Moving House Long Distance

[Mia S]

Hi all,

Im about to move house interstate, about 2300kms. I've given most of my fish away already, but there is a few I don't want to part with (some coolie loaches, bristlenoses, betta). Just wondering if its safe to move them such a long distance?

When you consider that a lot of fish sold in the shops here have come from overseas etc, it doesn't seem so risky. It's summer here in Oz, so I'm not really worried about the temp drop killing them, but what about oxygen?
Has anyone moved their fish long distance without probs? or with?

 

[Night61]

its always hard to move with fish. both me and my brother have had to come up with solutions to transport them safely too anf from college with out giving them away.
i would try to get Tupperware containers or anything with a firm lid. separate each fish by species. keep the Betta on its own the loaches on there own and the bristlenose. you want to make sure the container will be comfortable for them and leave air at the top so they still get fresh oxygen. make sure when you place them in the car there snug so there containers don't roll all over the place. also try to take as much of the water they are used to as you can it will make the adjustment to a new place better for them.

i can't say my moves have always been problem free but they have always survived the jouney and after sulking for a little bit they will be happy to see you when its all over. especially if you bribe them with goodies afterwords
i see no reason to get rid of your fish. and if your ride is more then like 3 hours i would stop remove tops to let them get fresh air again, especially for the betta.
good luck on your trip.

 

[Truck]

instead of filling them with air, fill the bags with oxygen (except the betta, or you will kill him)

for the betta fill the bag a fifth of the way up then the rest air.

and the others fill 1/4 water and 3/4 oxygen and box them in polystyrene boxes, with heat packs (pack each fish individually)

 

[Colin_T]

You probably don't need heat packs in OZ at the moment but the rest of Truckas info is spot on, especially if you're flying.
If you're driving then put the fish in a 45 litre plastic rubbish bin that is 1/2 - 2/3 full of tank water. Hook the filter up to it and get a power inverter (from an auto store). This gets plugged into the car's cigarette lighter and can run the filter. Then just go for a drive across the country.

Are you coming to WA or heading to Qld?

 

[Mia S]

I'm going from Vic to Qld. I have to move with 4 cats as well, and by myself, as my hubby is overseas atm. The expression 'bitten off more than I can chew' comes to mind lol.

Thanks everyone for their advice, I will think it over...

 

[Colin_T]

stick the cats in 4 cat carry cages, the fish in a bucket and shove them all in the back of the station wagon. Then go for a drive across the border. When you get to Qld you can let the fish go in main street and tell them to swim home
What a trip, going from fire to flood

 

[Schmill]

Starve the fish for a couple of days before the move to minimise their waste during shipping too.
I would also advise AGAINST opening up the boxes or tubs or bags mid-journey. Whether you use air or oxygen in the bags / boxes it will gradually become more and more carbon dioxide. Whilst this may seem alarming, if the fish are still able to breath it's in fact a good thing. The CO2 will adjust the ph of the water, causing the ammonia in the water to be more in it's ammonium state.
Once you open the bags and let the CO2 gas out, and fresh air in the ph of the water starts to shift again, allowing the realtively safe ammonium to convert back to toxic ammonia.
This is why after a long shipping period the moving of ship out of their shipping containers / water, and into fresh water shouldn't take too long.
It's actually possible to have fish perfectly healthy in a sealed bag, only for them to then die if you open the bag to the air and leave them for too long

Oh and lastly, if your hubby is overseas during the move, don't forget to tell him you've moved, (unless not telling him is the idea! - lol)

 

[Truck]

good advice schmill

just remeber only fill the bag enough so the betta can move, no more, as these fish breath atmospheric oxygen and will die if it runs out, and dont use pure oxygen neither, that will kill it

 

[taxicab823]

i have this thing called a bubble box that runs off batteries that i use to keep shiners alive when i go fishing, try to find one of those and jump put all your fish in a bucket with a lit on top and you all set.

 

[Colin_T]

Oh and lastly, if your hubby is overseas during the move, don't forget to tell him you've moved, (unless not telling him is the idea! - lol)

rofl
I can imagine poor old hubby coming home and finding a note where the fridge used to be. Hi hunny, I've moved the kids and contents up the road a bit

 

[electric yellow]

I face this challenge to in two months. All though im moving from one part of Melbourne to another. So hoepfully it wont be too much of a headache...but moving 2x 3ft tanks and 2x 28ltr betta tanks will be a headache on its own!!

Are you still taking them with you?

Good luck!

 

[Colin_T]

for electric yellow

allow yourself a day to move your tanks and move the house furniture first. Then the following day move the fish and tanks.