Ready, Set, Go! -a short guide to moving fish

(by Jennifer Carroll March 3, 2001)

In our increasingly mobile society, many of us have run into the problem of how to take everyone along when we move. This is especially hard when ‘everyone’ includes our fish. I have made three in-state moves with our 13 aquariums in the past few years and I have learned a thing or two along the way. So, I am here to offer advice to those of you who are preparing for this big adventure.

Get Ready!

My first suggestion would be to cut down if possible on the number of fish that you have to move. Start long before you have to move to try to find new homes for fish that you are not terribly attached to, especially if your tanks are on the crowded side and don’t buy any new ones (unless, of course, you absolutely have to!). Not only does this cut down on the work you will have to do on moving day, but it makes the move less risky on the fish that you keep because it decreases the risk of ammonia and other problems in their new home.

Depending on how many tanks you have, you may want to do the move over a two or three day period if possible. If you have empty tanks, set those up first so that they will be ready to move your fish directly into. If you don’t have empty tanks, as is the case for most of us, plan ahead where you want to put the tanks in your new home. Once they are set up, you won’t want to move them again and time will be critical when you are in the process of moving, so you won’t want to decide while you’re trying to move them in.

Get Set!!

The first thing to do on moving day is to remove filters, heater, and other equipment and decorations from as many tanks as you plan to move at one time. Put this equipment in a box or bucket and make sure to pad anything fragile. Collect siphons, moving containers for the fish, nets, and anything else you will need. When the time comes to start moving the fish, and not a second before, drain the water in each of your tanks as low as you can go without disturbing the fish too much. If the tanks are small enough, 10- to 20-gallon size, and you are not going too far, you can simply remove the decorations, leave the fish in with a little water and move the tank as is. If the tank is larger, you will want to remove your fish and put them in a bag or bucket. Something insulated would be nice. Make sure the equipment you use to transport them is fish-safe (no soap or chemical contamination!)

Spread your fish out into as many containers as possible so you risk fewer problems en route. Make sure that whatever container you use has a good cover, the movement from being transported will make your fish feel a little stressed and may cause them to jump. Covers also protect the fish from curious kids, pets, and other hazards. If you have live plants, keep them in the water with the fish.

Go!

Now for the most dangerous part—getting everything from here to there. First, make sure your fish are put someplace where their temperature will remain fairly stable and where they are out of harms way. If you plan to move the tanks empty, which you should do with any tank larger than 20 gallons, drain the remaining water. You may also wish to remove the gravel, this will make the tank lighter and will minimize potential cracking. If you have boards at least as large as the bottom of your tanks, (I keep boards between the tank and stand of any tank 30 gallons or larger—it’s a cheap way to virtually eliminate the risk of cracks while the tank is on the stand), I would place the tanks on the boards in your moving vehicle and even move the tanks with the boards underneath them if you can manage the extra weight. This will help prevent cracks. Small tanks are not as likely to break, but still be very careful. Make sure your tanks are stable in your vehicle, use padding to keep them from shifting too much. Make sure you take stands for all the tanks you move. Put your fish and equipment in and make sure that they don’t shift either. Keep the fish someplace where you can control the temperature.

Putting it all back Together

When you get to your destination, set up your stands, put the tanks on and start filling them about ¾ full with 78 ° tap water. Don’t forget to dechlorinate! Set up any heavy decorations and rockwork, then put the fish in. Don’t worry too much about floating them unless the water temperature is more than a few degrees different. If the water chemistry is very different, you will want to set up a siphon with airline tubing to slowly mix the new and old water. Add water to fill the tank. Put your equipment in place and turn it on (note that you will need to give your heater a few minutes to adjust before turning it on). Add the remaining decorations at your leisure. Try to stick around for several hours to make sure nothing goes wrong, such as tanks overheating or serious aggression among the fish.

I haven’t yet tried to move my fish anywhere more than 60 miles or so, but I have thought about it a number of times and this would be my plan:

You can follow most of the steps listed above for a cross-town move. When it comes to moving your fish (first I would find new homes for all but the most important ones), I would obtain some large bags, fill them about 1/3 full with fresh, dechlorinated water about the same temperature as your tank, and 2/3 pure oxygen. You can then pack them in a Styrofoam box and mail them. If you plan to move them yourself, buy a battery operated air pump and put two pieces of airline tubing in your bag before tying the top with a rubber band. One piece of tubing will direct air from the pump to the bag; the other will keep the bag from exploding. You can move the pump from bag to bag every few hours if you have more than one bag of fish. I would store the bag in a cooler (make sure it will stay upright!) and be especially careful if you will be traveling through extremely cold or hot temperatures and take them in with you if you make any stops (don’t just leave the heater running—fish don’t breathe carbon monoxide any better than people do. Oh, and don’t dawdle along the way. If you plan to sightsee, you probably shouldn’t have fish as travel companions!

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