OT: Moving fish

[roughingit]

Most stores will do free water testing, if you take old and new samples

Just be careful when you net the plec once he's older. Their spines get caught in the net. Dunno how many of them I've had to cut out, the super big ones I just pick up, trying to lock their fins against their bodies so they don't stab me (and generally inventing new swear words in the process).

Have fun with the move!

[betagirl]

Am I the only one who is afraid of the plecostomus? I had one that was pretty big (about 5 inches). We named him The Highlander because he was able to survive several tank malfunctions that unfortunately killed off the other fish. One was when my heater went beserk and the water was 90 degrees. Nothing could kill him Unfortunately he did die this year, I think just from old age. I'd had him for years. I remember trying to net him and subsequently get him out of the net. Being afraid of him didn't help that process. I don't know why they freak me out so much, it's just a fish. I have no problems with the other ones. Maybe because the pleco looks so alien

[roughingit]

Hehe, did you know common plecos can get two and a half feet long?



I used to work in fish shops and plenty of people were afraid to net them once they got around the size of your old one, and about the time their head gets the size of a newborn baby *lots* of people got freaked out by them!

[betagirl]

I'm going to have nightmares tonight

[Nanci]

Plus those plecos can disappear into a tank, and you don't see them for a couple years, and when they reappear, like when you have to tear down the tank for something, they are like the size of King Kong! Very hardy fish.

Nanci

[DrBee]

I usually use a cooler. For very long trips I'll add a battery-powered airstone. Freshwater fish are usually fairly hearty (especially the pleco). If you don't get to set up the tank right away - just keep an airstone in the cooler once you get there. Air is THE most important thing. I've had success with this for weeks (yes weeks... don't ask) for both fresh and saltwater fish (damsels). Also - give the fish something to hind in during the trip, like plastic/real plants or other items that will not crash and squish them.