Moving

[Rodger]

OK, after about 5 years out of the hobby, and 1 back in it I have to pack up and move. Too far to move the fish, so they need new homes. I will take whatever I can get for them.

22" pleco
2 synodontis ocilifer
6" red oscar
redtail shark
about 15 tropheus red rainbow
some goldfish and waterplants

I live in Kennesaw and need to head north by the 15th of July
Help my kids find new homes!!

[pullins125]

how much you hoping to get for the tropheus and the synodontis. i interested but not to much money.

[Rodger]

I would take 5 and 10 for the synodontis, 5 each for the tropheus

[fish fanatic]

how much for the pleco? and where you located?

[pullins125]

that sounds like a great price can you post some pics and location please. and possible sex the tropheus for me please and thank you

[Scuba Kid]

Along with the others, location? Possible interest in the pleco.

[bigdawg1]

PM sent to you

[fish fanatic]

Can you PM me about the pleco and tropheus?

[Ron the handyman]

Kennesaw Ga is where he lives. hope this helps all. R.

[Scuba Kid]

I didn't even notice that this was in the Atlanta forum.

[pullins125]

it does help. still waiting to hear back from him on tropheus and the synodontis. wanna get next week iof possible. headed up north anyways so can pick up then

[Rodger]

Sorry, been getting ready to move. I'll take $5 each for the tropheus, 5 and 10 ea for the syno, 20 for the pleco, 5 for the oscar and 5 for the redtail shark. call my cell 678 386 7175. 1st one gets here gets em.

[Rodger]

OH yeah, I'm in Kennesaw

[Rodger]

The Tropheus are spoken for. Anyone else?

[emc7]

Hey "catfish" are allowed in the ACA auction on the 20th. How big are the synodontis?

[pullins125]

i interested in the synodontis but live far away. will you meet or be at the auction?

[Rodger]

I will be gone before the auction. The syno's are about 5 & 7". Any offer accepted, or to the fish store they go on Saturday.

[pullins125]

i interested in the syno. cant really beat that price. if they still avail ill take them both. i can get them friday. ill call you tomorrow for more details.

[Rodger]

OK, I am going to take what's left with me. Any suggestions on how I can move them and not have an aquarium ready when I get there? It's a 15 hour drive. Still have Oscar, a GIANT pleco and a redtail shark.

[mykidsmom]

Okay - here's my suggestion - sorry it's sooo long, but I have a 'thing' for details! Remember, wait to dismantle your tank and ready its occupants for transport LAST thing before you head out! Tank should be the LAST thing loaded on this end and the FIRST thing UNLOADED at the other end of the trip!
Ideally -
I suggest a large bucket with a lid for each fish (5 gallon unused paint buckets from home depot/lowes work great, but if they're not large enough, use 'heavy duty' plastic storage containers - one for each fish because you don't want them picking on each other or if one dies in transit, you don't want him polluting the water and becoming 'food' for the other fish), sturdy styrofoam coolers might work, too, but I've never tried them. Punch multiple holes (half inch to an inch in diameter?) in each lid for extra ventilation, put several inches of gravel from your tank into each bucket, then add water from the tank itself, with an extra squirt of Stress Coat (or similar product), in to each bucket (up to 2/3 full), then put at least one sponge filter (preferably used) in each bucket (if you don't have any sponge filters handy, use several airstones) and run the airline from the sponge filter or airstone up through one of the holes in the lid, hook each air line (from sponge filter or airstone) to a battery powered air pump (at least one for each bucket) and then make up at least one more bucket that's mostly gravel with several inches more of aquarium water above the gravel line (with its own airstone, ideally buried in the gravel) and put your current filter media into the water in that bucket, also. Place fish in buckets. close lids tightly (if you have the air hose running through a hole in the lid, and multiple other half inch holes in the lid, closing it tightly will help keep major, spills to a minimum) then put all the buckets in the passenger compartment of your car (preferably on on the floorboard - for stability and less likely to fall over in sudden stop, on top of some folded blankets to keep road vibrations and heat from transferring from floor to buckets, extra blankets wedged between and around the buckets will help insulate and keep temp more stable, and keep buckets from banging into each other.) If you are comfortable, temperature wise, your fish should be, too! You don't want to over heat them, since the warmer water is, the less oxygen it can hold. You might also want to put some waterproof tarps or plastic bags down in the car first, to catch any splashing. Also, you can cover the buckets lightly and loosely - with a light colored sheet draped over the top - maybe held up a little by the bucket handles?), in order to help keep solar heating to a minimum and to help prevent disturbing the fish with flickering lights, etc.
Check on them frequently during the trip to be sure the air pumps are working, the fish aren't 'gasping' for air at the top, the temp is okay, etc.
Then when you get where you're going, unload the fish first thing, and do a partial water change of their water in the buckets with some fresh water (with stress coat), and get your aquarium set back up asap (don't wait until after you unload everything else!)- using the gravel and used water from the 'extra bucket(s) (if possible test water first to be sure ammonia hasn't built up), add some fresh dechlorinated water to the tank (but don't fill all the way!) and set your filter back up with its 'old' filter media if you've kept the media alive in its own oxygenated bucket, then test each fish bucket for ammonia and nitrites, if it is okay, scoop fish from bucket one, and put him in one of the other buckets (the fish will be room mates for a few minutes) and pour water and gravel from bucket one into the waiting tank, do the same with bucket 3 (scoop fish out, put into bucket 2, then pour contents of bucket 3 into aquarium) I suggest pouring the 'used' water through a fairly fine net to catch any particulate matter, and if you used sponge filters in the buckets, put them into the aquarium, too (can't over filter at this point!) test parameters in aquarium again and adjust if needed, then scoop the fish from bucket 2 into the waiting aquarium, and put gravel from bucket 2 into the tank with as little disturbance as you can manage (might want to discard water from bucket 3 if it's too dirty). Don't feed yet and keep the lights off. If they're looking pretty settled in, you can feed the next morning, but you might want to keep the lights off for another day or so (just to reduce stress) Keep a close eye on the water parameters to be sure the tank doesn't go through another 'cycle' (but hopefully, with enough of the oxygenated gravel and the filter media from the original tank, you may avoid the cycling issue)

Okay - the key points to remember, keep the water well oxygenated, use gravel/substrate from original tank in each bucket to hopefully provide enough beneficial bacteria to keep ammonia and nitrites in check, use Stress Coat (or similar product), try to keep temperature stable (if you're comfy, they should be okay if they're not in the sun) and get them out at the other end as soon as humanly possible, and during the trip, treat your 'old' filter media as if it was another fish - right temp, oxygen, etc, so you can (hopefully) avoid cycling at the other end. - Oh! And bring extra batteries for the air pumps, just in case!!

Of course, there are shortcuts - like using one large container for all 3 fish, but PLEASE do not skimp on using several sponge filters or AT LEAST multiple air stones! Your fish will never make it that far, and that long without oxygen! Fish under stress need MORE oxygen, NOT LESS! and DO keep the used filter media and as much of the gravel/substrate as possible oxygenated too, because you want the bacteria in both alive to help you at the other end!

AND, above all, DRIVE CAREFULLY and HAVE A SAFE TRIP! (If you arrive safely and in reasonable time, your fish have a much better chance of making it, too!)

Best of luck to you and your fishy friends! Let us know how you make out!