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Moving large excitable fish?
#1
Guest_steve_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 12:13 PM
Steve.
#2
Guest_Skipjack_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 12:23 PM
#3
Guest_Yeahson421_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 01:54 PM
#4
Posted 25 June 2012 - 02:58 PM
I 'had' 2 Muskie that were fingerlings in a 75gal a few years back and while moving them into a 180 gal., one decided to make a break for it and shot to the other side of the tank. He consequently caved his skull in by hitting the glass and died. I worry now as I'm about to move the remaining Muskie into a larger tank (it's ~14" now)...but am going to try what I suggested above. Should be fine. Best of luck, your bass is hardy and should tolerate whatever stress it encounters during the move quite well as all sunnies do.
#5
Guest_Katfisher_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 04:03 PM
#6
Guest_Orangespotted_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 05:27 PM
All else fails? Grab your fishing gear...
![:biggrin:](http://forum.nanfa.org/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.png)
#7
Guest_EricaWieser_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:08 PM
I have used this technique with great success. Fish can't swim away if there's no water left.Like Skipjack said, lower the water level. On the day that you actually decide to move the fish, continue to drain the water until it literally has nothing to swim in. At that point you could probably pick the fish up by hand, or at least scoop it up with a large net.
After moving my fish tank 8 times in four years I got pretty good at it. These are the steps:
1. Put filter sponge in its own fish baggie with water.
2. Disconnect and store all equipment attached to the tank.
3. Connect hose that slowly drains out water and begin removing and packing plants into their own baggies.
4. Continue removing plants and tank decorations until all that is left are the fish and a steadily decreasing water level.
5. When the fish have nowhere to run (the water is at their backs and the ground at their bellies), catch them. Bag them in pre-prepared fish baggies with clean water, not the dusty stuff from the tank as it is with lowered water. For a single large fish you can use a cooler.
6. After water is done draining, completely remove all substrate (gravel, sand, kitty litter, etc) and only then, after everything is completely gone from the tank do you attempt to move it.
Have I done it other ways? Yes. One time I put a 55 gallon tank with plants, substrate, and four inches of water in the back of a pickup truck complete with fish and drove it down the highway for over an hour. One hatchet fish (they're oddly shaped and just basically got scraped along the bottom the whole time) and a few fry didn't survive but every other fish did. Would I do that again? hecks no, that tank was three times as heavy as it needed to be and I was worrying about my fish the whole time. I now use the 'bag the fish, plants, and filter sponge and don't worry about them' method. The tank is much much easier to move when empty and the whole stress level is way down.
Edit:
One last tip: If you try the technique above with a tank with lots of small fish, watch out for these ones so you don't miss them:
![Posted Image](http://gallery.nanfa.org/d/27555-3/Elassoma+hiding.jpg)
http://gallery.nanfa...hiding.jpg.html
Edited by EricaWieser, 25 June 2012 - 09:09 PM.
#8
Guest_exasperatus2002_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:36 PM
#9
Guest_keepnatives_*
Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:39 PM
#10
Guest_steve_*
Posted 26 June 2012 - 12:22 AM
Steve
#11
Guest_gzeiger_*
Posted 01 July 2012 - 03:31 PM
#12
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
Posted 04 July 2012 - 11:18 PM
#13
Guest_Skipjack_*
Posted 05 July 2012 - 12:16 AM
#14
Guest_centrarchid_*
Posted 05 July 2012 - 06:26 PM
Leave net(s) to handle it with in tank for several days. Each day gently handle nets in and even touch fish with them. At some point actually confine fish only breifly, then release it. Each time increase duration of handling. Feed fish an hour of so later with a small meal. On day to be moved, use exact same proceedure and move from small to large tank quickly and smoothly. Have lights subdued in receiving tank.
#15
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
Posted 05 July 2012 - 08:10 PM
Clove oil is very useful for sure. I have never found an exact dosage though. Martin do you have a formula?
Bruce posted one to this forum - It's around here somewhere. I haven't used the stuff in a long while...
#16
Guest_fundulus_*
Posted 05 July 2012 - 09:37 PM
#17
Guest_gzeiger_*
Posted 06 July 2012 - 02:27 AM
#18
Guest_centrarchid_*
Posted 06 July 2012 - 07:09 AM
Is there any possibility of permanent damage from that?
Yes, move fish after it obviously becomes disoriented but prior loosing equilibrium. Fish will appear slow and react very little to handling. Transfer to receiving tank will effectively stop exposure.
I stress again, the new habitat itself can be a stressor. Subdue lighting, cover tightly, and avoid disturburbance for a couple days. With larger fish it is not simply the act of moving that is a stressor when such animals already have well developed concept of home range.
#19
Guest_steve_*
Posted 06 July 2012 - 12:54 PM
With larger fish it is not simply the act of moving that is a stressor when such animals already have well developed concept of home range.
I didn't realized just how strong this was until I moved this fish from a 55 gallon to the 150 gallon when it was about 8" long. The tanks are about 7 feet apart and for the first several weeks all it wanted to do was stare back at the 55 gallon where it had just come from. I was amazed that it could tell where "home" had been from the outside looking in - a perspective it would have never known that tank from before.
#20
Guest_steve_*
Posted 12 July 2012 - 11:41 AM
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