Moving....need advice.

[freshmike]

Okay, I am moving 7 hours away from where I am right now.....how do I get my fish to their new home safely? (cichlids, loaches and plecos) I already have 2 tanks set up at the new place, so that is not an issue.....just need to know what you think about transporting the fish.

Thanks in advance.

 

[David]

Why don't you hire professionals? You know, the guys that ship fish overseas. Or is that too much moneywise?

 

[Vip]

i just used tubs for my cichlids, but you are moving much further than me, it will still work just get some heat bags.

 

[digital_run]

Hey mike...

I moved 5 hours away for school last month with a 65 / 50 / 30 gal tanks all stocked...I placed all of my fish in big plastic bags... i just went to my Ifs and asked for some.....i got double the amount of fish as i double bagged them...i emptyed my tanks with about 1" of water left...placed my filter medium and plants in 5 gal buckets filled with tank water...i had to buy a few extra buckets ...Got some help from some friends to move them into a borrowed van...and drove like hell....Let me tell you i was a nervous wreck and it was a long drive...I lost a single tiger barb ...but it went rather well except for that...hope i helped.

 

[MissClaire]

scary, I dread the day I move!

wouldnt it be cool if you could tow your fish tank errm maybe not

 

[enchanted]

The way the "professionals" ship normally is by using a hot or cold break open pack to maintain temperature. They then bag the fish or put them in plastic (depends on company) and fills it with Pure O2.

Once you find the container of your choice you could probably rent an O2 container for a day with O2 for less than $50.00.

Then just get your fish ready, drop the tank off on the way, and, as someone else put it, drive like hell.

You might need something to maintain temperature. If so an auto parts store usually sells a $20 or less Inverter and then you could just get a heating pad to use for the trip.

 

[freshmike]

Thank you for the help.

 

[Tolak]

Hey f.m.! Saw some discus being sold at an auction this weekend, every bag had a small 1" cube if used filter sponge in it. Thought it was a good idea, one of those why didn't I think of that sort of things. Those bags sit at room temp, many times for better than 8 hours. I guess the bags being handled throughout the day is enough to circulate some of the water through the mini sponge filters. By 7 in the evening the discus were still ok, really surprised me. So if you don't mind snipping up an old a.c. sponge, this may help.

Tolak

 

[yhbae]

This is just a theory, but can't you buy a large platic "rubbermaid" containers as big as a small aquariums? If you rent a minivan, it will have a 12v outlet so convert that into 110v, plug-in your filter and heater. This should take care of any ammonia spike or even O2 issue?

 

[Tolak]

Hey yhbae, I like that idea! Grab a power converter & take your fish on a road trip!

Tolak

 

[lizard]

This is just a theory, but can't you buy a large platic "rubbermaid" containers as big as a small aquariums? If you rent a minivan, it will have a 12v outlet so convert that into 110v, plug-in your filter and heater. This should take care of any ammonia spike or even O2 issue?

I'd be concerned about the heater melting the plastic of the Rubbermaid Tub (or similar brand)

Good luck with the move, FM! I don't have any advice to add to what others have given, so you just get a 'good luck' from me

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

 

[yhbae]

This is just a theory, but can't you buy a large platic "rubbermaid" containers as big as a small aquariums? If you rent a minivan, it will have a 12v outlet so convert that into 110v, plug-in your filter and heater. This should take care of any ammonia spike or even O2 issue?

I'd be concerned about the heater melting the plastic of the Rubbermaid Tub (or similar brand)

Good luck with the move, FM! I don't have any advice to add to what others have given, so you just get a 'good luck' from me

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

I remember an advice that was given on how to use heaters on plastic containers - basically stick the heater on a piece of glass and secure the glass on the plastic. This will make sure no plastic will melt when it is placed in the tank...

 

[enchanted]

A heat pad would be cheap and easier.

 

[yhbae]

A heat pad would be cheap and easier.

You are probably right....

 

[cat.fish]

good luck chris.