Ugh moving and need some advice

[mlaugh]

Hi folks, not sure if I'm posting in the right forum or not, but here goes...

I am moving in a week just across town. I do not have the keys yet to the new house (will pick them up Thurs). The packers come Monday. I have a 20gal with "an assortment" of livebearers and tetras in it. What's the best way to get them moved over to the new house without having them all keel over and die on me?

I have a 10gal also (empty), and I thought about taking some of the water from the 20gal to put in it and transfer the fish into that until I get the 20 set back up again. I have 12 fish total, do you think that would totally stress them out? I am eventually going to redo the 20gal (replace the substrate and add live plants as opposed to the fake ones that are in there currently), so maybe leaving them in the 10gal until I do this would be the way to go? Ugh, I'm so confused. Any thoughts from someone who has gone through this before? My fish are happy little buggers and I hate to ruin their day.

 

[RobbieM]

Bag all the fish up, keep them in the dark, empty tank, remove stone (don't be tempted to leave stone in the tank as the base may split with the weight), move tank to new house, fill, put fish in.

Do it as quick as you can, I.e. it may be worth you moving all your possesions etc then coming back later just to move the fish and tank.

Ive had to move mine 2 times now, I lost a couple of fish each time with the stress I presume. I think its all down to the time you can move them in.

 

[CFC]

Thats about it, the faster you can do everything the better. If you can get a large polystyrene box from your lfs to put all the bags of fish into and buy a box of oxygenating tablets so you can place one tablet in each bag before sealing them. Remember that the filter media is "alive" too and needs to be treated exactly the same as a fish, bag it, drop a oxygen tablet in, seal it and keep it warm and dark.

 

[mlaugh]

Thanks...I'll save the fish for last. Wish us luck.