Emergency advice needed fast!

So...I get home tonight, and find a note on my door that due to a cockroach infestation(not in my apt..but that apparently does not matter!) my entire building, and every apt. will be fumigated on Thursday.
So...I have taken tomorrow off to prepare..but what do I do about my fish? I have no place to put them on such short notice, and even if I did, it would still be in the apt..(no other place outside in this cold, nor any friends with empty tanks)...so..I am really freaked out...
I can only imagine what the results of getting any of the crap into the water would be...and I think the results of having NO air circulation for 48 hours(per the instructions on the pamplet) would be nearly as bad. They say you have to "cover and air-tight seal" any aquarium or plant for 48 hours...which means no filters or anything. Again...ideas?? Advice? Someone must have gone through this before?

Can you cover your tanks with plastic, add airstones, and keep the pump outside? Also start now chilling the tanks down with ice to keep oxygen requirements to a minimum?

I've never been through this but I agree with Matt. Cover with plastic sheeting and tape (well sealed) and put your air pumps outside. I might also plan on a large water change once you can enter.

Can you cover your tanks with plastic, add airstones, and keep the pump outside? Also start now chilling the tanks down with ice to keep oxygen requirements to a minimum?

Being in an apartment, I really don't have a good way of putting the pumps outside. The windows are sealed(can't open the screens) so in theory I'd have to run wires outside, hook up the pump, run at least 200 feet of air tube back inside. Also..the way the doors seal(sound proof and a tight seal) I can't see anyway to run a hose in around/under the door. That idea DID cross my mind..but I just don't think it's feasible. I'm really at a loss here:( I was thinking of trying "otabs"..but no idea if they would last long enough.

You can purchase small oxygen tanks from the hardware store. You will need the screw on tip for a torch. You could plastic the tanks up tightly with a bit of slack plastic. Shoot O2 into it and quickly seal it. This bubble of O2 might be enough to last 48 hours. Monitor your fish, and watch for symptoms of low dissolved oxygen. Add more as needed. This is the only other thing I can think of short of moving the fish out. And as Uland said, I would plan on some large water changes.
I would still try to lower the tank temps also.

You can purchase small oxygen tanks from the hardware store. You will need the screw on tip for a torch. You could plastic the tanks up tightly with a bit of slack plastic. Shoot O2 into it and quickly seal it. This bubble of O2 might be enough to last 48 hours. Monitor your fish, and watch for symptoms of low dissolved oxygen. Add more as needed. This is the only other thing I can think of short of moving the fish out. And as Uland said, I would plan on some large water changes.

If I tried that(not sure I can find O2..but maybe) how do you think that would effect the mud minnows? I have heard that pure oxygen is not good for them when they come to the surface. My other thought was just put a BIG bunch of plastic over the tank(at least the tanks own volume, perhaps, and run it down far enough that the HOB filter was totally encased..and just let it run. That would at least keep circulation up, and maybe enough air in the big bag would do it. I really do like the idea of running air from outside..just not sure I can figure a way to do it. This really sucks.

Since you don't have a way of putting an air pump outside, I would just pack the fish in breather bags and take them with you. I'd still keep the tanks sealed.

My local hardware store has small 1 pound O2 tanks.
I am not sure that mudminnows are obligate air breathers. I know they will surface if dissolved oxygen is low, but if O2 levels are adequate will they still surface? Not sure.
I can tell you that pure O2 in contact with your water will be a hell of alot more effective than a great big bubble of air. The difference is the concentration. The constant is the surface area of your tank. Your surface area of water can only absorb so much gas. When you figure that air is only 21% oxygen and welding oxygen is near 100%, the pure O2 will absorb into the water at a much greater rate.
Good luck. I am glad I am not in your shoes tonight.

Since you don't have a way of putting an air pump outside, I would just pack the fish in breather bags and take them with you. I'd still keep the tanks sealed.

If I had breather bags, I'd do that for sure! At this point I am going to talk to the apt. manager and see if I can get permission to run something from outside. Given my short window of time(not only do I have to figure out something for the fish and tank..but I have to prep my entire apt, by about 5 tomorrow.), I just don't have time to get breather bags...
I really think my only hope, and t hat of the fish, is A)fate, and B), getting a way to run air from outside. I do have an air pump and can purchase the hose and extention chord..so that may indeed be the best, indeed, only, answer. Guess my fate rests with my property manager.

Carbon filtration may adsorb some of the nastiness. Also, be prepared for a big water change. Maybe you cannot move them all, but some of your prize fish could be put in a bucket at a friends?

How about going mobile?

Get a large cooler. Remove some of your substrate place it in the cooler, set up your filter (hob, canister, airstone, etc...) in the cooler. Place your fish in the cooler and take them away. The resiliency of a healthy fish always surprises me. Seal your tanks to the best of your ability and upon your return do a large water change with carbon for a time or two. Think of it as a long collecting-trip/shipping your fish to yourself.

Edited by MScooter, 26 March 2008 - 01:34 AM.

I had my house treated for flea's several times with out mishap, here is what i did

Removed filter, I ran it in a 5 gal bucket that i had added 1/2 droper (i think that was 2 ml) of ammonia (this amount brought the 40 gal tank to about 1ppm, when i did a fish less cycle)

I drained the tank water down 1/3

immediately before the fumigations (there were 3) I taped plastic over the top of the tank (sealing it completely) useing that metal foil tape, HVAC installers use (warning: i had a hard time getting it off)

at the time i had my red spot sunfish and several sailfin shiners, the red spot is still with me, the sailfins were driven to suicide by the red spot, no fish had any adverse affects from the fumigation

we fumigated each time on a Friday and we re-interred the house Monday morning, i did a typical 50% water change and re-installed the filter.

what fish do you have?

Carbon filtration may adsorb some of the nastiness. Also, be prepared for a big water change. Maybe you cannot move them all, but some of your prize fish could be put in a bucket at a friends?

I was also gonna suggest activated carbon. The stuff really is amazing in what it can remove. Not to say I know it will work but I think that's what I'd be doing if it were me. I'd use lots of fresh carbon and I'd toss it afterwards.

The situation may not be as dire as you think. Cockroach treatment often are placed on the surfaces, not blown into the air like a flea "bomb". Maybe there won't be as much air borne pesticides as you think.
Good luck.

I was also gonna suggest activated carbon. The stuff really is amazing in what it can remove. Not to say I know it will work but I think that's what I'd be doing if it were me. I'd use lots of fresh carbon and I'd toss it afterwards.

The situation may not be as dire as you think. Cockroach treatment often are placed on the surfaces, not blown into the air like a flea "bomb". Maybe there won't be as much air borne pesticides as you think.
Good luck.

Mike, you were right. I was able to contact the extermination company today, and it's not nearly as bad as I was under the impression. They will be putting down topical applications mainly in the kitchen and bathroom areas, and will not be fogging. It's mainly traps and again, surface chemical apps. The lady said that the main reason for covering the tank was just for the time they are actually applying the chemicals,(as t here is always a bit of airborn spray) and once that's done, if I just air out the room for an our or so, I will be fine. She said to cover the tank with plastic, but I won't need it off for more then a few hours. Indeed...she said she's seen situations where the tank was just covered for an hour or two, and was fine. My plan is to get everything ready tonight, then get up early and do the tank tomorrow(using the method HMT layed out), and then just let it ride untill I get home from work about 10 tomorrow night. I'll likely buy a case of otabs and toss them in also, to keep some oxygen flowing. There will be no need to stay out of the building, and it will be a pretty non-invasive application.
WHEW!!!!

They sell those kits to convert a small propane tank into a portable air tank. You could fill one with and air compressor which, of course, wouldn't be pure oxygen and bubble that into the sealed tanks. Maybe someone oyuo know ahs one of these protable air tanks. Or one of the tanks like in the link below
http://www.harborfre...temnumber=40057 You might have to get creative to get just a gentle bubble stream but it would probably work.

An update.
In the entire adventure, I did loose one fish..a flagfish that was already on it's last legs for several weeks, so I can't even say it was not just chance. The darters, which I would have thought to be the most stressed, seemed to have come though fine(not that I've seen all of them...but the ones that have been out front, are fine). Every other fish was fine.
What I did was in the end, pretty simple. I unplugged the lights and filter, and left then on the tank(the filter in this tank is mostly for water movement..the tanks is very heavily planted, so the biofilter is pretty much entirely in-tank). I covered the entire top, down about half the depth of the tank, with several large refuse bags, being careful to seal it well. The lighting serived to prop up the bag, and form a fairly large air pocket. Finaly, before making the final seal...I put 7 "O-Tabs" into the tank. These were actually very impressive, in that with 7 going at once, the volume of small bubbles of pure oxygen was at least equal to a robust air stone! Even though much of the oxygen "escapes" to the surface...the fact that I had sealed the upper part of the tank, I suspect, served to hold it in, and likely ended up with a net gain in that respect. The turn over of the tank water with that set up was also impressive, again...at least equal to a very stout air stone and pump.
Interesting thing about the otabs. They state they last "up to 5 hours". I figured that would be enough, as it cut the "down time" with (I assumed) no circulation down to only a few hours...BUT...when I got home about 10 tonight, they were STILL bubbling, although much reduced. This was 14 hours total(started it at 8 this morning).
I am going to order a case of these things..I have little doubt they could act as cheap insurance for up to several days of no power, if used carefully.

didn't read the whole thread but:
for the smaller tank: put them in a large garbage bag, fill with oxygen and seal.

EDIT: nvm it already happened.

Edited by Zephead4747, 28 March 2008 - 07:36 PM.

A final update. Rest of the darters were out and about today, and because I was just plain lazy last night I didn't pull the otabs out. When I got home from work about 7 this evening....they were STILL bubbling faintly..that is an almost unbelievable 32 plus hours.