Tropical Fish

[sherrardk]

Girl has a fish tank (only three months old) and wants to upgrade to a larger one. As there is nothing wrong with the plants and stones/gravel how do I go about moving them too? Obviously can't move the fish out of their current tank till the new one is ready but can't get the new one ready if the plants and stones/gravel are in the old tank. I expect there is some glaringly obvious solution but can't think what it is.

[pixie373]

We moved our fish into a temporary bowl (in the same water they were in) and got the new tank ready. We left it (advised by pet shop) for 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate and make sure the temperature is the same.

[sherrardk]

My fish shop advises three days for the tank to warm up and for the chemicals to sort the water out. She wants to upgrade to a 70 litre tank so quite a bit of water. Boy #2 got a 70 litre tank yesterday (for his birthday) and it should just be about warm enough by tomorrow for him to get his fish (it's his actual birthday tomorrow).

[Baby_Sham]

Should I give my input...?

Probably not...

[sherrardk]

Hi Baby Sham, probably best not, we actually want to keep these ;)

[Baby_Sham]

Haha! Yep, I get that. I genuinely didn't mean any harm or distress by my previous post, but hey, we live and learn... :-)

[woofgang]

its a ginormous ask, but would birthday boy lend his tank for a few days?

[sherrardk]

Himself suggested that birthday boy did that, but birthday boy has been waiting for his tank since girl's birthday and is all geared up to get some of his fish tomorrow. Saying that, he is v lovely and would probably do it to be nice.

[woofgang]

its also not a bad idea to have in the house a spare small pump, filter and heater. my experience with fish is that whatever happens happens after the shops are shut. and if you haven't got the wherewithal for a simple temporary setup, not rocks and plants, just container, filter setup and heater, you end up having many tiny funerals.....

[woofgang]

is there enough tank space in birthday boys tank to take all girls fish plus a couple of new ones for him? he could get the rest when girls tank is sorted.

[sherrardk]

It's all turning into a minefield :(

[woofgang]

wait till they want snakes and lizards!!!!!

[pussnboots]

The current fish won't mind one bit if you take out the plants and gravel ready for the move. Syphon off some of the tank water and put the plants and as much of the gravel as possible in it. Once the new tank is ready you can introduce the plants and gravel back.

[sherrardk]

Thanks all, worked out the logistics now. Will get girl her new tank and
put water in it on Tuesday (so we don't take the shine off boy #2's birthday tomorrow). It will be warm by Friday, when they are at school we will take the fish out of the little tank and put them in boy #2's tank. Take stones and plants out of girl's little tank and put stones, plants and fish in girl's new tank (which she is paying for - she will sell the old tank). No one will know and all will be well.

[divegirl]

Hi sherrardak,

Does the old tank have a filter running in it?

If yes you can swap it all over in one day.
Set up the new tank where you want it, all you will need to do is dechlorinate the new water [ I even use hot water out of the hot tap to bring it up to temperature].
Put the fish in a bucket of old tank water.
Take some of the old filter media [sponges or balls] and put it in the new filter... start to run it straight away.
Sort out all of your plants and decorations.
Add fish!

Job done :)

I'm on line all day so feel to ask any questions

Lisa x