Dorms + Fish Tank? Moving Tips?

[Anomaly16]

Hello,

 

I'm going to be moving into a dorm this fall and can bring my 10 gallon, but I'm wondering if I even should. I'll be on the road for 12+ hrs and I'm already anxious about keeping my betta alive. Besides that, I'd be in the dorms for 8 months and then have to move all over again. I'm really attached to my fish and don't want to leave him/give him away but I'm not sure that hauling him and supplies on a trek to the dorms and then back home is the best idea either.  Advice? Moving tips if I do go for it?

 

Also, there are no communal bathrooms at my college - it's a suite of 2 bedrooms (roommates in each of course), each with its own bathroom, and a common room in between. I'm actually seriously thinking of bringing him with me because this would make water changes much easier than if I had to deal with a communal bathroom.

[Schwack]

If it were me, I'd leave your fish at home. Moving a fish tank, even a 10 gallon, can be a huge PITA. Doing it once is bad enough, needing to do it twice a year? Yuck. I'd also be concerned about how things will go over spring break, winter break etc. At least at home you've got folks consistently around to feed and what not.

I've seen people move huge tanks, and large numbers of fish, but it never looks like a lot of fun. I'm not sure if 12 hours in a bucket would necessitate an air stone/heater in there with em, but I'd probably err on the side of caution and try to keep his parameters stable. As I understand it, get em in a bucket to give them some water volume and then do your best to avoid sloshing things around too much.

Tank and equipment should be fairly easy to move. If you slide a piece of plywood under the tank you could probably keep some water in there to keep the substrate/plants moist for the trip to keep bacteria alive.

[FrozenFins]

Bettas are very hardy, so when transporting you could even get a cup (after all thats how they live in the petstore) and put the cup in a cup holder. They'll be fine for the 12hrs, especially because its a betta. If you can keep him at your colleage during your one week breaks, as he can go without food for quite some time. And then move him back after your term, that would be ideal.

Moving a 10 gallon can be a lot of work. Have you thought of downisizng to a 5 gallon for this?

I'm on board with doing it.

[awymorePDX]

I don't think the moving process will be all that tough, one fish and a 10G should be a snap! Grab one of the USB air pumps from the Co-OP and an airstone and you should be all set. 

I would be more concerned about the amount of attention you will be able to give them. The first year of collage can be pretty stressful, and you may fall behind on upkeep and maintenance. On the other hand he may be a good excuse for you to stay in every once in a while and actually get some homework done😝

[Anomaly16]

Wow, lots of good info and suggestions! I tend to overthink things so getting input from others helps me out a lot - thanks!

On 4/7/2021 at 8:32 PM, Schwack said:

If it were me, I'd leave your fish at home. Moving a fish tank, even a 10 gallon, can be a huge PITA. Doing it once is bad enough, needing to do it twice a year? Yuck. I'd also be concerned about how things will go over spring break, winter break etc. At least at home you've got folks consistently around to feed and what not.

I've seen people move huge tanks, and large numbers of fish, but it never looks like a lot of fun. I'm not sure if 12 hours in a bucket would necessitate an air stone/heater in there with em, but I'd probably err on the side of caution and try to keep his parameters stable. As I understand it, get em in a bucket to give them some water volume and then do your best to avoid sloshing things around too much.

Tank and equipment should be fairly easy to move. If you slide a piece of plywood under the tank you could probably keep some water in there to keep the substrate/plants moist for the trip to keep bacteria alive.

I am leaning more toward bringing him with me since he is my fish and my hobby and I don't think any of my family members would be willing to take care of him for the whole time I'm gone.  They like watching him and don't mind occasionally looking after him when I've been gone for a couple days, but they'd probably consider it more of a hassle after a few weeks passed.  On the other hand, I have a friend in the city where I'm going to school who has kept a betta before and I could leave him with her during breaks. I did think about the plywood idea but it's nice to have some confirmation on that - thanks!

On 4/7/2021 at 10:29 PM, James Black said:

Bettas are very hardy, so when transporting you could even get a cup (after all thats how they live in the petstore) and put the cup in a cup holder. They'll be fine for the 12hrs, especially because its a betta. If you can keep him at your colleage during your one week breaks, as he can go without food for quite some time. And then move him back after your term, that would be ideal.

Moving a 10 gallon can be a lot of work. Have you thought of downisizng to a 5 gallon for this?

I'm on board with doing it.

I didn't think of putting him in a cup, but that's a good suggestion.  I did briefly think of getting a 5 gallon, but I decided that I don't really want to downsize and I'm willing to put the work in for him to keep his space. Just because I'll be in a smaller space doesn't mean he has to. 🙂

On 4/7/2021 at 10:31 PM, awymorePDX said:

I don't think the moving process will be all that tough, one fish and a 10G should be a snap! Grab one of the USB air pumps from the Co-OP and an airstone and you should be all set. 

I would be more concerned about the amount of attention you will be able to give them. The first year of collage can be pretty stressful, and you may fall behind on upkeep and maintenance. On the other hand he may be a good excuse for you to stay in every once in a while and actually get some homework done😝

I'm actually returning to school after taking a break to work and save up for it, so I think I'll be able to get a routine down for dedicating time to him pretty well, but that's definitely something to keep in mind. Also, I like to stay in and don't really party, so he'll definitely be used as an excuse for that, lol.

[Kirsten]

I say go for it! I'd get a 5 gallon bucket with a lid, which you can find at most hardware stores and tractor supply for a couple bucks. The day you head off, siphon a couple gallons of tank water into it (don't fill it up more than halfway, I think. It'll get too heavy and sloshy) and put in any floating plants or epiphytes like java ferns in there. Transfer your fish, then reduce the tank water as low as possible while still keeping the substrate wet. Keep the lid on and maybe wrap in plastic wrap to help keep humidity in for any snails or rooted plants. Since bettas can breathe at the surface, no huge need to run an airstone.

If you're staying in a motel overnight, might want to get a heat pack to strap to the side of the bucket to help him stay warm out in the car.

He should be fine for a few days without food, but for longer vacations like spring or winter breaks where you can't stay on campus, you might want to see if there's a local who'll take him in once you get there.

Me, I was planning on taking my betta to college with me, too, with a similar length drive. But the day of, my youngest sister was so upset about me leaving, that I decided to leave him with her, and I don't regret that choice one bit. Freshman year was such a crazy time, I'm glad I didn't have to worry about a pet at the same time.

[CalmedByFish]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I seem to remember stories, from the beginning of Covid, where dorm residents had to either rapidly evacuate the buildings, or had calmly left but then weren't allowed back in for a long time. A situation like that could be gut-wrenching regarding the betta. Do take into account that something unusual like that could happen. 

That said, not being allowed to have a fish in my dorm was the final straw that had me hunting down an apartment. I could not handle the dorm without a pet. My college wouldn't allow first-year students to not live on campus, so I actually went to a psychologist to get a letter written, giving me permission to live off campus for my mental health. It's kinda hilarious - but not funny at all. If you need your buddy, you need your buddy! Legit. 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

At our university the students were either all allowed to take their belongings in an orderly manner, or if they had no place else safe to go, they were permitted to remain in the dorms.  Some universities made less...  Organized decisions.  But there are vagaries in life that you can't anticipate, and I'd include "global pandemic" in that column.  It would be irrational to try to plan for all of those.

I have a friend who trucked a reef tank around with him through all of his college and graduate school moves.  If you enjoy your tank, it can be worth it.  Might even be relaxing to maintain a familiar tank when things get stressful.  Somehow after years, water changes are like meditation for me. 

Regardless what you decide, good luck!  Don't forget to have fun.