Moving fish from one house to another first time

[ninjapenguin303]

I have a 5 gal tank that I have been keeping my baby platys in. I have a total of I think 5 or 6 babies and they have grown up past fri size and I want to move them into a bigger 15 gal tank at my girlfriends house which is about a 20 min drive. I have never moved fish before only taken them from stores and drove them to my house. The 15 gal is ready after the cycling process we went through and we want to move them soon. What do you guys think is the best way for me to do this while minimizing stress on the fish and complications in the moving process? Please help never had to do this before. 

[macdaddy36]

Fill a 5 gallon bucket halfway full with your tank water, catch the fish out and put them into the bucket, and put a lid on the bucket. If you want to be extra careful you can get a USB nano air pump and add that to oxygenate the water during the drive, but you will probably be fine. Then, just acclimate them and add them in to the new tank.

[Tlindsey]

On 3/20/2024 at 8:27 PM, ninjapenguin303 said:

I have a 5 gal tank that I have been keeping my baby platys in. I have a total of I think 5 or 6 babies and they have grown up past fri size and I want to move them into a bigger 15 gal tank at my girlfriends house which is about a 20 min drive. I have never moved fish before only taken them from stores and drove them to my house. The 15 gal is ready after the cycling process we went through and we want to move them soon. What do you guys think is the best way for me to do this while minimizing stress on the fish and complications in the moving process? Please help never had to do this before. 

I have personally transported small fish in a five gallon bucket for short travel time.

You could leave them in the 5 gallon as well. Some purchase battery powered air pumps but I think you will be fine without one.

Don't fill either with too much water. 

[Tony s]

I have used a gallon ziploc bag to take things back to the lfs. In side of a plastic bowl for support. Depending if it’s a short drive or not. Lfs was an hour drive. Longer than that, the 5g bucket with lid is very good advice 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

5 gallon bucket with a lid and an air pump is the ultimate set up. That being said, fish bags will work just as well for a 20 minute drive. Fish are shipped all over the world in fish bags, it’s how you bring your fish home, and it’s how I bring my fish back to the LFS to sell them. 
 

Dealers choice. Depends on how fancy you wanna be, and how quickly you take corners in your vehicle 😂
 

Also, from your handle I assume we’re in the same area. Always good to see another hobbyist in the area!

Edited March 21 by AllFishNoBrakes

[Bsquared]

For a 20min drive and relatively small fish, I think you could totally get away with a bag or even a Tupperware container if you don't trust the bag. This is how I have moved fry or small fish like endlers too and from swap meets

[mynameisnobody]

They’re already in a 5 gallon bucket. Remove most of the water and any decor that can be smashed around. Place decor in dechlorinated water. Netting them out adds an unnecessary step to further stress them. I’ve done it a dozen times with much larger aquariums without issue ever. 

Edited March 23 by mynameisnobody

[Bsquared]

On 3/21/2024 at 8:25 AM, mynameisnobody said:

They’re already in a 5 gallon bucket. Remove most of the water and any decor that can smashed around

True, this is probably the best way in a 5 gallon. Just drop the tank level to 1/3 or so, make sure there is nothing in there that could smash the fish and put everything in the car. You can even bring the water you drained out in a bucket or something if the water chemistry of the new house is vastly different but you should be fine regardless