We need a sticky on fish transport

[my2rotties]

Originally Posted by fishytime

perhaps you could go into a little more detail about the whole fish catching process.....something seems amiss here....Ive done the 3 hour trip to Edmonton several times with fish in bags with no heat or aeration and never suffered any losses....was the rock removed?....was the sandbed disturbed?

Rock was removed five hours earlier, the fish were salt pails. I had 400 gallons of water in the system on top of the 265g display tank. Also I did not have that much live rock in the display to begin with, as it was all in the sump and holding tanks in the basement. I wanted the fish to have ample swimming room.

[Mike-fish]

Originally Posted by fishytime

perhaps you could go into a little more detail about the whole fish catching process.....something seems amiss here....Ive done the 3 hour trip to Edmonton several times with fish in bags with no heat or aeration and never suffered any losses....was the rock removed?....was the sandbed disturbed?

the move from calgary was as follows:
begin pump out (about 1/3)
remove rock (keeping a watchful eye for any hiding fish (experience that one was a near miss on the 175g)
rock is placed in buckets with enough water to keep the fully submersed
more water removed as needed untill there is about 2" more depth than the tallest fish(makes capture easier)
catch fish snails crabs and any others (snails and crabs allways ride with the rock)
get air going and seal up for transit.
finish pump out
sand was left in on this move (34g tank plus sand = not allot of weight)
disconnect all systems from tank
load every thing up and hit the highway ( try to pick a smooth route).
upon arival at destination.
hook everything back up
add some water ( pour onto something to avoid a sand storm)
start adding rock keep adding water as rock is removed from pails.
once all rock is added fire up pumps (if possible)
add fish.
and grab a cold one .


the 175g
no road transit needed
weighs allot ( man power is a must ) use your brains guys not your muscles !!!!!!!!!
same as above just sand has to be taken out ( don't fill sand pails with water )(don't fill more than about half full gets very heavy very fast).
add sand before water gets added (less of a sand storm)
always check that bulkheads have sealed properly (always remove them before you move the tank )
bring the tank on line and add fish and others.

if moving large fish its best if they get their own pail just tee them an airline.
large brute pails work great as holding tanks for "extra " water i like to have a fresh batch of water ready to go (some seems to go missing every time)