Im getting ready to move my fish 1700 miles to Portland. Any tips?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I would bag the smaller fish separately using bag buddies. (I don't use quite as much as recommended on the package though.) You can get larger bags for this, like they ship gold fish feeders to the pet stores in. The bags will keep them from fighting along the way and the bag buddies will sedate them so they don't stress as well as providing oxygen. They can be rebagged along the way if need be... you could even use a 5 gallon bucket instead of a bag, just leave 2/3 of the space for air. Feed them well up until 24 hours prior to packaging. Then withhold food. This prevents them from defecating in the packaging water and preserves water quality longer. I have had shipped fish delivered to me that last a week in the packaging without food, but I wasn't happy they went that long without. I would recommend bag buddies for each container if for no other reason than to reduce the stress on the fish... they won't eat much at all under sedation, but it seriously slows their metabolism for a while so they don't need as much food. Just my 2¢.

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Also, coolers and ice packs can be used to help with the temps. If it were me I would play it safe and drill the coolers. You can replace the cooler but not the fish. I would keep the ice packs in a separate cooler and use them only as needed. If you don't have a battery operated laser temp gun I would suggest you find a cheap one as it is the quickest method for measuring the water temp.

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I too, would drill the cooler tops. one hole in the top just big enough for the line in with another on the opposite side for exhaust.
ice will be easier to get on the trip than cooler packs so I'd plan to work with that.
maybe putting the air pumps inside a styrofoam cooler with the ice so the air going into the coolers will be as cool as possible. maybe shove a bamboo stake through the wall to tie the pump to so it doesn't get wet. pumping hot air into water you want to keep cool is counter productive.
I almost never say this, but good luck.
 
I have no way of purchasing any more supplies. I leave tomorrow, and nearest store that would have any of that stuff is 100 miles away. I've decided to drill the coolers. I have a bucket, and I can see about using ice to keep the air going in cool.
 
GL with the move.. my only suggestion would be for your cockatiel to keep her calm keep a light sheet over her cage during the trip to help keep her calm, and keep her where you can talk to her. My B&G use to love car trips as well. Sounds like your as prepared as your going to be. bag/bucket up more extra water then you think you'll possibly need for water changes is my only extra advise.
 
i moved from north jersey to tampa. 22 hour ride about 1200 miles. i used a 40g rubbermaid an ac power inverter, a small air pump and a submersible fluval 104. i transported some polypterus. cichlids juruense cats. arowana. i did not run into any problems. all fish were in the 6 to 9" mark. it was summer so i didnt use heater. i made the trip twice with success both time. no casualties.
 
Big bags of ice in tubs all around inside truck, but away from fish, not touching any fish containers. Replace ice 3 or 4 times a day whenever melted. Plenty plenty Prime, so can use tap water for water change when run out of tank water.

Set up list of MFK contacts / pit-stops along route in case of emergencies.
 
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