Moving Your Fish

I know how terrible it can be to have to leave any pet behind when you move, even fish. If you can't bear to sell your fish or give them away, you can take them with you. You just have to be prepared. Taking a few precautions ahead of time and during the trip can be the key to getting your fish friends to their new home safe and sound.

First of all, the fewer fish you have to transport the better. So, if you have some fish you aren't too particularly attached to, you should consider leaving them behind. This also applies to live aquarium plants, which are much less likely to survive the trip. Be sure you have everything you need ahead of time to transfer the fish, including: fish bags (as big as space will permit) or buckets, coolers (you can get the Styrofoam kind from grocery stores pretty cheap), rubber bands, stress coat, and moving blankets (a move is a lot harder if you have to buy a new tank when you get there). If you're planning a long move, you can get battery powered pumps and oxygen releasing stones so your fish are more comfortable during the move.

Your next step, if at all possible, is to find a new spot for your fish. If you can't get to your new place to check it out, at least look at the floor plan and get a general idea of where you want everything to go. You need to make sure there is not only enough space (and support structure underneath), but also that there is a nearby electrical outlet and water supply, and that the tank is not in direct sunlight so you can control the amount of light the tank gets.

A day or two before your move put the fish into a few small bare tanks and pack everything up ahead of time. This will make them easier to catch, and also cut down on the time they have to sit in a bag while you finish packing. Make sure you pack all your aquarium stuff together so you know where it will be when you get there and don't have to spend your time searching. Pack your tanks last and unpack them first to ensure the shortest transfer time for your fish. Also, you want to make sure you take as much of the water from your old aquarium with you as you can because this will help the fish adjust better and be more likely to survive once you arrive.

Once it's moving day, you have several options for how to transfer your fish, depending on how long your move is, how your fish need to be separated, and how much space you have to move your fish. If possible, fish can be transported in 5 gallon buckets. This will allow you to take more of your tank water with you when you move. Just make sure to cover the buckets with lids or plastic grocery bags. You can also pack your fish in fish bags, which you can get from your local pet store, and then put the bags in coolers. Be careful when packing your fish that you don't put aggressive fish together in the same bag or bucket. Fish may get along when they have a whole aquarium to share, but when they are in cramped quarters for a long period of time, attitudes can change. Make sure when transferring your fish to the temporary tanks and to the bags or buckets that you have all of them and that one wasn't left behind in a plant or decoration.

When you arrive at your new place, get the fish in their tank as soon as possible. Set up the tank with filters, heaters, and gravel first. Be sure not to turn the heater and filter on until you have water in the tank. Then fill the tank with the water, starting with the water from the old tank. As you fill the tank, you can add decorations and plants. You can then add fish to their tank and fill with treated water. Just be sure to make the water as close to the tank water temperature as possible. You can then turn on the filter, but you might want to wait to turn on the heater until the temperature in the tank has stabilized.

Now that your fish are ready to go, just be sure to observe the fish and their tank for a few days to make sure all the equipment is still working properly and all the fish are doing well.