Moving Aquarium
Moving fish to your new home can be quite a task. However, proper planning and executing it in a time bound manner is the key to successful aquarium moving. The first and foremost tip to move an aquarium, however, will be- if possible, do not move your fish. They are tiny creatures that can't quite successfully survive the trauma of moving into a new environment. Instead, donate them to your friends and acquaintances. However, if you are tremendously attached with your aquarium fish and can't go without them, then here are some tips on how to move an aquarium. Follow them and provide your fish the chance of reaching safely in their new environment.
Stop Feeding your Fish a Few Days Prior to your Move
Fish won't starve to death if you stop feeding them 3-4 days before your move. So you don't have to worry about that. Why stop feeding? Because you have to help your fish clear out their digestive system so that they do not create excess waste. More waste in the aquarium will lower down the amount of oxygen in it.
Get an Appropriately Sized Styrofoam Cooler to Carry Fish Bags
You will have to move fish by placing them in bags full of water. These bags have to be placed into the cooler. Therefore the Styrofoam cooler that you buy must be big enough (according to the number of fish you have in your aquarium) to avoid stacking any of the bags. Bring a cooler with a big enough floor. If you have more number of fish, get extra coolers if necessary.
Get and Prepare Bags for Moving Fish
Get some zipper-seal bags or standard bags that could be sealed with rubber bands. You'll get these in a pet store. Buy some spare bags so that you can pack other things like filter media in them. On the day of moving, place the fish in the bags. Take care to place fish categorically- either individual or a school of fish in a single bag. Fill the bags with enough water so that the fish in it are fully immersed when the bag is placed on the floor of the cooler.
Take Steps to Preserve Old Aquarium Environment
Remove the media from filter and place it in a separate bag that you must fill with water taken from the aquarium. Fill the remainder of the bag with as much air as you can. This is done to preserve some of the beneficial bacteria cultures. Bacteria die when they are taken out of water. So, you will require to place them in tank water. Place such prepared bag in the cooler along with the fish. Now, when you have taken steps to preserve the old aquarium environment, you can empty your aquarium completely and pack it securely for moving.
Maintain Optimum Temperature & Oxygen in Cooler During the Transport
During your move, you must maintain an optimum temperature in the cooler. Use heat packs if the outdoor temperature is very cold. Also place the cooler where it can be away from direct sunlight. Avoid leaving the cooler in your vehicle overnight. Keep the cooler indoors if staying somewhere at night. If it is a long distance moving where you need to travel for more than one or two days, replenish the oxygen in the bags. If you can access an oxygen pump, or an aquarium air pump or some airline tubing, its better otherwise open the bags and capture new air in the bags and then reseal them to replenish oxygen.
Things to do for Reinstalling Aquarium in Your New Home
After reaching your new home, you must reinstall your fish aquarium as soon as possible. Fill it with new conditioned water and let the filter (with your saved filter media) and heater to run for sometime so that they can function properly. Do not place the fish directly into the new water of your aquarium. Instead follow acclimation process to make your fish adapt to new water. For this, first of all place the bags with fish in the tank for at least ten minutes so that the temperature of both the water gets equal. Now open the bags and fill each of the bag with a cup of water from the new tank. Do this for several times at at an interval of five or ten minutes. Keep a check on the state of the fish in the mixed old and new water. If you see them normal and healthy, net them and place them in the new aquarium tank. However, if you notice them darting around or gasping for air, pour out some water from the bag and follow the acclimation process again.
Carefully observe your fish for the first few weeks in your new home. Your previously established filter media will let you transfer some of the beneficial bacteria from the old location into the new aquarium tank. However, you might also consider treating your tank with a chemical to boost the cycle.
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Tips on Moving your Aquatic Friends
Also read
Pet Moving.
