Tips on moving house with fish?

[ruby]

We are moving house at the end of September to a place without a pond.

Our current house and lovely pond is likely to be vacant for some time once we move and we have no idea if the new tenants will be fish-lovers, so we want to take our 19 fish with us. (Mostly goldfish and ghost koi, some of which are now quite big - 7/8")

The plan is to get a pond installed in the new place ready to transfer our fish straight across before, or very soon after, we move. We need to get the new pond fish-friendly and transport the fish (a 2 and a half hour drive to Newcastle)

Anyone have any experience that might help? Best way to transport them? Tips on getting brand new pond fish-ready fast?

Thanks!

Ruby

 

[keikoasmom]

I'm sure everyone understands the necessity here. I have told my husband several times that if we move, we have to move the pond.
He thinks I'm kidding, but I have researched the issue, and have some
inside knowlege.
My son and I owned a live-reef, custom aquarium business, and moved or
set up many aquariums.
Very similar.
First off is the new pond, you can keep fish in a temporary pond (maybe hard-sided or a wading pool) for a week or so, but there will be other issues with that, such as temperature differences and catching/releasing trauma.

So plan on where to keep them if they won't have a new pond ready. And the new pond will have issues, but you probably know those.

Catching the fish. I hate using nets, although they can be safely used, but I
prefer to use clean bins so that the fish are scooped up with their
water, and the least possible amount of stress. This would probably take
two people, the bins are heavy when filled even half-way with water, at
8 pounds per gallon. But you also want to keep from introducing them to
different water, different pH, chlorine/ammonia and temperature.
Portable air pumps for traveling.
Lids?

Heat?

I would have the pond set up and running for at least a week before moving the fish, in a perfect scenario, and be able to test both it and the old pond.
Now, if you are loving the old pond, plants, pumps, filters, liner and all,
there are more issues, but always, the fish are the main concern.

Good luck!

 

[Dave 54]

When we take our koi to shows all we do is buy a number of heavy duty large plastic bags about 20 or so will do the trick.
Next you double bag meaning place one bag inside the other before part filling the bottom of the bag with just enough water to cover the koi or goldfish to be transported.
Top the bag up with Oxygen then first twist then fold the top of the inner bag over on itself tbefore using a heavy duty elastic band to secure the bag then twist and repeat with the outer bag.
Next place this bag inside a refuse sack and tie the top the darkness helps keep the fish calm , then place the whole bag into a cardboard box.
Place you boxes sideways across the rear axle of the car , this stops any bag burns to the nose of your koi when breaking hard.
When you get them to their new home float them in the pond for 30 minutes before releasing them
A few weeks prior to your move I would take a few of your lesser fish to their new home and release them into the pond , they will help kick start the Nitrite cycle readying the pond for their pond buddies back at the old pond .

Dave

 

[sissy]

Well I did transport fish over half an hour and plugged the aerator into my trucks plug ins and put water in the 1 stock tank and had to really put a strong double piece of window screening on top of it and tie it down with my trucks tie downs .Not easy but drove slow and made it .I think Daves idea is great at least they would not shake around like they did in the stock tank and had the guy sit back there with them to keep an eye on them .I will never volunteer to help people move again and take another pond apart .My shoulder still hurts to this day and it has been 4 days .

 

[Dave 54]

Well I did transport fish over half an hour and plugged the aerator into my trucks plug ins and put water in the 1 stock tank and had to really put a strong double piece of window screening on top of it and tie it down with my trucks tie downs .Not easy but drove slow and made it .I think Daves idea is great at least they would not shake around like they did in the stock tank and had the guy sit back there with them to keep an eye on them .I will never volunteer to help people move again and take another pond apart .My shoulder still hurts to this day and it has been 4 days .

The way we transport our fish is exactly the same way as the fish came all the way over from Japan like sissy all we did was copy it

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

Koi Guy bags his own koi for transport in a slightly more refined way but the principle is the same sissy :-

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/how-i-bag-fish-for-shipping.17634/#post-280612

Dave

 

[sissy]

I had only 2 hour to empty the pond with the owners and pull the liner and move the fish ,new owners wanted them gone by 6 pm and they were to move in.Why these people waited when the knew I can't say ,They even had a small excavated they owned fill in the pond .I did get some of the rocks for my own collection .Lucky they were friends or I would not have helped .Plus new owners were nasty and said they would pour bleach in the pond to get rid of the problem .Some people are just plain nasty people ,it still angers me and i hate even talking about it .Lucky the pond was small ,unlucky they were over stocked .They are now waiting for new liner and fish are in a big kiddy pool .

 

[ruby]

Thank you - this is really helpful!

 

[ruby]

Thanks everyone - this is really helpful! I will have a look at the Koi Guy link too.

 

[CometKeith]

I'll probably be moving our pond next year too. I was wondering what is the proper etiquette? Do people leave pond equipment like filters and pumps for the new owners?

 

[MitchM]

Keith, whatever you do, make sure you leave them with the web address https://www.gardenpondforum.com/ .

 

[addy1]

I'll probably be moving our pond next year too. I was wondering what is the proper etiquette? Do people leave pond equipment like filters and pumps for the new owners?

I would if they want a pond.

 

[sissy]

I think when you are thinking of moving and you have a real estate agent best thing is to ask them .if not then include a piece about the pond in the description of the house and say that if the people do not want the pond you will remove every thing and if they want the pond what you will leave behind with a description of what to do and how to do it .And great idea include the garden pond forum address .I have a couple of real estate agent friends that have had to deal with this here.Most here do not want the pond or anything left behind .They don't want to spend the money or time on a pond .Geeze they don't even want preformed ponds here .I have taken out several for real estate agents and sold the preforms on the pittsylvania yard sale sight and gave away a big liner a couple of years ago .

 

[CometKeith]

Thanks, Sounds like all good advice. Definitely about letting them know about GPF!! I recently did a construction project for someone and the first thing they wanted was for the pond the prior owner had dug to be filled in. We had to order 8 cubic yards of dirt to fill it. I tried to talk them out of it but they had a toddler and ddn't want the danger associated with water so close to their house.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I'll probably be moving our pond next year too. I was wondering what is the proper etiquette? Do people leave pond equipment like filters and pumps for the new owners?

It is my understanding that anything that is attached to the property must, by law, remain.