HOW TO TRANSPORT FISH
Moving day: steps to protect your fish during the move
Fish tanks are one of the last things you want to pack and one of the first to unpack. Follow these steps once you’re ready to move the tank:
8 Steps for protecting your fish while moving:
- Try to save 80% of the water from your tank
- Depending on the length of your trip, use either plastic bags or 5-gallon buckets with water from the tank to transport your fish.
- Make sure the bag/bucket has enough air for your fish.
- Take any plants from the tank and place them in bags with water from the tank to keep good bacteria on them alive.
- Remove remaining water and any decorations from the tank to prevent cracks.
- For a short move, put your filter media (do not clean it) in a sealed container, such as a new pail or other chemical-free, hard-sided container. For long moves, either clean or discard your filter media.
- Pack pumps, heaters, and other accessories like any fragile appliance.
- Transport your tank while it’s empty. Having items in the tank increases the risk of cracking the bottom of it and causing future leaks.