How to Move Pet Fish

While some people find it easier to give their fish away before a long distance move, others take special care to transition their fish to their new home. You need to plan to move any kind of pet and fish are no exception. The way you move your fish depends mostly on the size of your aquarium.

Instructions

Fish Tanks Less Than 5 Gallons

1. Stop feeding your fish 2 days before the move. Fish can usually go close to a week without food and if you're not feeding them, it helps keep the water oxygenated and clean.

2. Remove any heaters and aerators from the fish tank and cover the aquarium with cellophane.

3. Place the aquarium into a styrofoam container or cooler to help regulate the tank's temperature.

4. Lift the cellophane off the top of the fish tank every 4 to 5 hours to recirculate the air in the fish tank.

5. Unpack your fish tank and set up the aquarium first thing upon arrival.

Fish Tanks Larger Than 5 Gallons

1. Stop feeding your fish 2 days before the move. Fish can usually go close to a week without food and if you're not feeding them it helps keep the water oxygenated and clean.

2. Place fish into separate plastic bags with the water from the aquarium. Use 1 to 2 gallons of water per bag. Leave space at the top of the plastic bag for air.

3. Take everything out of your aquarium including heaters, aerators, water and gravel so that it doesn't break during the move.

4. Put your fish next to one another in a styrofoam container to help regulate their temperature.

5. Set up your fish tank first thing upon arrival. Put in pumps, heaters, aerators, water, old gravel and plants that help add bacteria back into the aquarium.

6. Submerge your bags with your fish into the filled tank for 15 minutes so that the temperatures start to even out.

7. Add 1/2 cup of the water from the aquarium into the bag with the fish every 15 minutes for one hour. Pour the fish slowly into the aquarium, if the fish seems to be adjusting well to the new water.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase a portable aerator to keep your fish tank adequately oxygenated if your trip is longer than 2 days.

• Always pack your aquarium last and unpack it first. This ensures that your fish are being compromised the least amount of time.

• If you don't have enough water from the aquarium for all of your fish in separate bags, fill a container with water and allow it to sit overnight before you put your fish into it.

• Purchase healing agents at your local pet store, if your fish bruise during the move.

• Never leave your fish in the car or moving van overnight. The drop in temperature at night may be enough to kill the fish.

• Don't stack the fish on top of one another.

• Keep the styrofoam container with the fish inside of the vehicle and not in the trunk because the temperature needs to be constant.