Important question regarding large water change.

[benya]

Very soon I am transporting my tank 6 hours from where I am currently living. I have all the necessary equipment to transport the fish safely (air stone, insulated container, etc.) I know that once I get to my location and start getting the tank running again that I cannot add all the fish in right away because they will go into shock and potentially die. So what should I be doing to make the tank safe for fish as quickly as possible after such a long drive? Thank you!

 

[itiwhetu]

Are you taking your tank with you. I would put your fish into bags and in the insulated container. Then get a 2 or 3 jerry cans twenty liter ones to transport say 60 liters of water. Leave the base in the tank. When you get there fill the the tank with the water from the jerry cans plus a top up, once it is at the temperature add the fish. Fish are usually fine for 24 hours or more in an insulated container

 

[benya]

Are you taking your tank with you. I would put your fish into bags and in the insulated container. Then get a 2 or 3 jerry cans twenty liter ones to transport say 60 liters of water. Leave the base in the tank. When you get there fill the the tank with the water from the jerry cans plus a top up, once it is at the temperature add the fish. Fish are usually fine for 24 hours or more in an insulated container

I am taking my tank with my yes. I have a large box that my lfs gave me that they receive fish in as well as a very veryy large bag that also came from my lfs. Thank you for the help, and I guess since I have you here lol, can I add all of the fish in at once or should I put them in in intervals?

 

[eatyourpeas]

This article may be of interest:

How to Move a Fishroom 1200 Miles – MJV Aquatics

mjvaquatics.com

 

[itiwhetu]

I am taking my tank with my yes. I have a large box that my lfs gave me that they receive fish in as well as a very veryy large bag that also came from my lfs. Thank you for the help, and I guess since I have you here lol, can I add all of the fish in at once or should I put them in in intervals?

Get smaller bags and only put a few fish in each bag. When you get there you should be able to add all the fish at once. Just stabilize the temperatures between bags and tank.

 

[benya]

Get smaller bags and only put a few fish in each bag. When you get there you should be able to add all the fish at once. Just stabilize the temperatures between bags and tank.

great thank you!

 

[benya]

Get smaller bags and only put a few fish in each bag. When you get there you should be able to add all the fish at once. Just stabilize the temperatures between bags and tank.

I might be overly paranoid but now that I think about it, will the fish be okay in bags for a 6 hour trip? I feel like when fish are shipped they are usually given additional oxygen.

 

[itiwhetu]

I might be overly paranoid but now that I think about it, will the fish be okay in bags for a 6 hour trip? I feel like when fish are shipped they are usually given additional oxygen.

Fish are shipped into New Zealand and are 72 hours in transit. Bags blown up with your breath will be fine for at least 12 hours.

 

[benya]

Fish are shipped into New Zealand and are 72 hours in transit. Bags blown up with your breath will be fine for at least 12 hours.

You have relieved so much of my anxiety haha, thank you so much

 

[benya]

You have relieved so much of my anxiety haha, thank you so much

So I thought of another question, hope thats okay. Once I have added the fish back in, what should I be doing in the coming days? Daily water changes? Regular feeding or not? That type of stuff. Thank you once again in advance.

 

[itiwhetu]

So I thought of another question, hope thats okay. Once I have added the fish back in, what should I be doing in the coming days? Daily water changes? Regular feeding or not? That type of stuff. Thank you once again in advance.

Just your normal regime what ever that was or is

 

[mcordelia]

I would use an air pump to fill the bags with air if you go that route, your breath contains more co2 than necessary for this type of thing. Since your water parameters are possibly different at your destination, I would take as much water from either your old fish tank or (possibly better) from your tap before you leave (assuming your tank water matches your tap water). When you are settled, before you get into your regular water change routine I would do successive 20% water changes until your tank water is starting to look like your new tap water, and then I would resume your normal routine. As the fish are stressed, I would maybe skip a day feeding here and there, based on how the fish are doing.

Finally, your question of acclimating them, if you do the bag method I would acclimate them just like when bringing fish home from the store. If you are doing the tote method you can put individual fish in floating plastic containers and acclimate them that way (follow the same steps as with the bag method but remember to pour water from the tank into the dish since temperature transfer isn't s effective through the thicker material). In either case I advocate gradually mixing the water before putting the fish in.