62 Moving the fish
Description
This article is from the Beginning Fishkeeping FAQ, by Thomas Narten with numerous contributions by others.
62 Moving the fish
There are three problems in moving the fish:
1. Where do you put them?
You have two options: a friend's tank, and a pet store tank. Some
pet stores will, for a fee, board fish during a move. A signed
contract, detailing what responsibilities the pet store is
assuming, is a very good idea. Some pet stores, for a further fee,
will pack and air-ship the fish to you on request. This isn't
cheap. Bear in mind that you'll be leaving the fish there for at
least a couple of weeks.
2. How do you pack them?
For short periods of time (a couple of hours, tops) you can put
the fish in sealed bags, half-filled with air. This time can be
stretched somewhat by filling with oxygen, rather than air. Put
the bags in a padded, compartmentalized container, and ship by
air. (This is how pet stores receive their fish). For larger fish,
or longer trips, one can use a sealed bucket for each fish, rather
than a bag.
3. How do you support them on the move?
Fish won't eat during the move. They're too stressed, and you
don't want to degrade the water quality by the food, anyway. Fish
can survive a week or so without food if they've been previously
well fed. Try to maintain an even temperature, perhaps by placing
the fish in a sealed cooler, or compartmentalized cooler. For long
trips, particularly by car, a battery-powered airpump and airstone
is a good idea (if not a must). After the move, slowly condition
the fish to the new tank location, as you would in adding new fish
to a tank.
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