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2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Jasey 
#1 ·
Hello, this is my first time posting on here, and i need some advice.

Right now i am living in a dorm room and i have a 10 gallon tank with an oscar that is about 3 inches long, in a couple months time i am going back home for the summer, then 2 months after that i am coming back to the university, i was wondering how i should go about transporting my fish, the drive is around 1.5-2 hours long, any hell will be very much appreciated
 
#2 ·
Hi, welcome to FishForum! I faced the same dilemma with my 5 gallon dorm tank during the holidays (3 hour drive). What worked best for me (and the fish) was putting the fish into a large plastic cup filled about 3/5 full, wrapping the cup in a towel and placing it all in a box with more towels in it so the cup did not move around at all. I had another container filled with some of the tank water and about halfway through my drive I added some more water to help with oxygen levels.

You could put the fish in an ice cream bucket, or any relatively small plastic bucket (I wouldn't suggest smaller than a large plastic cup, though). Then do the same thing by cushioning it well with towels inside a box. Also, be sure to put the box in the seat of the car, not the floor. The fish will face much less vibrations in the seat.

I tried transporting the fish another time in the tank filled up with about 1/3 water still cushioned by towels, but that didn't work as well as the cup method.

Good luck!
 
#3 ·
Another option is to get a bucket from a fishing store designed for transporting live bait (I know that sounds weird!). They make ones that are insulated and come with built in battery powered aerators- which is basically awesome. Also, I'd recommend fasting your fish the day before so that he doesn't produce as much waste during transport.

Do you have a plan for what to do with your oscar when he outgrows the 10G tank? It won't be long before that tank is far too small for him.
 
#4 ·
I have also seen it done with a 5 gallon bucket or a larger Rubbermaid container. The higher the water level the better but having 1/4-1/2 inch of water below the top will help with agitation and oxygen exchange.

You could also try to find a small battery operated pump to proviude air during the trip. The most important part is to keep him at the same temp as long as possible. Heat the cab to room temp and make sure he doesn't get too hot nor too cold. Temp shock would be biggest worry.
 
#5 ·
i plan to get a 29 gall tank when i move the second back up to university

but i have a gallon and half tupperware container that im going to fill with tank water for the trip, now i am also wondering what to do with the tank, obviously i can't take all that water with me and i want to try and keep the tank w/o having to clean it and loosing the cycle thats already taking place so if were just to empty the water and take the tank back home and buy some spring water and put that in there as well as the 1.5 gallons that the fish is being transported in will work?


by the way, thank you for all your responses
 
#6 ·
The most important parts (aside from the fish!) are the filter media and the gravel. If you keep all of that submerged in water and at a reasonable temperature for the duration of your trip, and it's not a huge journey, I bet you stand a pretty good chance of holding onto most of the bacteria.

Just pack up your tank with a couple inches of water still in it (enough to keep the gravel submerged), and put the filter media in a tupperware or heavy duty ziploc bag with more tank water in it. If you're in a cold weather area you probably want to keep it all in the cabin of your car, not the trunk. Things might get chilly back there...
 
#7 ·
In addition to thespiff's advice, you can put your decorations in a ziplock bag or another plastic container with some of the tank water in it to preserve bacteria on them as well. Try to keep everything moist if possible (especially the filter media).
 
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