Transporting fish

[viking858]

I am going to be moving from evansville indiana to chicago illinois in a couple of months. i was wondering if anyone knows of a way to get fish to survive a 6 1/2 hour car trip. i only have 3 fish, but i cant figure out a way to get the tanks up there, i will have to empty the water out of the tanks i suppose ( maybe leave a little water in the tank so that nitrate or nitrite remain) should i just take the fish back to the pet store and start a whole new tank? or is it possible to transport fish somehow?


thanks

 

[circuitdragon]

I'd like to know the answer to this one myself going to be moving myself in a few months...though its just in town. Hate to see you leave IN for Chicago....I'm stuck here in Lafayette...heh....anyhow, I'm not sure it would be proper, or if it would be too draining on a vehicle, but I think you could buy some DC-AC power adapters. Just 2 would be needed I'd think....filter and heater. But like I said, I'd still like to see the more expert advice on this one

 

[Pooky125]

a cooler half filled with water, and the cover on, with a batter powered air pump

 

[wayne at home]

Just put them in a bag, then inside another. Bag should be about 1/4 or 1/3 water, rest air. If you're very nervous, do it yourself then go to lfs, get them to bag them with oxygen. If you want to you can put zeolite in the bag , I've never bothered and I've never had big problems. Buy a polystyrene fish box and put them in that to kep them warm.
They deliver marine butterflyfish this way for 18 hours of flights, so don't stress too much, they'll likely be ok. Try to pack them so they won't get bounced around too much/ If you want to , you can open and close the bag at a pit stop, but only do this once or twice. If you think they'tr going to get really cold, like they're in the back of a truck in the snow, buy a chemical heat pad. Any details , ask a good lfs.

 

[Paul]

There are numerous sites on the web for moving fish. try this one. http://www.bestfish.com/moving.html

 

[wayne at home]

I don't like their idea of moving fish in a bucket, or styro box lined with a bag. Only use a bucket if it's a real big fish. It's definitely better to pack the fish into plastic bags - get some from a lfs or petstore when you get the fishbox. I've moved fish for 7 hours this way myself, plus this is how I did it when I moved house.
Here's the smart bit. Put your filter in a plastic bag, and seal it with an elastic band with the cable hanging out. This way when you set up the new tank your filter will be cycled. Apparently you don't get any die off for at least 4 hours, so 6 or 7 should be ok for the filter bacteria. Also plastic bag your gravel if you can - wash it as your putting it in, but you'll still keep some bacteria alive.

 

[NTidd]

Shouldn't you leave the gravel in the aquarium in with a little water to cover it?

 

[DocBob]

Here is a link to an article regardinghttp://www.arofanatics.com/articles.php?content=movinglargefish&right=no . It took this person 35 hours to move his fish in the unheated compartment of a vehicle. Not to mention this was in Scandanavia in November!
Pretty impressive!
After you read this, I don't think you'll be too worried about your six hour trek.

 

[DocBob]

OOPS, Sorry!!! I messed that one up good. Let me try that again.
Here is that link for the LONG MOVES
This should work a little better.

 

[wayne at home]

The gravel - if possible bag it, or stick it in a bucket with a little water.
I wouldn't leave anything in the tank

 

[NTidd]

I just did about an hour and a half move, with two aquariums, left the gravel, and crushed coral in the bottom, and left some water in there to cover it, no casualities.