tips for your short-distance move

4 Tips For Moving Your Tropical Fish Tank To A New Property

24 September 2015 by Otto Moilanen

When it comes to moving home with a pet, there is a lot of information out there regarding cats, dogs and other house-bound animals. However, there is a distinct lack of information regarding one of the most popular pets on the market – fish! Having to relocate an aquarium with a large number of fish can be extremely tricky, so consider adopting the following tips to help you speedup this process:

Find the Right Spot for the Tank

Before you start to plan the move, it's vitally important that you have the correct setup in your new property in order to properly position the aquarium. Moving day is going to be extremely stressful on its own, you don't need the added headache of having a fish tank that's too big for your lounge! When choosing a spot, keep the following things in mind:

• The tank will need adequate exposure to sunlight, but not too much as it could cause the tank to overheat.
• The tank should be kept at a relatively constant temperature year round, so don't put it in a room that will significantly fluctuate in temperature across seasons.
• You'll want your tank to be in a position that is esthetically pleasing, so make sure you have enough wall space to display the tropical fish.

Having a plan ready for when you move into your new home will make the entire process go much more smoothly.

Remove the Tank's Décor

When you start preparing the tank for the move, you'll want to remove all of the tank's décor and aquatic plants before preparing your fish. Be careful when doing this – some smaller fish can work their way into the crevices of ornaments. To ensure you haven't accidentally lifted fish, lift the ornament slightly above the water level and wait for the fish to swim out of their hiding place.

Once you have removed your ornaments from inside the tank, safely pack them inside waterproof containers in preparation of moving day. Remember that rocks and other ornaments can be deceptively heavy, so consider using a number of different containers to transport these ornaments.

Prepare the Fish

Preparing your tropical fish is the trickiest part of the entire process; however, with a little thought you will be able to do this very efficiently.

The first thing to do is make sure you have access to the correct equipment. This means having an adequate supply of "fish bags" and poly boxes. If you don't have access to these, consider contacting your local aquatic retailer as they will be able to provide exactly the right materials to ensure your fish are kept safe during the move. When bagging the fish, be careful not to overfill the bag with water. It's important to keep an ample supply of air and oxygen in the bag, so you should keep the water volume at about 2/3 of the bag's volume.

Once your fish have been safely removed from the tank, you have to act fast. Oxygen quality will deteriorate quickly in the fish bags, so you have around 10-12 hours to relocate the fish before this becomes a problem.

 Transport the Tropical Fish and Aquarium

At this point, you may need to hire some help in order to transport the fish and their tank. It is recommended to hire moving professionals, such as Hollander Storage & Moving, in this case as time is of the essence. 

Using a local moving company will allow you to delegate the relocation of the fish and their tank, giving you the peace of mind that your pets being moved as quickly and efficiently. This is one situation where you wouldn't want a flat tire or faulty engine to hold you up on moving day! Once your fish and tank have been moved, you simply have to introduce them to their new environment and you are good to go!

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