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Moving a thriving fish tank to a new home can be a little intimidating, but it’s far from impossible. With a little care and preparation, you’ll be able to transport your fish safely to their destination. Today we’ll show you how:
Prepare the Fish
Before you disassemble the tank, drain some tank water for your fish to travel in and place it in a clean, never-before-used pail or a plastic bag. Be sure to leave some room at the top of the container for air. Keeping the fish in the same water helps them avoid shock.
Drain the Tank
Drain the remaining tank water into clean pails, keeping live rock or sand in the water to protect invertebrates and microorganisms. If you have a saltwater tank, bring this water with you to reduce the time you’ll need to wait before putting your fish back in the tank in their new home.
Pack all Equipment
This includes water filters, pumps and heaters. If your move is short, you can put your filter in a sealed pail and reuse it in your new digs, but if your move is long-distance it’s best to get a new one.
Take the Tank Apart
Carefully disassemble and wrap your tank. Avoid using the movers’ provided blankets, since they’ll get wet and sandy. Make sure to transport the containers with fish – along with any live rock and live sand you might have – in safe places where they won’t get jostled too much.
Set up the Tank in Your New Home
Keep your fish in a pail with filtration and heating until the tank is fully assembled. If you can, allow the tank to cycle for a few days before moving your fish back into their permanent home.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can the movers transport my fish in the moving truck? For the safety of your aquatic life, we do not transport fish in our moving trucks. Fish are extremely sensitive to temperature changes and water sloshing; it is best to transport them in your personal vehicle where you can monitor them closely.
Should I feed my fish on moving day? It is usually best to stop feeding your fish 24 to 48 hours before the move. This keeps the water in their travel containers cleaner by reducing waste production during the trip.
How long can fish stay in a travel container? Most fish can handle a few hours in a properly aerated container, but for long-distance moves, you may need to use battery-operated air pumps to ensure they have enough oxygen.
Do you move the empty glass aquarium? Yes! Once the tank is completely drained and the gravel is removed, All Awesome Movers can carefully pad, wrap, and transport the glass aquarium and its stand to your new home.
Why shouldn’t I move the tank with the gravel still inside? Moving a tank with gravel or water inside puts immense pressure on the glass seals and can cause the bottom to crack or the seams to leak. For a safe move, the tank must be completely empty.