How To Transfer Fish From Smaller To Bigger Aquarium?

[Mercury2234]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased a 75g tank and will be transferring my fish from the 30g; I do plan on leaving the 30g empty as a hospital tank or possibly put some convicts.

Anyhoo, how do I transfer it? Do I just dump em in there as long as PH and water temp is the same or do I have to buy plastic bags and have em float?

Many thanks!

 

[arobinson1984]

Is the new tank cycled? If not transfer the media from the 30g filter over to the new tanks filter.

If the PH is the same and temp is the same you'd be fine putting the fish straight into the new tank, you can bag them up and float them to be on the safe side but this will probably stress them more and wont be beneficial if the PH/temp isn't changing.

Andy

 

[timmystood]

Hi Mercury

As arobinson said you will benefit from moving your filter media over to the new tank to help it mature.
With regards to moving the fish, I would get some plastic bags (most LFS will give you them free) and re-acclimatise them to the new tank. Although things like your pH and temperature may be the same, so many parameters will be different in the new tank that the fish should be introduced accordingly. However, that said, it would take anywhere near as long as it's just a case of giving the bags a few dips to get them used to the new water. 15 minutes tops.

 

[Mercury2234]

Yes I did transfer the old filter from 30g to the 75g, not to mention I had the fortune of buying 90g worth of BIOSPIRA (yes, it came refrigerated and I put it in icebox on the way home).

The tank has been running a week with a couple of convicts that I am planning on putting on the 30g. They seem to be fine. I do have a MASSIVE pump (1750ghp) along with an UV light (currently off). I am just waiting out to make sure ITS FULLY CYCLED, but I wanted to know beforehand the steps of transferring the fish.

I will probably do so in a week or so, if all tests are fine as of today...

 

[Mercury2234]

Hmm, I just tested; I got 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, but 0 nitrates! Could it be my tank havent even begun to cycle yet? I would have imagined with the old filter and the addition of biospira, I would have had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and a small amount of nitrates. Any ideas?

I remember before when I begun to cycle my 30g, I would have had a small trace of ammonia .25, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates. It took 2 1/2 months to have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 nitrates!

 

[OldMan47]

How many convicts do you have in that 75? With the filter from the 30 on it, it may be acting cycled just because the biological load is small enough for the 30 gallon filter to handle the load completely on its own.

 

[Mercury2234]

I only have 2 as of now; male and female that will be going to the 30g for breeding...

 

[OldMan47]

With only a pair of commies, you do not have any indication at all about your new filter. You have an established filter, the old 30 gallon one, that can handle that load by itself.

 

[Mercury2234]

I might drop my bichir and clownknife today to increase the bioload...

 

[Mercury2234]

I just transferred my senegal bichir, clownknife and freshwater flounder. I decided to just go on ahead and drop em. Both tanks had 80 degrees of temp and IDENTICAL PH. I figured it would have been less stressful for them.

I got to tell you, it was sure interesting...immediately once I put the bichir in, the convicts went after him. Bear in mind, those are 2" convicts taking a bite out of a FAT 7" bichir (this bichir ate a 5" marble gar). So, I had to transfer them quickly between tanks. They are now the sole owner of a CYCLED 30g tank.