Disaster Plan

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ZooKeeper

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We had a tornado hit here on friday night, and I realized that I don't have a disaster plan for the boys. I have 12 guys all in separate containers, no divided tanks.

What would you do if a disaster happened and you had to get your fish out pronto? I have a plan for my other animals, but I never moved the fish into the equation. :/

Ideas would be appreciated.
 
i thought when a tornado hits, you just run the hell out of the way..
:blush:
 
i thought when a tornado hits, you just run the hell out of the way..
:blush:

Bad bad bad. Nope. You run, you get sucked up. Basically, I had 4 dogs and 3 cats in the bathroom. I covered up the guinea pigs and the turtles, because I didn't have time to put them in containers and get them to the bathroom too. (The containers were being washed from the tornado the week before.)

I have rubbermaid containers with shavings in it for the guinea pigs and the hamsters so I can just put them in there quickly, and put them in the bathroom closet. The turtles go into a rubbermaid container with a little bit of water in it, and they go in the bathroom closet. Issue with the bettas is, how do I quickly get all of them into individual containers?
 
how big are their individual tanks? I'd say (if tank is small) Either move the whole thing, or i keep the cups they come in for when I need to move them.
 
how big are their individual tanks? I'd say (if tank is small) Either move the whole thing, or i keep the cups they come in for when I need to move them.

They are all in glass containers. I would be afraid of them breaking while trying to move them. I was thinking about keeping those disposable ziploc containers under the cabinet with small slits in the lids. That way I can pour a little bit of water in there to systain them until I can get them back in order, and put the lids on there to keep them from jumping out. They only need to be wet to survive for short periods, so that should work. Those can be stacked in the cabinet as well for further protection.
 
That was my idea. I just moved and kept my bettas in tall square "rubbermaid" type container with a few holes punched in the lid along one edge. That way they are stackable with cutting off air supply and at least one hole was big enough to drop food pellets into. They can also fit into boxes for moving around. I just used some of the gravel and a plant from their regular tank so it would feel a little more "normal" and be less stressful for them.
 
If you want to move you bettas in that kind of situation, you for sure want to get some rubbermaid, gladware, etc.. type containers, they do fine in there for a while, just take a scissors or exactto knife and make some kind of a hole and you're all set. :)
 
yep, scoop them out in rubbermaids, put them in the closet!

where do you live to have all these tornados? scaaary!
 
yep, scoop them out in rubbermaids, put them in the closet!

where do you live to have all these tornados? scaaary!

Actually, we don't usually have tornados, but this has been an active year. We have had a ton of severe storms over the last few months. I am in Central Texas.
 
we all know bettas can live a ridiculous amount of time in those little cups, I try to keep mine (i usually end up cracking them though but i would say save the cups, or definately those tupperware/gladware type containers should to the trick.
 
Tornados come up way too fast for me to be able to save myself, my family, my fuzzy and feathered pets, and still have time to do something with all the bettas, nevermind the other fish... I mean, what exactly am I supposed to do with a 12" oscar during a tornado? If you just have 3 bettas or something I can understand the concern, but there comes a point when you have to realize that it's no longer practical to have a disaster plan for every living thing in your home, at least in the case of fast-moving destruction like a tornado. I have a plan if we ever have to exacuate for a hurricane (which is doubleful in my area), but you get a good few days, if not weeks, to plan for that. You are lucky to get a few minutes to prepare for a tornado. I'd rather look for my fish in the aftermath and hope for the best than be caught under a collapsing roof trying to shovel each one into a tupperware container. I have had a tornado hit very, very close to my house and I can guarantee you that no matter how much I care about my bettas I am not going to risk my life over them. You don't know what it's like until you hear trees falling and see metal lawn furniture flying past the window like it's nothing at all.
 
I'm with Synirr on this one. I live in Arizona, and we've had a tornado or two hit here very close to my house. They weren't large tornadoes, but they were still so fast that there would barely have been time to get us into the basement, let alone our animals. I love my fish (they're in the basement anyway), but I wouldn't get myself killed trying to save them.
 
I'm with Synirr on this one. I live in Arizona, and we've had a tornado or two hit here very close to my house. They weren't large tornadoes, but they were still so fast that there would barely have been time to get us into the basement, let alone our animals. I love my fish (they're in the basement anyway), but I wouldn't get myself killed trying to save them.

exactly my point on post # 2...
a few $$ fish is not worth a human life...
 
I'm with Synirr on this one. I live in Arizona, and we've had a tornado or two hit here very close to my house. They weren't large tornadoes, but they were still so fast that there would barely have been time to get us into the basement, let alone our animals. I love my fish (they're in the basement anyway), but I wouldn't get myself killed trying to save them.

exactly my point on post # 2...
a few $$ fish is not worth a human life...

We did have enough notice with this one that I could gather as many as possible. I just don't like feeling that I have not tried everything I could to save them. If there is no time, there is no time, but I like having a plan in case there is time.

Thanks for the feedback.
 

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