Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I am going to move from Kansas City to Portland, Oregon in the next two months. I would really like to find a friend / place to sell my fish, but so far I dont have any real options. My fish are very sentimental to me and I will have a very difficult time unless they go to someone I know will take good care of them. I start crying each time I think of leaving my babies behind.

I have a 55 gallon tank with a 10 year old, 16 inch pleco, an 8 year old dojo loach, a 3 year old needle nose fish that eats algae and hangs on the side (forgotten the name), and four 3 year old tetras. I have moved them twice using a very large rubbermaid tub (two to three feet long, two wide, and almost two feet tall. The tub has holes drilled in the top for air and a battery operated air pump attaches to the side. The longest they've spent in this set up is maybe 3 or 4 hours. I've never had any problems.

But moving to Portland is a three day trip. Has anyone successfully moved a tank cross country? Anyone have any ideas on how to find them a good new home? There are two adults, three cats, and five ferrets also making the trip.

Thanks.

I've not personally moved with fish but I know somebody who sucessfully moved from NH to Florida a few years ago. While certainly not easy, it can be done.

Oh, I haven't tried that yet. Usually, I leave my pets to my friends whenever I decide to transfer. But I'll try to ask around here for suggestions.
Snake Search

I'm here to report that moving cross country with 9 fish, 3 cats, 4 ferrets, and 14 tarantulas can be done and its not as difficult as I thought it might be. In fact, moving the fish was super easy!

I found the pleco a great home with a 350 gallon tank in a greenhouse. I bought a rubbermaid container that was about 17 gallons, which was the largest I could afford to take, for about $7. I have a battery operated air pump that I purchased from DrsFosterSmith.com for $8 plus shipping of $9
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3692&Ntt=battery operated air pump&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

So I loaded up the fish into their rubbermaid with air pump (only filled about half full to account for splashing) the night before we left so that the aquarium could be put on the truck. It was packed with four inch foam on the bottom and all sides. It made the trip intact.

We set off on a three day move from Kansas to Washington. The fish in the rubbermaid, the spiders in their individual food size rubbermaids, and cats and ferrets in carriers. We stopped at pet friendly hotels (found with help from a great book from AAA) and left the fish in the car until we arrived at our new home.

For the fish, the first night I changed about half the water and added it so that the rubbermaid was about 3/4 full, added some ice in case it was hot overnight, put cold packs around the sides ($4 for two at Target). The next morning I changed the batteries for the pump. The next night I didnt change any of the water. The third night (the night we arrived) I did change some of the water and replaced the batteries. I fed them the fourth morning and not any of the other days. The fish spent another two days or so in their set up before I was able to put them back into their aquarium.

I am happy to report that all animals arrived safe and sound and are happy living in their new home. So moving fish across the country CAN be done. My total cost was about $28 including the rubbermaid, air pump, and cold packs. And the extra time it took me to change a bit of the water and batteries was not a burden at all.