How to move ... the fishpond ?

G_M

There are some tips on what to do with unwanted fish, and/or how to store/move them, in this thread here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2636903

Sorry it's a long thread and the suggestions are dotted about within it.

clint_S

I'd ask this question on a forum dedicated to fishkeeping


https://forum.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/newbb/

clint_S

silvercar wrote: »

I gave little guppys to a friend. We transported them in their fish tank. That involved a journey of about 10 minutes in the car. Me holding the tank (about half full) really carefully and my friend driving.

The fish looked happy on arrival in their new home. Within a month they were all dead.

I claim that her kids fed them and kept the tank clean; whereas I had been fairly negligent on both fronts.

She claimed they had sustained head injuries in transport!

If she gave it a deep clean it was probably NTS (new tank syndrome) that killed them.

teddysmum

Local aquarium shops have their fish delivered in polystyrene boxes, so would probably give you some, as it saves them from paying to have them removed.


Take as much water as you can and don't forget to add something like Stress Coat (4 litre containers via Amazon etc are cheaper than small ones ) to treat the new water or the chemicals in it will damage the gills , so killing them.


A fish keeper, who worked in an aquarium shop told me that the reason why shops have lots of sick and dying fish is that the sellers feed them before transport, so they defecate in the water, causing pollution and death, because of the high concentration in a small volume of water. (I assume that this means that more containers with less fish each would be better; easier to lift, too).

clint_S

teddysmum wrote: »

Local aquarium shops have their fish delivered in polystyrene boxes, so would probably give you some, as it saves them from paying to have them removed. You need to remember that most Fish Shops sell small fish, You'll need to calculate Oxygen requirements and defecation rate of the fish.


Take as much water as you can and don't forget to add something like Stress Coat (4 litre containers via Amazon etc are cheaper than small ones ) to treat the new water or the chemicals in it will damage the gills , so killing them. Stress Coat has no real benefit, you'll need to remove Chlorine\Chloride from the water as this will remove the "good" bacteria that will reduce Ammonia levels. Tap water is clean (most people even drink it)


A fish keeper, who worked in an aquarium shop told me that the reason why shops have lots of sick and dying fish is that the sellers feed them before transport, so they defecate in the water, causing pollution and death, because of the high concentration in a small volume of water. (I assume that this means that more containers with less fish each would be better; easier to lift, too). Not true. Most fish die for two main reasons. 1) NTS where the tank hasn't been cycled before the fish are put in it. 2) Fish sold in shops are bred as stock and aren't treated the best, you get a lot of inbreeding and poor conditions. This weak fish are then put in high stress situations which kills them. Fish will defecate whether you feed them or not, and starving a weak fish will kill it.

Don't always believe what the pet shop tells you, they are trying to sell fish and not always the healthiest fish.

JP08

G_M wrote: »

There are some tips on what to do with unwanted fish, and/or how to store/move them, in this thread here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2636903

Sorry it's a long thread and the suggestions are dotted about within it.

That just has to be the most bizarre thread on the whole of MSE ...

AnotherJoe

spadoosh wrote: »

Polystyrene boxes gaffer taped shut, chuck a few oxygenating plants in there and try and make sure its kept in a cool spot.

Use a kids pool from when you empty the pond to the moving day so its much easier to empty than the tank.

That will kill them quicker than no plants. The plants will use up oxygen in the dark, which they'll be in all the time.

G_M

JP08 wrote: »

That just has to be the most bizarre thread on the whole of MSE ...

You think........???

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2943078

joop

G_M wrote: »

There are some tips on what to do with unwanted fish, and/or how to store/move them, in this thread here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2636903

Sorry it's a long thread and the suggestions are dotted about within it.

I thought of that thread as soon as I saw as I saw this one. One of the best! If you've read it you'll know why, if you haven't - get yourself a cup of tea and settle down!

AndyBSG

JP08 wrote: »

Alas, now that the missus knows that the buyer doesn't want them, they are coming with us. Anything else will cause "marital disharmony" ...

The question is, will giving them to a good local home cause more or less marital disharmony than trying to transport the fish 250 miles and finding them dead on arrival?

The change in environment, handling required to capture them, reduction in facilities such as plants and pumps during the transportation, reduction in oxygen due to the transport 'tanks', the extra pooping fish will do when stressed and water quality reduction resulting from it, etc all combine to make it a huge risk to the wellbeing and survival chances of the fish.

Also when you do arrive at your new property, how long will it be before the new pond is actually available form them and where will they be living until then?

All in all, such a long distance move is a really bad idea and really not going to be very good for the fish.

Much better to give the fish away and if you want a pond in your new home simply get some new fish once it's all up and running.

Worst case scenario, you could contact these guys but I suspect this is aimed more at rehoming expensive collections of carp for the well off than someone with just a few little fish in a pond so the price will probably reflect that

Fish Rehoming