Moving and need to transport fish 16 hours away!

[Brodie33]

Ok folks, I need some major help! First question is do I separate bag my fish and buy a box and heat packs and do it that way or do I buy buckets and buy and adapter for a heater to be plugged in, in my truck! I got a 55 gallon and a 10 gallon plus a breeding box full of baby guppies and two small killfish fry.. got 2 anglefish, several p82 killifish, 2 Cory's, guppies.... what method of transport do yall recommend!? Thanks in advance!

 

[CassCats]

Id do a large tote or cooler, and fit a smaller tote inside it, have heat packs on the outside of the small one, fish in the smaller part? At least would give them some space and warmth for long travel.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Also, you can get an inexpensive USB air pump and connect it to a phone/laptop battery pack if you have one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[mcordelia]

As long as your fish are not aggressive towards each other, I would keep them together. A cooler is a great idea, but if you do not have that you can buy totes. Walmart sells 45 gallon totes, which would be more than adequate to fit all the fish in the 55gal into (though, sloshing might become a problem during the drive). Because you have a 16 hour drive ahead of you and possibly wait time at the destination before you can set up the fish, you will need to handle filtration, oxygenation and possibly heating during the drive. If your car has a power outlet, you may be able to even use your existing filter plugged in (depending on what kind of filter it is - this is probably workable only for small canisters and sponge filters). If your existing filter will not work for the drive, you will need to place sponge filters in both of your tanks right now to start growing BB on them, and use them during the drive. If you have live plants, having them in the same tote(s) as the fish will be beneficial. Depending on where you are driving from/to, you may also need to heat the water. Same as above, if you have a plug in your car, use a heater in the tote/cooler, but if not, you will need to use external heat packs or a battery bank to power the heater.


I have a recurring dream about doing this one day, in my dream we buy a house on the coast and have to move the fish The way it works in my dream is that at 3-4am, everyone shows up at the house and starts to break down the tanks, I have an army of friends each who have been assigned a task (taking out the gravel, emptying the water, moving the fish, adding clean water to the totes, setting up sponge filters and heaters and hooking them up to power in the vehicle, etc etc), and we work methodically and in ~3h we have the tanks empty, loaded into a rented uhaul van, and the drive begins. At rest stops, we check on the fish and make sure the equipment is functioning and water is in good shape temp wise (in some versions of the dream I test for ammonia and nitrites at a gas station and add prime and amquel to the water...). At the destination, we have a bare bottom holding tank set up that has been calibrated to roughly the same water parameters as the fish are coming from, and the fish and water from the totes go into the holding tank along with the plants tossed in. The existing filters from the tanks are hooked up to the holding tank, and everyone goes to bed. crisis averted until the next day.

Feel free to tell me that I have weird-ass dreams

 

[CassCats]

I was thinking the portable heat packs, they use them for shipping fish for days time.

 

[Colin_T]

Use a couple of plastic eskies/ coolers and put the fish in them. If the eskies are in a car while you are driving, it will help keep them warm. Put the eskies on the back seat or floor behind the front seats. Don't put them in the boot.

The following link has information about moving house with fish. See post #2.
Disregard most of the other posts in that thread, there was some confusion about which person created it and has no bearing on moving fish. Just read post #2.

Moving with fish?

Hi. I honestly didn’t know where to post this so I’m sorry if this isn’t the right place. Currently I have (approximate sizes) a 5 inch long, 8 inch long and 11 inch long comet goldfish, a 4 inch long black Moore, 6 African cichlids, and a male betta. In January, I’m going to be moving from...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Brodie33]

So I got 2 tubs 7.5 gallon each. 2 battery power air stones, drilled a hole on the top to run air stone.. 16 hour drive do yall think this will be ok? I have a single cab truck so they will be in the front seat...

 

[Brodie33]

I also couldn't find an adapter for a wall plug to car so I could put heaters in them so only air stones is all it will have.... I really hope I don't loose any of my fish!

 

[Brodie33]

If it does get cold (ill have the digital thermometer up front with me to check) I got some heat packs that I could tape to thr bottom!

 

[mcordelia]

Put the foot heater on full blast in the cab and put blankets around the totes for insulation against heat loss, I think you should be completely fine if you keep the ambient temperature somewhere in the range of what your fish need.

Otherwise,I think you are in good shape make sure the filter media and gravel stay moist during the trip. gravel probably won't dry out even if you try, put the filter media in a ziplock bags of you're concerned.

Good luck,and most importantly,stay safe! I know this is going to be stressful for you, but just be methodical and focused and don't rush things and you will be fine. I think you are well prepared,and if things beyond your control occur,then that is just life.

Let us know how everything goes!!!

 

[Brodie33]

Put the foot heater on full blast in the cab and put blankets around the totes for insulation against heat loss, I think you should be completely fine if you keep the ambient temperature somewhere in the range of what your fish need.

Otherwise,I think you are in good shape make sure the filter media and gravel stay moist during the trip. gravel probably won't dry out even if you try, put the filter media in a ziplock bags of you're concerned.

Good luck,and most importantly,stay safe! I know this is going to be stressful for you, but just be methodical and focused and don't rush things and you will be fine. I think you are well prepared,and if things beyond your control occur,then that is just life.

Let us know how everything goes!!!

Good call on blanket ill 100% do that! I'll definitely keep yall posted on how it goes. Super excited to finally have fish clubs near me! North Dakota USA sucks for aquarium fish hobbies!!!! Michigan gonna be so much better! Already have another 55 gallon waiting on me for free, thanks to my brother on that one!!

 

[Brodie33]

Also another big concern is my babies guppy and killifish. The killifish are just eyes, born this week and my guppy fry is about 2 weeks old. Figured I'd get a smaller container for thoes..

 

[itiwhetu]

Put them into plastic bags in a polystyrene box, close it up. The fish will be fine for 24 hours or more if you can get heat packs do that. Keep the fish in the dark they go to sleep and travel better.

 

[itiwhetu]

So I got 2 tubs 7.5 gallon each. 2 battery power air stones, drilled a hole on the top to run air stone.. 16 hour drive do yall think this will be ok? I have a single cab truck so they will be in the front seat...

Fish will always travel better in plastic bags than in a tote. They won't be able to move as much and it is safer for them

 

[Brodie33]

Fish will always travel better in plastic bags than in a tote. They won't be able to move as much and it is safer for them

Don't have enough bags to do that.