Moving Across The Country

[CatLover]

Hello all, I'm moving in just a few days to CA - a 2400 mile move for me. I will be taking my 75G freshwater tank with me. All of my fish are small; none exceeding 4 inches. Here's the question - what in the world do I do to make this trip as stress/death free as possible?

So far my plans are to drain the tank, and transport the fish in a cooler or some kind of plastic structure of the like (fish won't be bagged). I am working with a small u-haul moving truck, and they will be staying in the back cargo area. I am going from Ky to Ca, so I will be encountering just about every climate across the US, except for freezing temps.

I really need advice from people with experience on moving large tanks a large distance! Thanks so much!

 

[Ilya]

I would advise putting them into bags. The kind of bags fish can breathe through. Also, don't worry about feeding them, because fish can last up to 3 weeks without food.

If you wanted to keep your tank water (so you don't have re-cycle) just pour the water in big plastic bins. You might need a few. You can also have the fish in the bins if you want.

 

[CatLover]

Thanks for the reply. Would the plastic bags that you get fish in from pet stores do? Those are the only kind I can get. And also, why is it beneficial to bag the fish?

Keeping the tank water is a good plan. If I do bag the fish, should I stack the bags in a box, or just let them float around in the saved tank water?

 

[Ilya]

I'm sure you might have to order a box of bags. I don't know if you can get them from the pet stores.

If you just have fish floating around without bags, they might get frightened and hurt themselves. But in bags, they are isolated, and safe. And if something does happen to the water in the bins, they will be safe in their baggies .

Be sure not to feed them a couple of days prior to the move, so they don't defecate and create ammonia.

 

[jayjay]

Keeping the water is pointless. Keeping the filter media wet is what you keep to do.

Search for the thread on moving, it'll help you out quite a lot.