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FAQs about Moving Marine Livestock 2

Related Articles: Moving and Transporting your Livestock and Tanks By Amy Janecek, Moving Aquariums,

Related FAQs: Moving Livestock 1,
FAQs on Moving Livestock: Plans, Gear, Techniques... Success Stories, Troubles/Fixing, &
Moving Aquariums 1, Moving Aquariums 2, Moving Aquariums 3, Moving Aquariums 4, Moving Aquariums 5, Live Rock Shipping/Moving,

Moving Tank - Question on acclimating livestock     8/20/13
Hi Team
I am purchasing a 96 gallon tank with a variety (~ 20 pieces) of soft and hard coral, 2-3 shrimp and 5 fish (tang, wrasse, clowns). The tank comes with live rock and all the plumbing equipment.  It has been operational for about two years and seems to be very stable.  I have read your moving FAQ's and found it all INCREDIBLY helpful. You are wonderful for cataloging all this information. Thanks to you I have a detailed checklist and responsibility table and a full plan for moving day.
<Yay!>
 The total distance of the move is about 30 miles (around NYC this will take about 1.5 hours).  I have rented a large truck to transport the water, tank, rock and equipment. The livestock will travel by car.
I am moving everything but the substrate. I have bought new substrate for the new location (CaribSea Oolite) and plan to install a DSB. 
<Do rinse this well; in advance. See WWM re SOP>
I searched your website but could not find an answer to my specific questions: 1) Do I need to drip-acclimate the livestock when it is reintroduced to the tank in the new location?
<Not if most all the water is transported from the old location>
The live rock will travel "wet" (in tank water), and about 70-80% of the water will be same (we plan to lose some water when we bag the fish and are planning on a 20 gallon water change). 
<Ah good>
The only thing new will be the live sand.  2) Is there a desired length of time I should let the tank rest / cycle before reintroducing the fish and corals?
<Mmm, no; best to get all settled in expediently>
 It seems like all I am doing is a "water-change" but fear that the introduction of the new substrate adds a new complexity that I had not considered. 
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not provide you with an update on the email response you sent me below. The fish and coral in the tank referred to below are thriving. The brain coral was delivered an intense blow but only went down on one knee and is now standing again!  Thanks for all you do.
Brian Heese
<A pleasure to serve, share. Bob Fenner>

Water Conditioners for Live Fish Transport? 1/23/12
Hi,
<Howdy>
I am a licensed commercial fisherman and am interested in the use of water conditioners to aid live fish transport. Anything that reduces mortality would be helpful.
<There are a few... a fave and available w/o paperwork is Jungle Lab's "Hypno"... http://www.junglelabs.com/
there are other "fishy anesthetics", oxygen-generating tablets...>
The said additives need not be food safe, as this would be for hauling live saltwater baitfish. I am familiar with the use of additives to reduce ammonia toxicity,
<Never seen any of these that were actually effective>
but are the "slime" type products such as Seachem Stressguard effective?
<Are helpful>
I ask because typical hauling densities are fairly high, on the order of 1 - 1 1/2lb of fish per gallon, or approximately 24-36 fish per gallon and abrasion can possibly occur. Anything that would reduce post haul losses would be useful. I would appreciate any thoughts or experiences you might have in transporting live marine fish.
Thanks in advance!
Alan
<Best to keep such fishes as cold as practical, the water well-oxygenated, the light excluded, and prep. the animals in advance (no feeding for a few days, baths to eliminate external parasites...), ship in "new" water of low/no metabolite content... to reduce stress,
mortality. Bob Fenner>
Re: Water Conditioners for Live Fish Transport? 1/24/12

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the prompt response! I'll look into tranquilizers, thank you for pointing me in that direction.. I do have some further questions - the ammonia binders on the market (Chloram-x, Amguard, Amquel, etc) are not effective in your experience?
<They are not>
They are marketed as having some utility for live hauling.
<The operative term here is "some"... very limited>
Some of what you've mentioned as good practices I have incorporated into my routine; my transport tank is insulated and the transport water cooled by 10F from the ambient water temp. Aeration is as strong as practical via venturi pump, spray bar and diffused air. I am considering incorporating diffused O2 as a backup oxygenation system.
<This last, sparging liquefied oxygen in particular, is a superb technique.
Lowering temperature while providing super saturated oxygen and water circulation>
I do not always have the opportunity to hold and condition/prep the fish prior to sale, though. Whenever possible I do so, but many times they will be on their way less than 6 hrs after capture. These fish are captured in a trap fishery and tend to have a full stomach from munching on bait; as you imagine, they puke their guts out and just make a huge mess.
<Yes... would be immensely beneficial to flush the water our almost completely, continuously for a day or so>
Significant metabolic waste could be an issue; they're tough little guys and I can't say that I've had any major losses from ammonia poisoning yet (knock on wood) but I am investigating various ways to reduce stressors under my control and improve the product delivered. Delayed mortality crops up every now and then and I am looking for ways to reduce it.
Thanks again for your advice, much appreciated.
Alan
<Welcome Alan. BobF>

Leaving fish in a bag 5/17/11
Hi crew, I was planning on getting a new fish this weekend. Unfortunately, it will need to be in a bag for approximately 24 hours due to the distance from my fish store and other plans I have. I know they can handle this but I was wondering if there is anything I can do to maximize my success of bringing my new fish home alive and with minimal stress to the fish. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
<Yes, oxygen (from the dealer hopefully) double, oversized bags and water, and a light and thermally insulated container. Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/MoveSWLvstkGearF.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Shipping... SW lvstk., reading 2/18/11
I am moving from VA to CA and I'm trying to ship my fishes ( powder blue, purple tang, blue hippo, mandarin dragon and 2 ocellaris). Is there a proper and secure way to ship the fishes?
<Oh yes... and best you have a local fish store or fellow hobbyist hold on to these and ship them to you once you're there, settled. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/movelvstkfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Upgrading Tanks, SW, moving, reading 10/18/10
First I want to thank all of you for everything you have helped me with!
Secondly, I am working up the courage to change out a 55 gallon, non reef ready aquarium, to a 90 gallon reef ready aquarium.
I searched your site and couldn't find much on the subject.
I am currently running a 600 gph overflow box that feeds into a proflex 100 refugium. I have attached another proflex 100 sump where my Tunze 9011 skimmer works day and night. I am pumping water into the sump with a powerhead that is placed where the filter socks go into the refugium. The water then flows back to the refugium through one inch tubing.
<Not much flow can be handled by such a diameter line>
My lighting is the 48" Nova Extreme T5 HO 8 Bulb fixture. I just changed the bulbs with 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Purple Plus, 1 6500k Daylight, a 12kk White actinic and one more I can't remember. I have about an inch of fine grain sand with a bit of crushed coral mixed in for substrate, around 60lbs of live rock, several different types of coral (leather, sps, lps, and Zoanthids), a big beautiful Sebae anemone that is Queen of the tank, a Green Bubble Tip anemone,
<Dangerous to mix Actinarians w/ other Cnidarian groups>
3 cleaner shrimp, a 4" Blue Hippo Tang, Fire fish, Yellow Watchmen Goby, Bicolor Blenny, Pygmy Angle, 2 Percula Clowns and some snails and Hermits.
I am concerned that I might cause the tank to cycle and hurt my livestock. What is the best way to go about this process?
<The process of moving all to the new system? Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/movelvstkfaqs.htm
and the linked files above>
The tank is 3 years old but I have only had it for a year. My Nitrates fluctuate between 5-10, Phosphates are 0,
<Mmm, not really. Your stinging-celled life would not be alive>
PH is 8.2-8.4 and KH 7-8.
I would appreciate any help you can give me. If there are topics on this that I did not find, I apologize. Thank you very much for all of your help, past and future!
<Certainly welcome. After reading, do write back if your plan isn't clear, complete. Bob Fenner>
Re: Upgrading Tanks; and anemone comp., test kit grade/SW 10/18/10

Thank You for the quick response. I do have a couple of questions. I read that a Bubble Tip anemone *can* get along fine with a Sebae anemone.
<Can... have photographed them in the wild, contiguous>
Mine do well. I got the Bubble Tip prior to discovering WWM or I would have forgone that acquisition. I have tried to get the Bubble Tip out, after reading that there can be a problem, unsuccessfully.
You showed doubt in my Phosphate readings, something to do with my stinging-celled life. I truly get 0 phosphates when I check them weekly.
<Assuredly, the measure is less than 0., perhaps less than 0.0... but not altogether absent>
My Nitrates never get to 20. I either misunderstood your reasoning or my test kit is not very good.
<Likely the test kit precision to significant figures>
I guess I am unclear on what you wrote.
<And I apologize for not being clear/er>
If my test kits are not accurate then I should purchase a better brand.
<Mmm, not really. I suspect your kit/s is/are fine for what you have in mind>
I am using API.
<Not the best, but passable for most aquarists' use>
Thank you for the link. Most times I find what I am looking for. I no longer purchase anything of importance without referring to WWM. Thank you for this awesome site.
<Certainly welcome John/Tracey. BobF>

Re: Upgrading Tanks 11/10/10
BobF,
<John>
John Aurelio here. I wanted to thank you for your help in switching tanks.
All is well. Everything is settling quite well. I did find something quite interesting in my new tank that I didn't even realize was in there. In fact... just see for your self ;-) I document lots of images. I was looking through them and noticed this picture. It was purely by accident.
I didn't even realize what I had until then. That old man in the sea.
Haha!!!
Lots of fun. Cheers!
<The sea slug? BobF>
Re: Upgrading Tanks
No sea slug. The mouth is a Bi-color Blenny Backing into his hole.
<Ohh! Now I see it/this fish... Had just gotten in from flying for a day (in a jet!). Cheers, B>

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