# How to move fish without shocking them



## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

As I have posted in previous threads I am moving my goldfish to a 60 gallon tank. I am getting the tank this weekend and planning to cycle it without fish for a month. I was thinking about putting in a plant or two in the last week of the cycle to get the environment ready for the fish. Is this enough time, too much, not enough?

Also, I am moving their tank this Friday from the living room to the bedroom, the day before I usually perform their weekly water change. The large tank will go in the living room. I usually do between 25-30% each time. However, I will have to remove significantly more so that my husband and I can move the tank and the stand. Is there a way I can do this so as to cause as little stress as possible to my fish? Additionally I will have to move them from the small tank to the large one after it is done cycling, any advice for this?

I know I am asking a lot of questions and I hope I dont come across as pushy. I just want to ensure as smooth a transition as possible for my fish. 

Thanks!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Try to keep 1/2 of the tank water in buckets if you can.The tank should be moved completely empty regardless of how strong your husband is(the glass is what matters).
I've replaced almost 100% of water moving tanks or fish without problems.As long as you don't do any "funny" stiff to your water and you use the same source water it should be no big deal.
Now about cycling the 60?I'm not sure how you are going to cycle it.Asking how long will be long enough scares me?In the freshwater forum there is a fishless cycle thread.Read it and you could be cycled in 2 weeks,maybe longer every tank is different.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Remove ALL the water from the tank, you can get Homer Buckets from Home Depot for very cheap and can save at least 1/2 the water, like coralbandit suggests. If you try and lift the tank with water in it, you risk popping a seam and dumping everything on the floor.

Cycling can be done easily, provided you have a source of ammonia. Dose pure ammonia daily, add some dirty filter media to the new filter from your old tank, and you'll have a cycled tank in weeks instead of months.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

I have used the fishless cycle thread before. I didnt use any ammonia when I set up my current tank. As I recall I took about a month to cycle the 29 gallon tank. If I used the cycle method with ammonia this time around would it do any harm to the goldfish that will be moved into the tank? Would it be useful to take any of the water from their 29 gallon and put it in the 60 gallon tank? I apologize if my questions seem clueless but I am learning everything about freshwater aquariums on my own or through the use of this forum.

I appreciate the tip about moving the tank empty. I certainly dont want any damaged glass or leaking. Looks like I will have to buy another bucket. The bucket I use for water changes is a food safe water bucket that I got from a store that sells supplies for making wine/beer. Funny huh? What price would appropriate buckets run at a Lowe's or Home Depot or some store of that nature?


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

The 5 gallon buckets usually cost between $4 and $6. They are always good to have on hand when you keep fish. I use mine with every tank cleaning - best investment ever.

About moving your tank - when I moved mine - I drained most of the water but left about 4" depth of water in the tank and moved the entire thing (cabinet with tank sitting on it) with those disc that you buy for moving furniture. They slide across carpet really easily. You only have to lift the tank/stand enough to slide the disc underneath.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

Did you keep the fish in the tank when you moved it or did you have them in a bucket with more water?


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

I removed any large rocks or decorations that could possibly fall and harm my fish but yes, I left my fish in the tank. I only had to slide the whole setup into the next room - it went very well, I don't think the fish even realized what had happened.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

For the 60 gallon, are you doing a fish-in cycle or a fishless cycle? That will determine whether you need to use ammonia. No source of ammonia = no cycle, no matter how long you let the tank sit running.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

I had planned on using a fishless cycle, adding ammonia. The people that are selling me the tank currently have two convicts. Should I consider cycling with the fish? I am not wanting to keep them in the tank after and would probably take them to my local pet store which has a good stock of cichlid's. I have heard that convicts are rather aggressive and I wouldnt want the tetras to be harassed. Of course, if I am wrong I could take them. I am just uncertain as to the level of care the covicts received before coming to me. So I dont want to introduce anything harmful to the other fish that will be added later.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

L.West whereabouts in Michigan are you from? I graduated from WMU in Kalamazoo MI with my BA and I attended the University of Michigan for a year. I mainly lived in the Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Hastings area. Love the vast amounts of water there that you practically run into at every given opportunity


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

I live near Cabelas in the Dundee area. I am about 20 min. south of Ann Arbor.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

If the new tank you're getting is running and established already and your getting their filter that is on the tank currently, then you can already have a cycled tank.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

I am installing a new filter. I am putting a Penguin biowheel on it. I am replacing that because I was told their filter recently started giving them troubles and because the tank was owned by the children of one of my friends. I am not positive that he took care of the tank, fish much at all. So, I was going to cycle it anyways. Would this be too much work? Or, what would you recommend given this situation?


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

I want to do whatever is right and will help the fish flourish  No matter how long it takes.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

Bought three foodsafe buckets at Lowe's yesterday. Only $3.97 each. What a deal!! In other news, I think we will keep both the 60 gallon and the 29 gallon tanks in the living room. Just need to move a book case in the bedroom. Husband and I figured we would see more of the fish that way.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I have a hard time during the week finding time to see my fish. They're in the guest bedroom so they're not in a highly populated area of the apartment. Our cats spend more time watching the fish than I do...


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

If you move the filter from the existing tank to the new tank, along with whatever new filter you have, and you don't increase your stock beyond what the existing filter now supports, you can move the goldfish directly into the new tank. Then just wait several weeks until the new filter catches up with the old as far as building up bacteria before either removing the old or adding new stock.

I recently upgraded from a 26g to a 40B. I moved all of the fish from the 26g to an empty 20g I had, along with about half the water from the 26g and half fresh, dechlorinated water. I put the filter from the 26g on this temporary tank while I tore down the 26g completely, moved it out of the way, moved the 40B into the same spot and set it up with 100% new water, new substrate and deco. I then put the original filter from the 26g on the new 40B, along with a new filter, moved the fish from the temporary 20g into the 40B. No cycle, no fish loss. The entire move took just a few hours. I'm still running both filters on this tank, and I have added to the stock, but it was about 6-7 weeks before I added anything new.

Your advantage is that the new tank is going in a different spot. So you can set up the new tank, move the old filter over, add the new one too, and move the fish.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

Should I put the 29 gallon biowheel in there as well as the filter cartridges? The 60 gal filter takes 2 biowheels which was included with what I bought. I was thinking of taking the used biowheel and putting it with one of the new and just saving the extra for the 29 gallon which I am going to turn into a community tank. Would this work? Set up the tank yesterday. Filled about 3/4 with water rinsed gravel and put that in. Made sure the outlet/powerstrip could support all the things (filter, lights, etc.) that will need to be plugged into it.

Almost all ready. One more thing...it seems cruel to net the fish to transfer them. Is there a nicer way I could do that? The net just seems kind of small for my large golds. Could I put them in a measuring cup (4 c) with some of their current water to move them from the one tank to the other? Also, should I use my seachems prime on the 60 gallon water now? Or dechlorinate on Sunday (which is a water change day regularly) with the new water and the current water? Just want to make sure I have the last of the details down correctly.

Special ordered a pearlscale oranda from my lfs. Sooooo excited!!

-Tonya


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

I'm not really familiar with the biowheel filters, but what you describe sounds like it would work. If you are able to bring over all of your media from the old filter to the new filter, that will bring with it all of the bacteria you need for now. you're just changing the housing for it. Many people do that with the AC filters. Just transfer the old media to the new filter.

I used nets for my fish (with a lot of help from my son) but any way you can transfer them safely is OK. Goldfish might be slower than my tetras were so you might be able to catch them that way? Or just get a larger net. We used two - one to herd them into the other.

If you are putting new fresh water in the 60 gal, I would add dechlorinator, now, and again at the time of water change.


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

Thank you for the advice! I dechloiranted the new water this morning and will do so again when I add the current water they are in to the tank. How long would you say I should keep the aquarium population as is before I add another? I special ordered a pearlscale oranda from my lfs but the last time they had them in was May and before that was a while. Don't want to add a fish too soon and shock the system.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

I'd wait at least 4 weeks


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## TonyaPatrick1985 (Mar 10, 2014)

Will do! Also I moved the fish yesterday and they swam around explopring their new home. Active last night and still their same old selves this morning  I was so nervous about transporting them. But, in the end I worried a lot more than was warranted I think.


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