Moving a fish tank to a new house can be a fairly complicated and rather tricky moving task that will require strategic planning and careful execution.
You can’t just grab the fish tank as it is – with all the fish, water, decorations, tank equipment, and gravel still inside – and start moving it in the general direction of the moving truck. And you shouldn’t do it either.
When taken out of their well-established environment, freshwater aquarium fish get so stressed out that they won’t eat for the duration of the move, no matter how long that house move lasts.
And due to their heightened sensitivity to even minor changes in their familiar surroundings and conditions, some of your water friends may never make it to the new home.
To make the relocation experience safe for your delicate aquarium fish and to increase their chance of survival during the move, it’s imperative that you use a number of basic principles and important steps that’ll show you how to move a fish tank to a new house.
The best way to move a fish tank to another house is to follow this step-by-step moving guide.
Step 1. CONSIDER your fish tank moving options
Moving your fish tank to a new home is a delicate business. Here’s what you need to know way before you take hold of your trusted net and start catching the fish in order to transfer them into suitable containers for transport.
ASSESS the risk for your fish and act accordingly. Your aquarium fish will refuse to eat while they are on the move due to the sudden stress of being out of their controlled environment. Even after the move is complete, it’ll be some time before they get back to feeling alright again.
DO what’s best for your pet friends. If you’re moving long distance, then consider giving away your fish to trustworthy friends who already have appropriate aquariums and will be happy to have them. This way, you’ll be able to keep your fish pals from almost certain demise, move only the fish tank, and then purchase new fish after settling into the new place.
PLAN your fish tank move well. Minimize the period your fish spend outside their carefully controlled and monitored environment. Think several steps ahead so that your fish get to be the last thing you prepare for the move and load into the moving vehicle, and then the first thing you unload and tend to after arriving in the new home.
Did you know that clownfish have a great sense of humor? Just ask yours to tell you a joke and you’ll see for yourself. “A clownfish walks into a bar. The bartender turns to him and says, “Hi, Bob. I hear you’re on the wagon now, but I remember when you used to drink like a fish.”
Once you’ve decided that it’s safe to move the fish tank to another home, it’s time to get hold of the necessary supplies to get the job done properly.
A FISHNET for catching and transferring the fish into temporary moving containers;
BUCKETS for serving as temporary transporting containers for your fish. Those 5-gallon plastic buckets should be either brand-new or perfectly clean, large, leak-proof, and equipped with lids;
A SIPHON HOSE for draining the fish tank;
PLASTIC BAGS for keeping smaller fish if your local move is scheduled to last roughly one hour;
FURNITURE blankets for protecting the empty glass aquarium on the road.
BUBBLE WRAP for protecting all the fragile fish tank decorations and equipment pieces such as light fixtures, pumps, and heaters. Also, bubble wrap will protect the fragile glass tank from breaking during the move.
PACKING PAPER for wrapping most fish tank accessories and equipment pieces – usually as an initial layer of protection.
PACKING TAPE for keeping all protected fish tank components wrapped up and protected during transport.
CARDBOARD BOXES for housing and protecting all fish tank elements during the move.
One of the most crucial steps of moving a fish tank to another home is to prepare its precious inhabitants for the ride of their lives. Here’s how to prepare your fish for transport.
STOP feeding your fish 24-48 hours prior to Moving day. It’s okay – aquarium fish can live without any food for about a week. This step is necessary so that the water can stay fairly waste-free during the actual move.
DRAIN some of the water from the fish tank using the siphon hose and pour it into two or three of the plastic buckets until they are about two-thirds full. Do NOT fill the buckets to the brims to avoid water spills during the move. Your freshwater fish must be transported in their old water to prevent shock. If happen to be moving freshwater fish that’s less sensitive, then you may use a mix of old tank water and fresh distilled water.
TAKE out the net and catch carefully all of your precious fish. Then, place them gently into one of the buckets with enough water. If you have a lot of fish or if they are particularly large, you may need to split them between several receptacles. It’s very important that you count your fish carefully as you’re transferring them into suitable containers for transport so that not a single one is left behind by choosing a bad time to play hide-and-seek with you.
CLOSE the plastic buckets with their lids but ensure that air can still reach the water and the fish inside the moving containers. Make small holes in the plastic lids or provide extra oxygen with the help of battery-operated air pumps for containers with larger fish or when it’s a long-distance move in hot weather.
USE fish plastic bags for transporting small fish over short distances. Fill the bags with 1/3 of water and 2/3 of air. You’re strongly recommended to double bag for added safety. You should NEVER blow into a fish bag to inflate it.
Goldfish can grant you three wishes only, so choose wisely!
Now that your aquarium fish are safely into their temporary moving containers, the clock starts ticking away faster than ever before, so you’d better hurry with the rest of the fish tank moving steps.
This step is all about how to prepare the fish tank for transport.
DRAIN the rest of the tank water into clean 5-gallon buckets using the siphon hose. This is a crucial step because you’ll want to save and move as much of the fish tank water (70%-80% is best) to the new home as possible. Doing so will help you minimize the stress for your poor fish and will speed up the formation of the biological balance after you set up the fish tank in the new place. Use the plastic lids to avoid spills.
TAKE OUT any live plants from the fish tank and place them into a plastic bucket filled with tank water. Just like your freshwater fish, those live plants will need water to survive the house move.
REMOVE any sorts of decorations from the aquarium – rocks, rock castles, pirate ships, sunken treasure chests, artificial plants, NO FISHING signs, etc. – any aquarium ornaments you currently have in your fish tank. Dry them up the best you can, then pack each one into soft packing paper and arrange them into a small to medium cardboard box. If a fish tank ornament is too fragile, then wrap it with a layer of bubble wrap over the initial paper one for extra protection.
REMOVE any types of fish tank equipment and accessories too – pumps, heaters, chillers, light fixtures, tubes, filters, etc. Again, dry them carefully, then wrap them in white packing paper and then in bubble wrap, and transfer them into a suitable cardboard box. Label that moving container to be able to find it fast right after the move.
DRAIN completely your fish tank – don’t leave any water inside no matter how small its quantity is. And no, you cannot move a tank fish with water in it for fear of serious damage to the glass aquarium.
REMOVE any sand or gravel from the bottom of the aquarium, if any. That extra weight can easily cause your glass fish tank to crack or even shatter when you try to move it, so transfer all that sand or gravel into an empty bucket to take it with you to the new home. Make sure it’s wet throughout the move to keep important bacteria alive.
CLEAN the empty fish tank using a wet or dry vacuum cleaner, then dry it up completely. Pack the glass aquarium in packing paper first, then use bubble wrap on top of it for extra protection. Finally, wrap the entire fish tank in a couple of thick furniture blankets and tape those protective covers in place.
EXERCISE extra care when handling the fish tank itself – it should be kept level as much as possible. Any accidental twisting or tilting when it is being transported may prove fatal to the integrity of the sealant that keeps the glass panels together. When moving a larger fish tank, ask a few friends to give you a hand moving and loading the fragile aquarium structure into the moving vehicle.
Your fish won’t be able to say thank you. Instead, they can reward you with radiant smiles of gratitude.
Regardless of whether you’ve moved with your fish short distance or long distance (not recommended for the sake of the aquarium inhabitants), this final step to moving a fish tank to a new house is crucial so you need to pay close attention to what the immediate post-move stage involves.
PREPARE the fish tank’s new location as soon as you enter the new home – this is critical as your fish need to get back into their familiar environment ASAP.
CHECK whether the stand is clean, level, and firm enough to be able to support the weight of your fish tank without any problems.
MAKE SURE the aquarium is close to electrical outlets (provide additional extension cords, if necessary) and the area is well protected against direct sunlight.
ENSURE that the new location provides sufficient space for the fish tank and its accessories.
POSITION the fish tank in its final resting position and check again whether it’s perfectly level and stable.
ADD slowly and carefully the gravel or sand to the bottom of the tank, then re-introduce all artificial aquarium decorations, one by one. If you’ve been thinking of redesigning the interior of your aquarium for some time but could not find the time or energy to do it, this may be the perfect time for you to show your designer’s skills and introduce a few minor, or maybe major, changes in the living space of your beloved fish.
INSTALL the fish tank equipment pieces one by one – heaters, filters, pumps, lights, and so on – but don’t plug them in yet.
FILL the fish tank approximately halfway with the old water you’ve moved from the old home. Pour it very carefully onto a kitchen plate to prevent disturbing the gravel or sand you’ve already introduced into the aquarium. When you’re done, add in any live plants.
NET all of the fish from their temporary mobile habitats and release them gently into the aquarium.
ADD any remaining quantity of old water and top it off with new conditioned (dechlorinated) tap water.
PLUG IN the heater, circulation pumps, and filters. Turn on the light and leave it on for several hours to help your fish acclimatize faster to the new environment. Finally, install the top cover of the tank and you should be done.
Caution: To avoid possible damage, the heaters and the pumps should never be turned on without a sufficient amount of water to cover them.
Post-move tips for moving a fish tank to another house
You just learned the best way to move a fish tank to another home.
Here are a few final tips when moving a fish tank to a new house that should help you complete the challenging task without any major issues.
DO NOT FEED your fish for the first 24 hours after the move. Don’t panic if some of the fish refuse to eat for a day or two – it’s a normal reaction to all the move-related stress.
MONITOR closely your fish in the next several days for any signs of trouble, such as sick fish.
CHECK frequently whether the aquarium equipment is running as smoothly as it should be. Check the temperature daily and re-adjust the heater, if necessary. Also, watch out for elevated levels of ammonia and nitrite and take appropriate actions.
VISIT the local pet stores once the muddy relocation water has already settled down. That’s especially important when you just moved to a completely new area. Familiarize yourself with the available products and ask the pet store experts for advice on any issue that might be worrying you.
At first, moving an aquarium to another house may seem too complicated for your taste. Nevertheless, you should be able to do it properly as long as you follow the detailed aquarium moving steps above.
If you happen to own a large fish tank and leaving it behind is not an option, then the safest and easiest way to move a fish tank is to hire professional fish tank movers.
Remember that if you take good care of your fish, they will make you happy in return and show their gratitude by waving their graceful fins and tails in excitement and by smiling at you contentedly with all their loveliness.
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