How to transport fish when moving

by Ethan Greenfieldon May 9, 2023.

If you have a fish tank in your current place and you’re planning a move to another home altogether, then you must be feeling pretty worried about the well-being of your lovely freshwater aquarium fish.

Moving fish between two homes is very different than transporting a cat, a dog, or a bird to a new house or apartment. The entire relocation process of aquarium fish requires careful planning, thorough preparation, and considerable attention to detail in order to work out great in the end.

The timing of the fish transportation steps will need to be perfect as well.

Needless to say, the biggest concern when moving fish to a new home is the safety of those graceful water creatures. Aquarium fish happen to be very sensitive to even slight changes in their set environment, so your greatest challenge will definitely be to keep your finned friends healthy (and alive!) during the relocation process.

Here’s everything you need to know when transporting fish from one home to another during a house move:

Preparing for the move

One of the most critical steps when moving fish to another home is to come up with a foolproof plan for the upcoming relocation. The good news is that if you do things correctly and in their proper order – and you want to do just that, you shouldn’t have any major issues during the fish transportation stage.

Remember that good preparation is key to the success of the fish transportation operation.

1. Do what’s best for your aquarium fish

The very first step when you’re moving house with a fish tank is to weigh your options in order to reach the best decision under the circumstances.

Sure, you would love to take your fish with you but you must think about their well-being as well. Your freshwater fish will be taken out of their established environment and they will be subjected to a lot of stress during the actual transportation period.

Due to the prolonged stay out of the aquarium, your fish are very likely to stop eating for a few days and some of them may not make it to the new place. This means that if you’re moving with your fish over a great distance, then their survival chances diminish sharply so you may want to consider giving away the fish to friends or neighbors who have suitable aquariums for them.

2. Create a plan for fish transportation

A foolproof plan is critical for keeping your lovely fish safe.

What you need to do is think a few steps ahead exactly like you would do during a game of chess. Your main objective in this case is to minimize the time your fish spend outside their controlled and monitored environment – the aquarium.

By doing this, you’ll decrease their stress levels and increase their survival chance at the same time.

3. Assemble the necessary equipment and supplies

The next step is to secure the proper supplies and the right equipment to move your fish safely to the new place.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A fishnet.
Buckets. 5-gallon plastic buckets, preferably equipped with lids.
A siphon hose.
Plastic bags. In case you’re moving only a short distance away.

Preparing your fish for transport

It’s time to prepare your pretty aquarium fish for safe transport. Follow these steps to do just that:

Maintain the quality of the water in the fish tank during the days leading up to the move-out day. This is important because you’ll be using that same water to transport your finned pet friends.
Adjust the feeding schedule of the freshwater fish. The idea is to stop feeding them roughly 24-48 hours prior to Moving day so that the aquarium water can stay waste-free during the actual relocation. You shouldn’t worry – your aquarium fish will be just fine – they can live without food for a week or so.
Provide a quiet environment for your fish in the days leading up to the scheduled move. This may not be possible at all considering the fact that you’re preparing to move out. However, whenever possible, do your best to keep the stress levels for your fish to a minimum.

Preparing the transporting containers

Choosing the right transporting containers for your fish is of paramount importance. The delicate water creatures will spend a set amount of time inside their temporary transportation vessels – from several hours to maybe a day.

And this is exactly why you must make sure the containers are perfectly fit to hold your aquarium fish.

Pick several 5-gallon buckets made of durable plastic – the perfect containers for your fish since they are lightweight and strong at the same time.
Make sure those plastic containers are either brand new or perfectly clean. Of course, they should be leak-proof and structurally sound.
Ensure the plastic buckets have also lids that close tight.
Use the siphon hose to drain some water from the aquarium into the plastic buckets. Do not fill up the containers to their brims or you’ll run the risk of spilling some of the water. Instead, make sure they are roughly two-thirds full of water.
Think about the best way to provide enough oxygen for your aquarium fish. If it’s a long-distance move and your fish will need to spend a lot of time in their temporary habitats, then use air pumps to get more oxygen for them. In case of a relatively short move, then you can poke small holes in the plastic lids so that more air can get inside the buckets.

Transporting your fish to the new home

Here comes the most important stage when moving fish to another home – their actual transportation.

Minimize travel time by moving your fish into their temporary travel habitats at the last possible moment. They should be the last ones to leave the old place and the first ones to enter the new one.
Check whether the water temperature inside the buckets is the same or very close to the one inside the fish tank. Otherwise, you’d run the risk of causing your poor fish to go into shock.
Use the net to transfer each fish from the fish tank into the plastic buckets that are now ready to accept them. Do this carefully. If you have too many fish or if they happen to be larger, then you should divide them among several containers for transport.
Ensure that no fish is left behind by mistake.
Close the bucket lids securely but make sure enough air can still go in, either through the holes on the lids or through attached air pumps.
Use specialized fish plastic bags if you’re only moving your fish over a short distance. Each plastic bag should contain 1/3 of aquarium water and 2/3 of air. Do not blow into the plastic bags to inflate them since the carbon dioxide is harmful to fish.
Do your best to prevent sudden movements and vibrations of the buckets that contain your fish during the trip to the new home.
Monitor the temperature of the water to ensure the health of your fish. If needed, use heaters or coolers to maintain a stable environment with minimal stress for your aquarium fish.
Plan for stops along the way or overnight stays, if necessary. Remember that the well-being of your favorite pet friends depends on your strategic planning.

Acclimating your fish to the new environment

As soon as you reach the new home, there are a few high-priority tasks that you should tackle without any delay for the sake of your fish tank inhabitants.

Bear in mind that the transportation of your fish can only be considered a success when they find themselves swimming happily in the new aquarium in the new home.

Prepare the new location of the fish tank as soon as you arrive in the new house or apartment. The stand for the fish tank should be clean, firm, and level so that the aquarium is as stable as ever. Also, the spot should be protected from direct sunlight and close to electrical outlets for all the required aquarium equipment to work properly.
Place the aquarium securely and start adding the gravel, sand, and artificial decorations. Then, install the required fish tank equipment (but don’t plug them in just yet), then fill it halfway with the old aquarium water.
Transfer the fish, one by one, from the plastic buckets into the new-place aquarium. Remember to introduce the fish slowly to minimize stress.
Add the rest of the old water and top it off with conditioned tap water. Finally, plug in the fish tank equipment – heaters, circulation pumps, and filters.
Monitor closely the health and well-being of your fish after the move. It’s recommended that you don’t feed them for the first 24 hours after the relocation is complete – they are not going to eat in the very beginning anyway.
Check the temperature regularly and adjust the heaters, if necessary. Also, check whether all the fish tank equipment works properly.

Transporting fish when moving is not an easy task, especially when you’re moving across the country. There are many things to consider and numerous safety steps to take to ensure your lovely freshwater fish survive the move in good health. If you do notice any signs of distress or illness in the aquarium inhabitants, then don’t hesitate to seek professional help.