Moving house with any kind of animal is always a stressful experience. But with fish, the task is particularly demanding and requires a great deal of care! You need to be able to move the aquarium and its contents without breaking anything, as well as transporting the fish without them being affected by the journey. Preparations are therefore particularly important. How do you go about emptying the aquarium and moving it without damage? And how to protect the fish during the journey? Here's a step-by-step guide to moving an aquarium and fish with peace of mind.
How to prepare for moving an aquarium?
Before you move, you need to have planned where the aquarium will be installed in your new home, and have the necessary moving equipment on hand.
Find a suitable place to install the aquarium in your new home.
Measure to ensure that your aquarium will fit where you want to display it, especially if it's a large one. As far as possible, choose a location similar to the original one. The orientation of the aquarium and its exposure to the sun should also be taken into account to avoid disturbing the fish.
Equip yourself to empty the aquarium and organize fish transport
You'll need special equipment to collect the fish and the aquarium contents (water, sand, rocks, vegetation...): a siphon pump and jerry cans to collect the water, landing nets to catch the fish, breathable bags and isothermal crates or transport boxes to put them in during the trip.
Prepare fish for the move
Stop feeding the fish 24 to 48 hours before moving, to preserve the water in which they will be traveling. This will prevent them from soiling the water during transport. Don't worry, they won't go hungry: fish can go up to a week without food.
How do you transport fish when moving?
As an aquarium owner, you know this better than anyone: aquarium fish are fragile animals that don't take well to changes in environment. Water composition, temperature, luminosity... All environmental factors need to be considered when moving them.
You should therefore take a few precautions to avoid disturbances when moving, and reintroduce them as quickly as possible to their usual environment. Having said that, it's important to keep things in perspective: this probably isn't the first time they've traveled, as they've probably hatched in an aquarium other than your own.
To transport your fish without damage, you need to keep environmental changes to a minimum, especially temperature drops. With an isothermal crate, you can rest easy: if necessary, you can place a hot water bottle in the bottom of the crate to warm the atmosphere.
Check the temperature beforehand, and don't place the bags directly in contact with the hot-water bottle: it's better to interpose a cloth or newspaper between the two. In darkness and relative calm, fish can travel for 2 to 3 days: that gives you plenty of time, even if you're moving several hundred kilometers away.
What are the steps involved in moving an aquarium and its fish?
On moving day, you'll need to follow a precise sequence for moving and transporting the aquarium and fish. Here are the steps for moving an aquarium without problems.
Step 1: Unplug electrical appliances
The first thing to do is to unplug all electrical appliances, of course, to avoid any problems and get the move off to a smooth start.
Step 2: Retrieve all fish with a landing net
Using a container, take water from the aquarium and pour it into a plastic bag or transport box. Catch the fish with a landing net and put them into their transport container as you go along.
Depending on the length of the journey, you may want to add oxygen tablets to the water to prevent asphyxiation. If you're using plastic bags, place them in an isothermal box to maintain the temperature during transport, and seal it to keep the fish in the dark.
Step 3: Empty and clean the aquarium
Keep the water in the aquarium for reinstallation in your new home: your fish will feel all the better for it. To do this, use containers that have been cleaned without chemicals, so as not to alter the balance of the liquid.
Carefully uproot the plants from the aquarium so that you can replant them when re-installing. Recover sand and rocks too, preferably for an identical reinstallation.
Step 4: Move and transport the aquarium with care
An aquarium is a fragile item that needs to be properly protected and cared for. Don't skimp on bubble wrap, and stabilize the aquarium during transport to avoid potentially fatal shocks.
Step 5: Replace the aquarium and reintroduce the fish
Once you have reached your destination, proceed in reverse order to the aquarium emptying procedure:
- place sand, rocks and decorative elements, then replant vegetation;
- pour some of the tempered water into the aquarium before installing the filter and heater;
- Fill the aquarium with the remaining water and connect all electrical appliances;
- when the water is at the right temperature, you can reintroduce the fish. To avoid thermal shock, you can place the transport bags in the aquarium so that the water temperature is gradually equalized, inside and out. You can then make holes in the bag so that the water mixes with that of the aquarium before releasing the fish(es).
Whether your fish have travelled in bags or transport boxes, avoid pouring water and fish into the aquarium abruptly. Use a landing net when transferring fish, to avoid injuring them.
Now you know how to move your aquarium and its fish. For fish, as for any other animal, only you can move them from one place to another. Our removal teams are not authorized to handle animals.
If you need help moving your aquarium, don't hesitate to call on a mover who will take good care of your installation. We can provide you with a quotation for pick-up and transportation to your new home.