Moving 40 Gallon Shrimp/Guppy Breeding Tank

[Andrew Puhr]

I am extending my dado cut wooden 40 breeder rack of 4 units to 6 units to do this I need to remove all 4 of my aquariums off the rack to replace the horizontal pieces. 3 of my tanks are either sand substrate or unplanted so removing the livestock and substrate isn't too big of a deal. The problematic tank is my guppy/shrimp tank that is heavily planted and has fry from both that I don't want to disrupt. I was thinking if I drain the tank down to about 1 inch above substrate and quickly moved it off the rack and onto my temporary cinderblock stand where I will refill with the same water and then once the rack is finished repeat the process to put it back. In the attached picture its the one lit up. 

I am sure people have moved breeding tanks before and I am just looking for any ideas to do this without creating too much chaos. 

[nabokovfan87]

I tried to do the same thing with a 29G.  It was too heavy for me to solo move it with any water in the tank.  I'd recommend planning on removing hardscape, move as much livestock as you can to a tub or bucket.  Make a hole in the substrate and drain as much as you can out then move the tank and add in water.

[Andrew Puhr]

@nabokovfan87 thanks for your feedback. I know when I had to move my two 75 gallons those definitely needed to be completely drained with substrate removed. This one with the shrimplets and the fry I was concerned of losing them. what I might try doing is remove the hardscape and all the guppies I can. Leave the shrimp and just drain it as low as possible without removing the substrate. If I don't remove the plants they should just lay flat on top of the gravel keeping everyone safe and sound for the short move and refill. Then I would just repeat it for the return. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/22/2023 at 6:20 AM, Andrew Puhr said:

Then I would just repeat it for the return. 

Yeah. Keep things wet and the shrimp should survive the journey. I am about to have to do the same thing here shortly. Have the tank in front of me and need to move it to the stand about 4 feet to the left.

I did the same thing you're talking about. With the main display. The only real issue I had was the corydoras went a bit nuts and squashed all the plants. All the fish and shrimp were removed, but the weeks following they thought it was spawning time and they were going nuts.