I'm moving from Chicago to New York

[hmilstead]

Unless I had one or two fish that a child was attached to or something extremely rare but not fragile, I wouldn't do it. Too much else going on in a move of that distance and getting set up in a rush.

Yes, the things we do for our children.... otherwise I problably would not have tried to move them all cross country if I could have found nice homes for them.

 

[Malbri]

Ya a rubbermaid would work to prevent spashing just cut small holes for the air tubing and remember a heater

You could just use an undergravel filter for the car ride

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would not use a rubbermade or bucket w/ airline and heater. Aside from being overly complex, the odds are good the fish will get pretty banged around against the hard sides of the container. I would suggest you bag and box them just as if you were shipping them to somehody. Use standard fish shippping bags put into a styro inside a sturdy cardboard box. Pad the bags on all sides with either cellulose insulation or packing peanuts and add a heat pack. Besure not to feed the fish for 24 hours prior to bagging them. You can also add a drop or two of Amquel or another ammonia detoxifier to the water before bagging the fish.

If you are taking the tanks and equipment along you can save most of the cycled media by packing bio-media, gravel and decor in bags with water. You can even add a drop of ammonia for food to help keep them alive. This will allow you to set up a fairly well cycled tank on arrival. Alternatively you can pack it all into a big lidded bucket or a rubbermade- it doesnt matter if this stuff sloshes around and bangs against the sides of the container.

Remember when bagging fish that air is more important than water. Bags should be about 1/3 water and 2/3 air.

Good luck and welcome to NY.

 

[Reddog80p]

I'd recommend staying in Chicago. We have the Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier the Bears, Bulls, Cubs, Sox and Blackhawks plus we have the best pizza in the country.

 

[lilly]

What about having someone overnight the fish to you when you are settled? Do you know anyone who would do that for you?

 

[WhitneyGail]

Thanks everyone for your responses (as well as any that have yet to come).

Just to answer some of your questions (and ask some myself).....

Aussie_hippie_2 : Are these all in the same tank right now?

Yes, they are all in the same tank (I also have a betta who is in a separate set up, but I'm not worried about putting him in a bag for a day). The tank in question is a 29 gallon bowfront. I'll post a few pictures of it with this post. I put a lot of effort into decorating the tank and getting the fish personality mix just right.

nycsicktank : welcome to NY

minnesotagal866 : One thing to consider is that after you arrive in NY the first thing you are going to need to do is take care of your fish. Do you have an apartment you are going straight to or to a hotel?

Thanks for the welcome. Actually, I'm originally from New York and still consider it to be my "home." I've only been living in Chicago for a year and a half. This job was all very last minute...so I'll be moving back in with my parents for at least a few months until I figure out what I'm doing. So...no worries about a hotel.

Reddog80p : I'd recommend staying in Chicago. We have the Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier the Bears, Bulls, Cubs, Sox and Blackhawks plus we have the best pizza in the country.

I'll definitely miss Chicago...The museums, and taste of chicago, and popcorn palace in navy pier, and boating on the lake.....it's a great town....and I do like Chicago "pizza"....if you want to call it that....and I'm sure that there will be times that I have a craving for some giordanos or lou malnatis.....but I'm sorry, I don't think I'll ever agree that it's "the best in the country" My heart lies elsewhere on that one- and that place is also where the Yankees reside

lilly : What about having someone overnight the fish to you when you are settled? Do you know anyone who would do that for you?

I have people who would be willing to....but I don't know if that's really a practical possibility....what would I do about the tank?

Shocker6966 : you could get a large poly garbage bag, and take it to a fish or even bait store and have them blow it up with oxygen inside a rubbermaid or cooler and circumvent the air pump completely.

Oxygen? I know that fish get shipped that way from breeders.....is that safe? How long can they last that way? And will a fish store really do that for me?

legendaryfrog : return it to a GOOD STORE. from previous esperience, i can say that the road to new york from chicago is very bumpy and WILL stress your fish up to the point where they die.

I like my fish a whole lot...and I like their personalities....but I wouldn't say that I'm attached to them to the point of being unreasonable...and more importantly, their wellbeing is more important to me than getting to take them with me. I'd love to find a good home for them, but none of my friends are fishkeepers, so I can't leave them with the little guys...and....though I'll do it if I have to.....I'm worried about what will happen to them if I give them away to an aquarium store. I do have nice stores in my area, but who knows who the store will be selling my fish to.

So, I guess it comes down to which option gives my fish the best chance of survival and happy lives....a move to New York, or going back to the fish store to be sold again?

Thanks again everyone.....I appreciate the input. I won't actually be doing this move for a couple of weeks...so I have time to consider all your suggestions, whatever they might be and come up with a game plan.

 

[Reddog80p]

Yankees!!!! No thanks I'll stick to the lovable losers...my cubbies. How could you leave out Gino's pizza? Or Maggianos?

Anyhow, best of luck and go cubbies!

-Red

 

[nycsicktank]

i had 10 rams bagged up in a small plastic bag from petland discount for 20 hours. they were all fine. =) the reason i had them bagged up for 20 hours was because one of my friend was going to come and pick it up, of course he didnt for 20 hours and i forgot it was bagged up due to busy PETLAND.

i suggest you triple bag them with garbage bag and put the garbage bag into the box with some heating pad. My opinion ;]