Moving with monsters

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Mitchell The Monster

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Nov 5, 2016
583
735
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Georgia
So I recently found out that we are moving a few hours away and I am allowed to keep my fish if I can find a way to get them there. So, how would you guys go about moving a 10 inch dovii, a pair of severums, trio of large silver dollars, 6 inch common pleco, 7 inch Senegal bichir, and a cute little pair of convicts. I have a few months to get things together. Thanks for the help!
 
So I recently found out that we are moving a few hours away and I am allowed to keep my fish if I can find a way to get them there. So, how would you guys go about moving a 10 inch dovii, a pair of severums, trio of large silver dollars, 6 inch common pleco, 7 inch Senegal bichir, and a cute little pair of convicts. I have a few months to get things together. Thanks for the help!



Buckets or totes and battery operated air pumps would be a plus.
 
See if you can buy big fish bags from your lfs. The one I work at , we can sell bags that are 18 inches wide and 2ft tall for a couple bucks. double them up and just float the fish when you get to your new place.
 
Lots of prime or similar ammonia binding product and lots of aeration :)
 
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So should I go with large bags or a rubbermade tote? I will probably bag the convicts anyways because they are so much smaller than the others. Thanks agian for the help.
 
Coolers are a great way to transport large fish. You can also use the cheap styrofoam ones, if you use large fish bags to line them.

Break down the tank at the last possible time, and load that in last, so it is first out at the destination. Load the fish in coolers, buckets. Home Depot buckets with lids are a great option.

Fishing supply stores should have battery operated air pumps which will help keep water aerated.

Several brands of ammonia neutralizer are available, can use that to help reduce stress .

Some people ship Fish with methylene blue, which helps with oxygenation, but the air pump is a better idea.

Use an extra bucket to keep filter media damp or wet, to preserve bacteria

Upon arrival , get tank into place first thing. Have all equipment packed up and easily available. Ensure you have enough water conditioner available. If you can, sort out where you will get the water from at the new home, I.e bucket brigade, hose from sink, hose from hose Bibb outside, etc, and have the parts/pieces available to fill tank. Get tank filled, and start acclimating Fish, get filters installed.

I have moved large Fish ( oscars, Jaguars, dovii, Vieja species, )from Illinois to Missouri this way.
 
Big totes, don't forget to also keep your biological colony alive as well, in water and up to temp or could be bad at the other end with no bb and a bunch of big fish. Again big totes or 50gal new/clean plastic garbage cans to move the substrate in with a hand truck will help to keep some of that bb alive as well. Rocks branches, ornaments can be treated this way as well, in water and up to temp to keep alive the bb on them.
 
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Thank you guys very much for the advice. I now feel confident in how I will transport my finned friends. Also the dovii gets her own 125 in the new house!
 
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