Fish are moving - how do I keep them alive?

[fergieturk]

Okay, so my fish are moving this weekend. The trip is about 2 hours. The only problem is their tank needs to move also - I need to take advantage of the fact the BF is coming down with the SUV - otherwise there is no way I can get my tank and stand down a flight of stairs and get it into my tiny car. My current method of moving things is either throwing them downstairs or dragging them and letting them bounce off of each stair - don't think the glass tank will like that.

My question is what should I do with the fish while we are breaking down the tank? It's a 20 g with an Eclipse hood - so there's not much to do other than drain the water and put everything in boxes. I'm thinking they will probably be w/o a home for like 3 hours.

Also, how should I transport my 20# of LR? If I just put it in a box w/o water does it need to be cured after the 2+ hours in the car or can the BF just throw it in the 165 g that already has 196# of LR?

 

[Hara]

buy a cheap rubbermaid type tub from walmart...under 5.00

They have lids so you could even keep the rock nicely wet.

I would get a bucket with a lid for the fish....Bigger the better.
Put the inverts in a seperate container.

 

[fergieturk]

keep the rock nicely wet

So I should move them in water.

I would get a bucket with a lid for the fish....Bigger the better.

A bucket is safe? I don't want the fish to hit the sides of the bucket if we hit a bump.

Put the inverts in a seperate container.

They moved last weekend - that is the LAST time I try to net peppermint shrimps - what a headache.
Thanks for your help!

 

[kribbz]

yeah you wanna keep the rock as wet as you can to prevent die off. and the fish should be ok as long as your not driving like a wild person.

 

[Hara]

I have a bucket I take with me whenever I go fish shopping...I am a long way from the LFS and prefer it to bags, which can leak,puncture, whatever. Plus I acclimate them in the bucket and it gives me alot of room for "my" water.

 

[fishfreek]

Are you moving both tanks? If so then I would really consiter renting a trailer for that SUV to pull.

I like to use 30 gal plastic trashcans. Fill them with the water from your tank and then put the LR in one trashcan, Put the fish in another. Keep as much water as possible so that when you get to your new place you can put them back in the new water.

If you dont transport the water then what are you going to keep them in while you make up new water and allow it to age for 24 hours? Or you could have new water ready to go when you get there but keeping the old water will be less stress on the fish.

The tank should be the last thing and the first thing you tear down and set back up aswell.

...I thought someone or maybe even I wrote something on moving a tank at one point in time... ...maybe I just had thought of writting something but never did...

hm.

 

[fergieturk]

Are you moving both tanks? If so then I would really consiter renting a trailer for that SUV to pull.

Good lord, no. When we move the 165 g (when we pay it off and can afford a house ) we hiring that out!
Just the 20 g is moving and all the creatures are moving to the permanent home - where the 165 g is.
The 165 g is completely cycled and just has 2 blue green chromis in it with assorted inverts. I was just going to plop my LR in it (20#) and then acclimate the fish.