Moving Pea Puffers

[fishmom]

I currently have 3 juvenile pea puffers in a 10 gallon (been in there since they were rice sized). They are upgrading to a 29 gallon and will get friends.  For the move, I want to use their current filter and substrate and just add more. If I put them in a little tank with their current water, keep sponge filter and substrate/decor wet and immediately transfer everyone to the bigger tank, would that work? 

[Brandon p]

If I had it my Way I would add a second sponge filter to the 10g. Start the new tank. Put the old substrate and Bucket and with a little water from the old tank rinse or swish it around. Put the substrate in. Do a water change and put that water in the new tank. Try to cover or at least keep it wet. Do this ever 2 days. Once you get enough water move the old sponge in the new tank don’t rinse it. Once the tank has about 30% in the new tank I would then move the fish over. I would say from the water from the old tank and try to slowly siphon the water into the new tank I wised a ladder. This was just to keep the water clear. Put the second new sponge in the in the new tank if needed. Your still probably not going to have enough water to fill the new tank that’s almost 3x larger

The proble with do it all at once your fish will almost no water to swim in. 

[Odd Duck]

When I moved mine, I set up the new tank (actually a redo of an old tank, see link in my sig) with all new substrate, plants, filters, etc, I even splurged on a new light for better plant growth.  I started snail and scud cultures in the tank.  Then I waited and did “blind” feedings of the tank to grow the numbers of snails and scuds to increase their population. Then I waited some more for plants to finish melting, get established, and start growing.

Then I finally moved the puffers.  But I was also planning to continue using their old tank for other fish with minimal changes to that tank.

If you’re breaking down the old tank completely, then you may want to do things differently.  You absolutely can put your fish in a holding bucket, move everything, them move in the fish.  But it is a bit higher risk to the fish since moving everything can stir up things enough to cause some filter/cycle issues.  I would expect those issues to be minor and quickly resolved but you’ll need to test daily and be prepared to do water changes if indicated by your testing.