Moving

I have a question about moving across the country with fish. We hope to move from MA to MN this summer. I am resigned to giving away most of my tropical fish, it doesn't make sense to move tetras, barbs, and cories either by mail or by a 2-3 day car trip. But I have an iridescant shark I love (6 inches, I've had for 18 months), and 3 lace catfish (the mustachios) that I would really like to keep. What's the best way to move them?

One option is to set up a tank at my sister's and overnight them to her. Of course I am concerned about mailing my fish, but it seems to work. I would buy her a tank and set it up beforehand. Of course, this leads to questions about how to cycle that tank (can't be too complicated because she is not interested in that). I'm wondering how long a filter holds it's bacteria. Could I overnight it and would the bacteria last? Perhaps I could find someone with a filter in my hometown that would give her a bit to get started.

Another option is to beg a LFS to keep the fish for me until we get settled. That's always a risk in my opinion since I don't know how good/bad they are.

I could always travel with the fish, I know a guy who brought a saltwater tank from CA to MA, he plugged in thru the adapter in his moving truck and ran lines into a 55 gallon tank half filled with water and brought corals, fish, etc. safely (I thought an amazing feat). I am thinking for the fish I have I could use a 20 gallon long filled halfway with water (bare on the bottom) with the fluval submersible I have for the newt tank would work, since it's only for a couple of days.

The betta is going in a travel container, as are the newts and the toad (separate species for travel).

Then of course are the dog and the cats, we hope to get some type of tranquilzer for the cats (they do not like to go in the car), but that is another story.

We are going to be quite the sight traveling down I90 this summer!!

Or perhaps, I should just give all the fish away and start fresh. I would take the driftwood that is planted and put it in a plastic bag for travel and then keep it in water to keep the beautiful moss and crappy ferns alive until a new tank is set up. Moving is tough!! Any suggestions?

Jackie

Definitely the smartest thing to do is start over in MN, all my fish are common enough. I do have a very soft spot in my heart for the lace catfish. I assume they are common enough although I have not seen them for sale since I bought mine last year. So I would like to take the gang with me but I won't if it is too much trouble.
Jackie

I am very fortunate that my hubby is OK with anything I say <grin> (the way it should be), but he can't talk with all the guitar/gear he's moving. We are leaning towards starting over and just bringing the driftwood with the java moss on it in a plastic bag and then into a plastic bin until we get a new tank set up. It is still hard, though, I am really attached to the lace catfish, although I rarely see them!

As far as the newts/toad, we have those plastic fish carriers that we move fish back and forth to school (hubby is 4th grade teacher with a betta and white clouds), so we will use those to move the amphibians. From what I hear/read, just use wet paper towels, no water and they should be fine, I'll bring a gallon jug of pretreated water to continue wetting with same water for the trip.

Jackie