# How much water should I save for the move?



## scotty (Oct 3, 2007)

I am moving and I need to know how much of my tank water I need to transplant back into the tank. What are the best containers to move the water in? Should I keep the fish together, 5-6/8" rbp probably bigger I only had one out of the tank one time awhile back . I will keep the plecos seperate of course.The fish will be in transit for 20 mins.So I'm guessing total out of tank time to be around 3 hours.I will have two air pumps for them. Thanks in advance, Oh ,how do you guys get these things outta the tank? I've heard they bite right through the green nets.


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

you shouldn't need to transfer too much water, just enough to transport your fish and filter media...

i usually use nets to catch my fish, but they only last for a couple fish, then they're shot... i just have a stack of them on hand here. another method that works ok is to use a bucket and try to direct them in there using the lid or something else.


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Yeah...I wouldnt take any water just for the sake of taking water. Just acclimate your fish to the new tank and it will be fine.

I have been using the same nets for years. Once you get the hang of it....you should be able to net them without much damage to the net. For smaller fish...up to about 6"...I use a small green net....for larger fish...up to about 11"... I have a large net that works well. It has one hole it it that I just used a ziptie to close...and it works fine. I have had this net for 5 or 6 years. For my rhom I use a bucket.


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

ok GG, i need to see your method... i throw away a net every time i move a fish. when i catch it the first time, there will be a few holes in it, but when i catch it again to put it back into the tank or into another tank, it's shredded and completely worthless.


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I have been using the same nets to move fish for years. I think the trick is to get them out of the water as quickly as possible. What I notice is that once you get a net around them&#8230;.if you give them any chance at all...they will swim like hell directly into the net and bite through it. Once they are out of the water though....they don't generate near the pressure on the net.

Essentially what I do is have my bucket or Tupperware container ready right next to the tank. Then I take the top off the tank. I take my time moving the fish into position&#8230;.they will actually wear themselves out a little swimming away from the net&#8230;.so I just follow the fish around for a little while until I get him cornered. Then&#8230;as soon as I get the net around the dude&#8230;he is out of the tank and into the bucket in one swift motion. If you give them any time in the tank with the net around them&#8230;they will go right through it.

Not sure any of that is helpful...but that is what I do.


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

i always have the bucket sitting on something right next to the tank to make the switch as easy as possible, but they still manage to destroy my nets... i think my problem is that once i have them cornered, i let them sit there too long hoping they'll calm down a bit and that's when they usually position themselves towards the back of the net, maybe i just need to snatch em up real quick and move them before they even know what's going on. i guess it's one of those situations where trying to be too cautious is worse than trying to hurry it along.


----------



## scotty (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks guys for the info


----------



## Killabee (Feb 23, 2010)

i just moved a 120 yesterday. We put the plants in a 5 gallon bucket with tank water then closed the valves on the canister filter and saved that water and media. Moved it to my house then set everything back up and cleaned the tank up a bit. Everything tested good.


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I think that is probably your problem. If you have them in the net in the water...they will swim into the net and create the pressure they need to bite through it. As soon as I have them in the net....it is out of the water before they have the opportunity to make a run at the back of the net. This is probably why people loose a ton of nets when they first start moving these fish....and then after a while it is just snatch and go...and you dont give the fish time to bite the net.


----------



## [email protected]° (Jun 16, 2004)

When I moved my pygos years ago I bought 1 5G bucket for each fish at Depot.

I also bought 1 bucket for the media (bio balls in my case). Keeping the media in tank water is most important, and a bucket for each fish was to keep them from killing eachother in transit.

It all worked out quite well. Fish made it safe and sound after a 4 hour drive and another 2 hours of setup time on the other side. The media stayed alive as well, I had no water issues, or mini cycle.


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Grosse Gurke said:


> I think that is probably your problem. If you have them in the net in the water...they will swim into the net and create the pressure they need to bite through it. As soon as I have them in the net....it is out of the water before they have the opportunity to make a run at the back of the net. This is probably why people loose a ton of nets when they first start moving these fish....and then after a while it is just snatch and go...and you dont give the fish time to bite the net.


i must have been overanalyzing the situation or something... i've been going through nets like crazy ever since i got my first natts almost 9 years ago, i guess i'm below the learning curve on that aspect


----------



## [email protected]° (Jun 16, 2004)

As for nets, I just use 2 nets together, as well as keeping the bucket close.

They do get beat up, but I have never had one go thru both nets, just some holes in each..


----------



## Killabee (Feb 23, 2010)

joedizzlempls said:


> I think that is probably your problem. If you have them in the net in the water...they will swim into the net and create the pressure they need to bite through it. As soon as I have them in the net....it is out of the water before they have the opportunity to make a run at the back of the net. This is probably why people loose a ton of nets when they first start moving these fish....and then after a while it is just snatch and go...and you dont give the fish time to bite the net.


i must have been overanalyzing the situation or something... i've been going through nets like crazy ever since i got my first natts almost 9 years ago, i guess i'm below the learning curve on that aspect :laugh:
[/quote]

no joe i dont think you are... we lost another net moving these reds lastnight lol that fish was in the net for less than 3 seconds from the tank to the bucket... as soon as he surfaced.. he started flopping and chomping in the net .. needless to say he took about a 4 square inch hole out of that net.


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Well...dont know what to tell you then...guess it is an art









I would bet that I have over 100 fish moves with my large net....and have only had one fish bit a hole in it. I probably moved 20 fish with a hole in the net before I ziptied it last weekend to move my 11" maculatus.


----------



## [email protected]° (Jun 16, 2004)

As for nets, I just use 2 nets together, as well as keeping the bucket close.

They do get beat up, but I have never had one go thru both nets, just some holes in each..


----------



## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

joedizzlempls said:


> you shouldn't need to transfer too much water, just enough to transport your fish and filter media...


I agree. Just keep the bacteria alive and use new water. drip accumulate or somethign and dechlorinate so you dont kill the bacteria


----------

