# How do you move your fish?



## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

I was moving my BB from the 30 to my new 75 and he flopped out of the net.

He is alive, but swimming nose down with his tail sticking out of the water, slightly.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Is your water temp the same in both tanks? the shock of huge temp change can be much worse than a fall... 

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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

The heater's been on the whole time, and we used warm water from the tap


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

But is it the same temp as the 30? Did you check the water parameters? 

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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Check your PH, temp and water parameters in both tanks. They should be as close as possible. Did you dechlorinate the new water?

Also, how far did he fall? He may just be bruised or scraped and shocked, and in that case the best thing to do is add some salt or melafix to the water and watch for missing scales or lesions in case of infection. I'd leave the lights off for a while and hold off on feeding while he recovers to keep the water clean and the stress low.

Let us know how he does!


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

well I had just filled this new 75 gallon tank I bought for him about 10 mins before I tried to put him in. Before he went in, I put in water treatment, salt, seachem stability (20 capfuls), everything done according to the labels. I took a pic of him but I dont want to post it. He had a large... bruise? It was a red inflamed area around his gills and lower face on his left side and this morning the red was all gone. His fins are flapping, and his mouth is sucking water to breathe, but he is sitting right at the surface, and I tried feeding him pellets this morning, but he wasnt interested. I left them there in case he chages his mind later. 

Ive been telling the story around the office and someone suggested an anti-stress treatment. I think I will pick some up on my way home from work today, along with some melafix


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

I feel so terrible, but if he didnt thrash around so much it wouldnt have happened

he fell about 4 feet to the carpet. Im so scared right now.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

He should be ok... Lights off raise temp and salt...

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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Did you use seeded media or your used filter to kickstart the tank?

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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

Macframalama suggested I get some lava rock for the sump, so I bought some yesterday and I also hooked up an AC110 Powerhead and AC110 pump/filter

Everything was new. Brand new set up, brand new everything


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

stability will help but you should add your sponge out of your ac70 to get the party started in there


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

and fyi the lava rock wont begin to help until your tank is cycled and you have the beneficial bacteria in there and they have moved in to your lava rock 

2 months from now that lava rock will help but not before hand, but the stability is a good starting point


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

should I wring out the AC70 sponge into the sump? or into the AC110's sponge?


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Wring it out in the sump and then put it in the 110 or put your media from the 70 into the 110

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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

Foxtail said:


> Wring it out in the sump and then put it in the 110 or put your media from the 70 into the 110
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk 2


ok I can do that


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Big fish are hard to move. 

My oscar went "flip chicken" (to quote macframalama's comment about his midas) when I was moving him to the 180g. I just got soaked, but he could easily have flipped out of the net if I hadn't been lucky. My best option has been to use a REALLY big net and keep a hand over the top as soon as they get to the surface. It happens. 

Salt, melafix, and don't feed for a day or so until he starts being a bit more active. A couple of days without food is better than having to clean up the uneaten food every day. If the redness is going down and he's breathing OK, he's probably on the mend. Salt and melafix will help stop any infection from starting.


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks guys, I appreciate your help


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

Stopped off at Aquariums West on my way home and picked up some Stress Guard, Melafix and some more Stability.

The Blackbelt is doing MUCH better! He is swimming around, and behaving almost normally. He even charged at me when I approached the tank!!!


Also I have one more question: How long should I keep the charcoal part of the filter out? I just put in all the medicine an hour ago


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I heard koi breeders use a big 'sock" to move their fish, so they would not be hurt or jump out.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

if he is still straining his gills adding an airstone wont hurt. i wouldnt put the charcoal back in for a couple days.


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## shady280 (Oct 17, 2011)

When I moved my Oscar I used a new floor cleaning pail. The oval shaped type. I put it long ways to block the tank and moved him to one side then scooped him out. No splashing no flipping. Nice and calm. I've heard of using a pillow case as well for really good sized fish


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

I like the pillow case idea. Novel! I should use it on the trimac, as he has a nasty tendency to bite sometimes when I net him.

I've used cups to catch small fish, especially bettas, but in my big tanks there's way too much stuff to fit a bucket in there. My big fancy goldfish are so dumb and trusting that they will just swim into my hand, so I just scoop them from the tank right into a clean ice cream bucket of tank water to move them.

Glad your BB is doing better. I'm not a fan big fan of carbon/charcoal, so I'd leave it out permanently, but f you want to use it, leave it out for at least another 3-4 days while you medicate. 

If you use charcoal, it should changed for a fresh pack every 3-4 weeks to keep it effective.


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

I agree with Elle, cups and containers are basically all I use, I use the nets mostly to herd the fish towards a cup or a tupperware container and just scoop the whole thing out. I find netting to be a stressful experience for them, and I favour bottom dwellers that tend to get caught in nets anyway, so just works out better. 

also for monster fish like giant plecos, I've heard using a wet towel works well.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

i also use the t shirt method for larger cats, place a t shirt on the botton of the tank or a lillow case whatever usher the fish over the towel and gently lift it out , kind of how they move whales ect , but it doesnt work for fish that arent on the bottom when i moved my rtc and my tsn's a while back thats how i got them out ,


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

Buddy fish cichlid - YouTube

This is my blackbelt. I guess he's camera shy. He didnt want to perform.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Wow, what a monster! He looks a bit scraped on the one side, but that will heal up with time and clean water.

Worst fish I ever had to move were my featherfin cats. They have these incredibly sharp spines EVERYWHERE they have fins, and they are not afraid to use them. I tried picking one up just once (I can pick up my 9" sailfin pleco with no problem when I have to) and got severely stabbed. They also tangle in nets, so if you don't get stabbed netting them, you get stabbed untangling them. 

Did I mention that the spines really really hurt when you get stuck with them?

I wish I'd thought to use the towel method when I moved them, but those buggers are fast, so a pillowcase might have worked better.


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

yeah he is a monster... only 10 inches... he still has 4-6inches to go

when you say pillowcase, are you talking about using it like a towel and wrapping up your fish, or opening it up and using it like a bag?

forgive me, I am still new at all this


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

hampo said:


> little seafood of perhaps three inches! The only purpose he would have for reaching the part so difficult was frightened. Also, if hit it so difficult it damaged,
> I should have a concussion or serious go stress.


Can someone translate this into english??


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> Can someone translate this into english??


Trust me, we've all tried. I think he's saying that smaller fish are easier to move?


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

Well tell him, thanks captain obvious


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