Whether it’s to the other side of town or another county, moving is always a hassle. However, when pets are involved, it gets more complicated. It’s not as easy as booking a moving service and leaving packing to the movers. With fish, you’ll need to do some preparatory work. If you need to move an aquarium, here’s what you need to do.

How to Move an Aquarium & Protect Your Fish

Gather Supplies

Keeping your fish safe involves siphoning as much of their water as possible and temporarily storing them in secure containers. To do that, you’ll need the following supplies:

• 5-Gallon Buckets With Lids: These are used for the fish, water, filter, substrate, and plants. They should be opaque, clean, and free from any chemicals. The number you need will depend on the size of the tank and the number of fish.
• Strong Plastic Zip Bags & Cooler: If your new home is less than an hour’s drive away, and your fish are tiny, plastic zip bags will suffice for transport. To protect them, put the bags in a small, secure cooler.
• Siphon Hose: This hose makes it much easier to remove water and transfer it to a bucket. The more water you can save and transport, the better it is for the health of the fish.

To ensure you have what you need, it’s best to start looking for the materials about three weeks to a month before the moving service is scheduled to arrive.

Prepare Your Fish

To keep the water free from waste, don’t feed your fish for a day or two before the move. Don’t worry about the possibility of starving; fish can survive for about a week without food. On the day the moving service arrives, siphon water from the aquarium tank, fill the buckets, and gently place your fish inside. Don’t overpack them.

Disassemble the Tank

As for the tank, take the plants out and put them into another bucket with the same water. Accessories and decorations can be cleaned, dried, and packed. Once they’re secure, you can drain more water to move into the buckets. When the tank is empty, pad and pack it for transport. Also, mark it as “fragile.”

Reassemble

Your aquarium should be one of the first items you set up at your new home. Refill the tank with the water you brought and check the pH, chemical levels, and temperature. Once everything’s stable, carefully reintroduce your fish to their new home.

 

If you’ve already gathered the supplies, all that’s left is to confirm the moving service arrangements. For anyone in Kentucky’s Boone County who’s still searching for a professional moving company, look no further than Easy Moving & Freight. Based in Union, both residential and commercial customers have trusted them for 15 years. To get started, call (859) 393-1413 or send a message online. They offer local and long distance moving, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.