Moving My Fish Back Home

[Darren5591]

Hi guys,

I'm moving back home from University next month and want to start looking into moving my fish back home. I've got a 25 litre tank with 5 black phantom tetra's, 4 platys, a bulldog plec and a red finned shark. All get on really well and I want to upgrade my tank for when I move back home. How would I go about transfering the fish over? I have a 28 litre tank in which I keep spare to place any quarantined fish, unfortuantly this is a fresh tank and hasn't had any water in recently, and I don't have a spare pump or filter etc to keep it running. I have just got the water to a level which is good, using the API master test kit and making adjustments for any problems. Should I try a 50% water change, but keep the water in the tank so I don't have to start a whole new cycle from scratch? How would I go about transfering the fish? They all came bagged from the aquatics centre, should I bag them up individually or should some go together etc? The journey is about 20-25 minutes long, I assume the fish would be ok to travel this distance?

Any website links or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kaivalagi]

A 30 min journey is just like the trip to the LFS...I would bag them and empty the tank and pack it up...just make sure the filter media doesn't get dry, bag that too maybe

The other option, which maybe easier for when you get the other end, is to drain some of the tank water off (50% maybe?) and move them in the tank, making sure the filter (assuming it's an internal you can move) is under the water line?

30 minutes plus 15 mins each side of the journey isn't long, so stress will be minimal IMO

 

[Darren5591]

Thanks for your advice

I did think about draining 50% of the water out of the tank, bagging up all of the fish in breed, then bring it all over to my home with the tank. Would moving them with only 50% of the water be stressful for the fish? I wouldn't say the tank is overcrowded at the moment, but I think the water might be a bit limited, especially with the swaying of a car journey etc. The filter is internal and held by suction pads

Thanks

A 30 min journey is just like the trip to the LFS...I would bag them and empty the tank and pack it up...just make sure the filter media doesn't get dry, bag that too maybe

The other option, which maybe easier for when you get the other end, is to drain some of the tank water off (50% maybe?) and move them in the tank, making sure the filter (assuming it's an internal you can move) is under the water line?

30 minutes plus 15 mins each side of the journey isn't long, so stress will be minimal IMO

 

[kaivalagi]

No probs

Your call, either way would be fine IMO. If it is a tall enough tank and therefore you'll have a lot of space from the top edge of the glass to the water line then I see no reason why just half emptying the tank wouldn't suffice, saves on a lot of time bagging/unbagging fish, which could be argued is more stressful to the fish than leaving them in the tank where they are used to living anyway. More water volume will hold temp better too.

I assume none of your fish are cichlids? If they are then you might cause probs if more than one male of the same type in a small bag...just something to think about.

What fish do you have anyway?

 

[Darren5591]

I reckon i'm going to take 50% water out, that way I don't have to bag them up, plus you're right, i'm sure they would prefer to stick in their own environment. With regards to the water tempreture, am I best when I have them home, put the fresh water in, add the stress coat/zyme and then let the heater do the work? Or am I better adding slightly warmer water to the tank?

Got no cichlids (although I do like them!), i'm looking to upgrade to about 40-60 litre tank but i'll have to see what I can get for my money.

My fish are:

2x Platys, yellow coloured. Curious little things, love to explore the new tank i've put them into.
2x Platys, red colour, one has a black flec on its tail. These seem a bit shy, but i'm sure they will liven up.
1x Bulldog plec, unfortuantly he only comes out at night, so I don't see him that often!
1x Red tailed black shark, very friendly and a good communal fish
5x Black phantom tetras, used to be very territorial and aggressive, since introduction of the platys they have calmed down considerably.
2x Zebra danios, very small and shy, sadly I lost the rest of the shoal to slime disease, which has since been treated and cured.

Hope that sounds good, i'm only an amatuer but really enjoying keeping and caring for them.

Thanks

No probs

Your call, either way would be fine IMO. If it is a tall enough tank and therefore you'll have a lot of space from the top edge of the glass to the water line then I see no reason why just half emptying the tank wouldn't suffice, saves on a lot of time bagging/unbagging fish, which could be argued is more stressful to the fish than leaving them in the tank where they are used to living anyway. More water volume will hold temp better too.

I assume none of your fish are cichlids? If they are then you might cause probs if more than one male of the same type in a small bag...just something to think about.

What fish do you have anyway?

 

[bae1994]

if you try to lift the tank with water in may be wrong may of misread it will more than likely break

 

[Darren5591]

if you try to lift the tank with water in may be wrong may of misread it will more than likely break

Would this be the same even with 50% water removed?

Thanks

 

[kaivalagi]

if you try to lift the tank with water in may be wrong may of misread it will more than likely break

It's only a 28L tank, would you think this is still risky?

 

[bae1994]

i would think so tbh in any size tank the glasses thickness would be used for that size tank so really the risk is the same in a 25 l with 5mm glass as a 100l with 20m glass if that makes sense id use a poly box if i was you

 

[kaivalagi]

i would think so tbh in any size tank the glasses thickness would be used for that size tank so really the risk is the same in a 25 l with 5mm glass as a 100l with 20m glass if that makes sense id use a poly box if i was you

Thanks Bae, based on that better to be safe than sorry Darren

 

[Darren5591]

Indeed it does make sense, I've had an idea of getting the new tank before I move back home (May 5th birthday woop) and doing a fishless cycle with the new equipment (a new heater, as the current is only 25 watts) and maybe a new filter/pump. The downside is that i'd have to purchase new gravel and plants, as well as the other stuff.

What do you reckon is the best thing to do?

Really appreciate your help btw

i would think so tbh in any size tank the glasses thickness would be used for that size tank so really the risk is the same in a 25 l with 5mm glass as a 100l with 20m glass if that makes sense id use a poly box if i was you

Thanks Bae, based on that better to be safe than sorry Darren

 

[bae1994]

what id o would buy your new tank and set up new heater and suitable filter set it up with just gravel get the filter and heater one then when moving put fish in a poly box plants in a bucket with your filter and cover in tank water


then at home add plants and filter when all organized acclimatise fish and ad as you only have the same amount of fish the existing filter will be fine and you could leave the filter in forever or in a few months time slowly take the media out of the old filter so the new one slowly compensates

you'd only need to buy new gravel (and tank obv)

hope that helps

 

[kaivalagi]

Get a new tank it is then

Your existing filter will handle the new tank with existing fish load...

 

[BethK]

Try not to feed the fish a day or so before the journey. Fish handle travel better when there is no or little food in their intestines x

 

[bae1994]

Try not to feed the fish a day or so before the journey. Fish handle travel better when there is no or little food in their intestines x

i think the reason for this is that then they dont really poo/have anything to poo lol so hardly any amonia

so applies for when on long journeys eg shipping and such but doesnt matter to much on short journeys
if ya think fish shops dont stop feeding incase of making a sale or theyde never feed

bae