4 day move with fish and shrimp- help me!

[redmare]

In September, I am moving from Alberta to Ontario, it will be likely a 4 day trip- maybe 3 if we really push it. I'm really nervous about taking my fish with me! I have 2 tanks: a 10 gallon with a betta, 7 pygmy cories, and 5 assassin snails, and a 5 gallon with a huge breeding colony of cherry shrimp. I've read several things about moving with fish but I'm still so unsure about what the best plan of attack would be. I'm kind of thinking for the shrimp tank, if I should just drain it to a few inches and leave everything in it, and just fast them for a few days before hand. I may or may not have access to power or even water some nights, we may be camping along the way. I'm very wary of doing water changes on the road, since parameters will be different at every stop and that seems like a lot of stress. 

Any advice at all about how to get them across the country safely and happily would be very much appreciated, as well as advice about setting back up in the new place. The water here is hard and alkaline, and there it's very neutral and medium. Thanks all!

[Mikeg]

You can buy some crushed coral from Cory for water hardness in your new place. For your travels you could always get some battery operated air pumps to use strategically and some of the nano USB ones from Cory (buy everything from Cory) for when in the car....Maybe also start saving water in containers as you do water changes? Just some ideas. In the car you also need to worry about shrimpys bouncing around and getting shocked from hitting things.

 

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

I'd definitely say fast them for a few days prior, and get USB air pumps and portable chargers. I moved across country in one day and I ran a sponge filter off of a USB nano and I had an Anker portable charger. 20 hours later it still had 3/4 charge, and I didn't have it plugged in at all. As far as setting back up, I'd add water really slowly with the shrimp, almost like drip acclimation. The betta, cories, and snails should be fine in a bucket with a sponge filter in a similar manner. I had 2 plecos, 5 rummy nose tetras, and a betta in a 5 gallon bucket for my move, along with 3 pea puffers in a bag. Good luck, I know moves can be stressful.

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

2 minutes ago, Mikeg said:

You can buy some crushed coral from Cory for water hardness in your new place. For your travels you could always get some battery operated air pumps to use strategically and some of the nano USB ones from Cory (buy everything from Cory) for when in the car....Maybe also start saving water in containers as you do water changes? Just some ideas. In the car you also need to worry about shrimpys bouncing around and getting shocked from hitting things.

 

Make sure they have plants or something to hold onto so they don't get as stressed.

[Brandy]

I don't know anything, but I feel like the sloshing in a car could be a problem in an open tank. When shrimp were shipped to me once, they bagged them with a bit of hornwort. It gave them something soft and safe to cling to. They came thru safe and sound.

[redmare]

1 hour ago, Mikeg said:

You can buy some crushed coral from Cory for water hardness in your new place. For your travels you could always get some battery operated air pumps to use strategically and some of the nano USB ones from Cory (buy everything from Cory) for when in the car....Maybe also start saving water in containers as you do water changes? Just some ideas. In the car you also need to worry about shrimpys bouncing around and getting shocked from hitting things.

 

I wish I could buy everything from Cory! There's the silly Canada thing though 😞  Before covid, I was planning to road trip down to visit the store, actually! I'm still kind of hoping I can before I move... but I also don't really want the borders to open. 

1 hour ago, Steph’s Fish and Plants said:

I'd definitely say fast them for a few days prior, and get USB air pumps and portable chargers. I moved across country in one day and I ran a sponge filter off of a USB nano and I had an Anker portable charger. 20 hours later it still had 3/4 charge, and I didn't have it plugged in at all. As far as setting back up, I'd add water really slowly with the shrimp, almost like drip acclimation. The betta, cories, and snails should be fine in a bucket with a sponge filter in a similar manner. I had 2 plecos, 5 rummy nose tetras, and a betta in a 5 gallon bucket for my move, along with 3 pea puffers in a bag. Good luck, I know moves can be stressful.

I'm definitely considering those USB air pumps! I just have to see if I can find one in Canada. Thank you for your advice!

1 hour ago, Steph’s Fish and Plants said:

Make sure they have plants or something to hold onto so they don't get as stressed.

I will definitely have plants! In their tank I have java moss growing like gangbusters so I will put lots of that with them however I travel them. 

1 hour ago, Brandy said:

I don't know anything, but I feel like the sloshing in a car could be a problem in an open tank. When shrimp were shipped to me once, they bagged them with a bit of hornwort. It gave them something soft and safe to cling to. They came thru safe and sound.

If I did go tank route, I would cover the tank with saran wrap or something. We will also be pulling a horse trailer, which means fast turns and accelerations aren't an issue 🙂  I'm partly worried how I would ever catch out all or even most of my shrimp. I have several hundred in there, they've been breeding non stop!

[kkarsten]

It's amazing what these animals can handle.  Chances are that betta has more traveling under his belt already than the majority of us people on the forum... in a bag smaller than a tennis ball!

That being said, holding off on food for a few days, some decent water changes heading up to the event, and your fish should be alright.  I'm not to familiar with shipping/moving shrimp though.

I tend to bag anything small enough to allow it... it's a proven method of transport.  

Good luck with the move!

[redmare]

28 minutes ago, kkarsten said:

It's amazing what these animals can handle.  Chances are that betta has more traveling under his belt already than the majority of us people on the forum... in a bag smaller than a tennis ball!

That being said, holding off on food for a few days, some decent water changes heading up to the event, and your fish should be alright.  I'm not to familiar with shipping/moving shrimp though.

I tend to bag anything small enough to allow it... it's a proven method of transport.  

Good luck with the move!

Thank you! I'm really hoping everything will go smooth. I'm so worried!

[kkarsten]

I think you will be in worse shape than your pets.  They'll be fine with a little planning.

One more thing... fill up a few 5 gallon buckets with water before you head out.  Some for little water changes half way through the move, and some for filling up the tanks when you arrive.  One less thing to worry about(new water params) in the middle of unpacking.  

 

[redmare]

2 minutes ago, kkarsten said:

I think you will be in worse shape than your pets.  They'll be fine with a little planning.

One more thing... fill up a few 5 gallon buckets with water before you head out.  Some for little water changes half way through the move, and some for filling up the tanks when you arrive.  One less thing to worry about(new water params) in the middle of unpacking.  

 

Great idea! Thanks again! We're all gonna be having a rough time... 4 humans, 2 horses, 2 dogs, 5 cats, and 3 frogs plus the 2 aquariums all have to make it across the country. It will be......... fun.

[kkarsten]

You're gonna need an extra horse trailer!

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

my advice for catching shrimp  out is patience, patience, and building some sort of trap? it took me about 3ish hours on and off of catching out about 30 shrimp when i moved and im not sure i got all of them at the time.