Moving With Fish!

[Nomi]

Well, as some of you may know from my many threads and posts on the subject, I'm moving away for art school and I'm taking my fish with me! We are flying out tomorrow, so I'd thought I would start this topic now before I leave. I plan to post what I did, what worked, what didn't, what I should have done (with pictures hopefully) which I hope will be of some help to anyone planning on moving their fish as well. The trip consists of a two-hour or so flight, a 6 hour car trip, and an oivernight on either side of the car trip in a rubbermaid. I'm moving my two goldfish, Ophie (the telescope pictured below in my sig, she has lost all her black now but is still a beauty) and Gilbert, my new baby pearlscale. Oh, and I'm also taking along some gravel from the old tank to help start the cycle and an apple snail. They will be going into a brand new 15 gallon, which is overstocked but due to space/weight constraints in my new apartment it's all I could get (it's better than no tank at all anyway). Rest assured, I will be upgrading to a 20 gallon or bigger in eight months time, and this 15 gallon will become my quarentine tank. I'm also planning on making an indoor half barrel pond, but's thats still a while away. If needed, I can buy a HOB filter in whitehorse and set up a temporary rubbermaid tank if maintaining the tank becomes too much of a challenge.

The tank and all equipment not needed for the trip has already been shipped up, and my fish have been fasting since yesterday, and had a bit of pea today to clean them out (both are now taking food from my hand!). The only thing I have left to do to prepare is to phone the fish store I'm planning to get oxygen from to make sure that a) I can get oxygen from them and b) that they are open. The flight is later in the day so I'm not worried about that last one.

Below is a rough plan of the trip including a list of what I'm bringing with me:

A large cooler for the airplane.

Four large bags from the pet store to double bag the fish.

A bucket w/ lid for the car trip.

An air pump and air stone.

Ammonia remover.

Prime.

Tomorrow we will pick up the fish, bag them (with a little bit of salt to reduce stress) and drive them to the fish store. There, we will put a little oxygen in the bag (leaving room for expansion from the pressure) and them double bag the fish, and place them in the cooler, stuffed to reduce light and noise, and keep them upright. We are required to drop them off at the airport a few hours before I really have to be there (we drop them off at 5 pm, my plane leaves at 9). Luckily, the plane trip is only two hours long. Upon ariving at my aunts house they will go into a big rubbermaid with the air pump for the night. There is apparently a decent fish store in Whitehorse where I can pick up any emergency things I may need at that point. The next day we leave for Dawson, a 5-6 hour car trip. For this they will be in the bucket with the air pump, or, if at all possible, stay in the rubbermaid with the air pump. Once arriving in Dawson, they will return to the rubbermaid for another night in a hotel while I'm waiting to move into my apartment. Once moved in, the first action will be to set up the tank and move my fish in. Then, the cycling can begin.

I'm not going to have my computer set up until the 1st or 2nd, but I'll make sure to make a full report of the move along with pictures. Thank you to everyone here who offered so much help and addvice for moving my fish! I hope this report will be helpful and informative.

[jyoti411]

seems you have a good plan...but I am really worried about cycling a 15 gallon tank with 3 goldfish in it...that too after the stress of such a long journey...especially the new baby pearlie you got...I truly truly don't think it is a good idea..sorry am just being honest...seems like these guys are gonna be stressed for the coming 1-2 months...hope everything turns out good...fingers crossed..if possible just take the two fish you already have...I would return the pearlscale...

Also, how are you carrying the gravel..it has to stay in the tank water in order for the bb to be alive...I am not sure how this can be achieved..maybe some more experinced members can help you with this... ..

This is not to discourage you..just being honest..take care.. ..fingers crossed..

Edited August 28, 2008 by SunshineGurl

[Nomi]

Nope, it's only two goldfish, my Ophie and the Pearlscale. The two fantails in my sig are the shop fish (the red and white one in the left pic and the calico on the right) and will be staying in the 30 gallon. I am worried about cycling too, and I am still pretty sore about not being able to get a 20 gallon. My fingers are crossed too, I will be checking the levels so much and worrying so much too. Like I said, if I can get away with it I may set up a rubbermaid tank with a filter.

The gravel will be in the bags (they are the largest size I could get my hands on) and will stay in the bags with the original tank water while the fish move to the rubbermaid. I have a multi headed valve and an extra air stone with tubing, so I'll be able to put that in the bag with the gravel. I hope this will be enough, but any advice will help!

I know you are not trying to discourage me, you are being very helpful! Thank you very much!

Edited August 28, 2008 by Nomi

[Nomi]

Well, I leave... today! But of course I'm too excited to sleep. That's what plane trips are for! I do have a bit of an update before I leave, then it will be a few days until I can get my internet all up and working.

I phones Big Al's and they said they did have oxygen... but it was only for fish bought there. >_< Darn. Of course, this is when my dad decides to mention that they have oxygen at the shop. It seems safe enough, and I imagine that the pet shops have a similar set up (I.E. an oxygen tank with a valve). This will work even better as it saves the time we would need to go get the oxygen, and the less time my fish spend in those bags the better I will feel. Ok, so an half hour or so off an *counts* 6 hour sit in a bag isn't much, but still.

[Chrissy_Bee]

Good luck!!! I'm so nervous/excited for you

Thanks for posting this. There's a chance I'll have to move with my fish within the next year so it's great to get tips.

[Guest Isilme]

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed, although it's really hard typing like that

I hope you can enjoy your flight a bit!

[Nomi]

Thank you both! I really do hope this topic will be helpful to people, thats why I started it!

I'm very excited/nervious myself. I'll be neverious on the flight worrying about my fish, but I just bought myself a ton of novels, so I'm all set. 8 more hours.....

[Nomi]

Hey everyone! I have a little time to access the internet from my aunts house, and I thought I would just quickly tell you all that Ophie and Gilbert arrived safely and seem to be doing well in their tub. Hopefully they do as well for the big car trip monday. I'll save the whole report for when I can upload pictures.

[Guest Orandaa]

Great to hear they arrived safely Cant wait for a full update!

Edited August 31, 2008 by Orandaa

[jyoti411]

ohh..thts awesome Nomi...I am sooo glad Ophie and Gilbert are doing fine...I really hope the rest of the journey is gr88 for you guys...and the cycling is successful as well..fingers crossed... ..take care hun...

[lynda441]

Do a lot of posting on this thread and on Kokos in general so you can get those 55 more posts that will get you the right to set up your very own blog on the Members Area. You're gonna have a lot to talk about with your new life starting!

[CountryLovah]

Ohhhh so glad to have gotten an update!! I was also feeling soooooo nervous and excited for you. I read this whole thread at one because my internet was out when you started it.. It was a mini movie for me... "Oh no there's no oxygen". Then you got oxygen.I was over here going "OH Ooooh.. what next?!". Can't wait to hear the whole story! Glad you and the fish had a safe flight. Hope the rest of the trip goes smooth as well! : )

[kenny]

glad to hear that everything is going well so far. you preped in advance, so the outcome will be much better for ya. looking forward to the rest of the posting once you are settled.

[Nomi]

Hey everyone! The move is all over and I'm ready to report!

First off, here is my fishes traveling cooler, and my fancy labels I made fir it. I later added more green tape to frame them, and the people at the cargo drop off plasteres FRAGILE and LIVE ANIMAL stickers all over it as well. You can also see my carpet. How fun!

And everything I was bringing with me for the moving process. It all fit easily in the bucket, which I ended up never needing (except for water changes).

Now, I forgot the camera when I went to pick up the fish! Oops. Anyway, at the shop we first got Ophie and Gilbert into their respective bags, with a little salt. We put in a bit of oxygen from the tanks at the shop in each bag, not too much s the bag wouldn't explode during the pressure changes during the flight. The snail and gravel were in with Gilbert. Once that was done, we double bagged the fish and heat sealed the second bag to prevent any leakage. Once this was done, they were packed in the cooler with bubblewrap, making sure it was snug enough that the bags would remain upright and not move around too much. The cooler was then sealed with tape.

We had to drop of the fish at the cargo drop off a few hours before the plane left, around 5 pm (plane left at 9 pm). The cooler was weighed, paid for, slathered with pet/fish stickers, taped up, and then I wouldn't see my fish until midnight that night.

The flight itself was nice, though I did worry about the fish when we went through some turbulence. I was told that the place to pick up the fish was at the elevators near the luggage pick up. Great, I know where that is! So, after a joyful meeting with my aunt and picking up my two giant suitcases full of eight months worth of stuff, we sat down on some benches by the elevator and waited. Very soon the doors opened and two people were setting out various packages and items! Buuuut.... no cooler. Thats ok, we said, they must have to make two trips.

So we waited.

And waited.

Still no cooler.

My aunt went to ask about it while I continued to wait at the elevators. Some other people were also waiting for their dog. It turns out we have to drive down the road to the cargo depot! Once we did, it was very quick and easy.

"Hi, I'm here to pick up a cooler with some fish."

"Ok, here they are. Sign this."

*signs paper*

"Thank you!"

Once at my aunts house, Ophie and Gilbert were quickly ushered into their tub, with some prime and the air pump. Once it was established that they were ok, I promptly fell asleep (hey, it was after midnight and I hardly slept the night before!).

Here is a picture I took for Ophie and Gilbert right out of their bags:

The next day I had various chores and shopping to do to get ready for school, but once that was done I was able to come home and do a water change and add more prime.

Since I needed two air stones operating (one for the fish, one for the gravel/snail) I bhad bought a multi-valve for the hose. The tube itself was so long I could easily cut it into three parts with plenty of reach to spare.

This was a cute picture. Ophie and Gilbert were following each other around, like little puppies. They seemed very ok, no flashing or gasping, no irregular behavior.

Since the air pump was sort of loud on the wood desk, I put it on a pillow which reduced the noise a lot. Also, my fish were lightbulbs for a few days!

The next morning, after loading the car, a water change and more prime, the fish tub was loaded into the car.

I made sure to be able to easily reach and check on my fish. The road was quite bumpy, and I heard some splashing, though the fish seemed no worse for wear. At the halfway point I added more prime.

The 5 hour drive was very nice. The Yukon was very beautiful this time of year, just as the leaves start to change color.

Aaaaand eventually.... I was at my apartment in the Town of the City of Dawson!! Woot! First things first, I needed to set up my tank. I got it out of the box, and rinsed it out and cleaned out all of the styrofoam pieces. There was a nice, sturdy dresser in my room suitable for my tank.

I went about setting up the filter, decorating that tank, ect, and soon my fish could move in!

Ophie says 'Hi!' and Gilbert shows you his little bum.

They had their first meal which they devoured, and promptly had very large poops. They have been looking very good, swimming well, no flashing, gasping, anything. I put in a peice of cucumber which they didn't seem too interested in, though they have never seen a food clip before. You can see my awesome test kit next to them!

For whatever reason, the snail didn't make it.

Today they had their first water change of many to come. Up next is cycling the tank!

[jyoti411]

ooooh...awesome description...and the tank looks beautiful..I am so glad Ophie and Gilbert are fine..yayyyyyy..you did it...good job... I love your tank with the beads and flower...looks pretty..

[Chrissy_Bee]

YAY

I'm so glad they made it! (sorry about the snail though )

You put so much work and care into this, you should be really proud of yourself. There's a good chance I may have to move with my babies next year, I'm glad that this blog will be here to help me if I need to.

[Chester's_Mommy]

Whoo! What an adventure -- I'm glad everything went well for you!

Out of curiosity, do we have anything like this pinned anywhere on the forum? It was really informative and would probably be useful to others who plan to move with their fish....

[Quasi]

Out of curiosity, do we have anything like this pinned anywhere on the forum? It was really informative and would probably be useful to others who plan to move with their fish....

I thought we had it somewhere, but where was that. I've read that section because we will move our fish in 7-14 days.

[Nomi]

There is a sticky in the water quality section on moving with fish. Is that what you are thinking about?