Mobile Fish Tanks- How to Move your Aquarium to Your New Home

Tasty, tasty Nemo. 

Tips for Moving with Pets

Sometimes it is a better option to give your aquarium to your neighbor if you are moving, especially if you are moving a long distance.  Give your neighbors instructions on how to maintain it, and you will give a gift that they will enjoy for a long time. Make the decision carefully of moving an aquarium, because it can lead to fish fatalities. It is hard enough moving without the additional stress of flushing Nemo down the toilet while explaining life and death to your child.   

The longer the distance, the less likely the fish will survive.  You want to maintain the level of bacteria, oxygen and temperature in the fish's water.  Any dramatic change in this will more than likely kill the fish.  So the shorter the drive, the more likely you will be able to maintain their environment.  

1) You will not (should not) move the fish in the aquarium.  What you are going to do is transfer the fish to a smaller container for transportation.  This will make for easier transportation of the tank and a safer journey for your fish.  

Some good choices for transportation containers:

1) Purchase smaller fish tank from pet store

2) Borrow friend's unused aquarium

3) A sanitized bucket 

You will transfer fish into the tank with water from the aquarium.  This way they will maintain the same bacteria in the water.  

2) Empty the aquarium.  If it is a short move you can not empty it all the way, but for longer moves you will need to.  Any aquarium plants can be kept alive on the move as long as you keep them wet.  Bag all the plants with a little bit of water to keep there roots wet, and the should be able to survive the move.

3) Disassemble your tank.  Make sure when moving the aquarium that it is in a place easy to access, so you can set it up as soon as you get to your new home.  

4) Move the tank.  If you are using a moving company make sure that they are qualified to actually move the tank.  There are lots of companies that are qualified, but if you can't find one that is you should probably consider doing it yourself. 

5)  Reassemble the tank at your new destination.  Add water to old water, and try to get it to the right temperature.  Set up the filter to get the water oxidized.  Try to get the water as stable as possible before moving your fish back into their home, so that none die from the shock of change in environment.  

Happy fish in his new home.