost one fish. That was due to aggression because I mistakenly placed it in the wrong tote.
　
I do suggest you put each fish in it’s own container. They may get along very well in their peaceful aquarium but traveling in tight quarters may put them in a stressful condition they do not wish to share…
　
　
Doing water changes during multiple day moves is a great idea. Just make sure you do not cause PH swings. This may be an additional stress they are not prepared to deal with.
went from lincoln, ne to seattle , wa. used rubbermaid totes and air pumps. we needed to use a heater because the fish got a little cold on the trip up. note:: bring a spare air pump and converter. i had a converter go out on me on the way up. i took 3 up with me fortunatly.
