Moving Penelope from 20 to 40 gal.

[sallywally]

She's going from a 20 long to a 40 breeder, which I've set up with white sand, an Eheim 2215 canister filter and some faux plants, which I will replace with real ones soon.

The tank has been up for about 28 hours. I used CaribSea Instant Aquarium white (really very light tan) sand, put in API stress coat water conditioner, Nutrafin Cycle and some API Quick Start. The water has been cloudy, I think from the liquid that was in the bags with the sand. It's cleared up quite a bit, I don't know if could also be from a bacteria bloom...

I'm going to test the water tonight. She is really ready for a bigger tank and possibly a buddy.

What is the best way to move her? The new tank is about 10 feet across the room. Should I put her in a bucket? She's now around 5-6 inches long, head to the end of her fins. I don't want to upset her. I have a huge net but am concerned. I've never moved a fish as big as she is!

[Lady Hobbs]

Glad you got a bigger tank for her. She will like that. Move the filter you had on the 20 gallon to the 40 gallon so you can maintain a cycle.

You don't need both Nutrafin Cycle and API Quick Start.

[sallywally]

Thanks for your comments!

Well, I did put both Quick Start and Cycle in....I thought Cycle was less strong than Quick Start. I think I did this with her 20 long tank when I set it up, so hope she will be fine with it, or should I do something to adjust this?

Her current tank has two Aqua Clear 30s on it, but because the 40 has to sit on a particular counter, there isn't room for an HOB filter (first shelf of bookshelves too low). The 30 gal that used to sit there has been "moved" - i.e., replaced with a 55 gal tank in my living room.

The 30 gal had a smaller Eheim Classic canister filter, which did a wonderful job for the 2 1/2 years I kept the 30 gal. The new Eheim is quite a bit larger. I put a large portion (about 3/4) of the filer media from the old Eheim into the new one, along with the new filter's substantial volume of media. So I hope that will help cycle also.

Penelope is such a delight! She really enjoys zooming around her aquarium , and especially enjoys her bubble wall, eating, and nosing around in the (large) gravel. She also likes interaction with me! I'm really looking forward to seeing her in her new space. I think she will like the sand a lot.

[tate8]

What is the best way to move her? The new tank is about 10 feet across the room. Should I put her in a bucket? She's now around 5-6 inches long, head to the end of her fins. I don't want to upset her. I have a huge net but am concerned. I've never moved a fish as big as she is!

I'm no expert in moving fish but I think it would take longer to put her in a bucket then take her from the bucket and put her in the new tank than it would to just net her and walk across the room and put her in the new tank.

It should only take a couple of seconds to walk 10 feet.

[Jelly'sMum]

I scoop Jelly into a jug, then hang him on the side of the tank in the water for a while, then mix the new water with the old in the jug then let him sit for a bit longer and then gently lower the jug into the water and he swims out himself. Good luck with your transfer.

[Cliff]

CaribSea makes both fresh water and marine substrates like the one you mentioned. If you used a marine substrate, keep a close eye on your pH over the next few week to see if this will alter your pH in any way. A lot (not all) marine substrates can cause the pH in fresh water aquarium to increase over time. If you used the fresh water substrat I would not be concernd at all

[sallywally]

Thanks again for your thoughts.

It's freshwater substrate.

I'm afraid to hang her in a jug....concerned about her jumping out. The same thing could happen with a bucket too. I may ask my friend Michael to move her; he has great calm and patience in doing such things. The net seems like the best alternative, but I don't know if I can do it.

I'm hesitant to admit this , but when I set up her first tank, I didn't do any further cycling after adding the various things I used this time. I used CaribSea Readywater as well as the Quickstart and of course water conditioner. She seemed happy and active right away. Should I work on a fishless cycle this time?

Her wen has become quite large and I'm pretty sure her eyesight is compromised. She is bumping into the medium-size round rocks I put in the original tank. Is it better to leave those out of the new tank?

[Azurescriber]

If you transfer your filter, you transfer the cycle and she should be fine.

I would definitely make sure there is nothing sharp in the new tank if she is having trouble seeing.

[sallywally]

Oh boy! Oh boy! As soon as I get her bubble walls set up tomorrow I'll be transferring her. I can't wait to see her explore all that new space - and TWO bubble walls!

[Jelly'sMum]

Hope the transfer went well? Thankfully Jelly can't jump out of his jug he's only a wee fella. :) I imagine transferring a bigger fish is a lot more worrying, although Tinko that I have seen on You tube seems to transfer really well and she is huge, still, it's gotta be a bit scary especially the first time.

I wish I could use bubble walls, I had one but the air affected my Sui girl who just recently passed from suspected kidney failure after enduring issues with her swim bladder and Ich. (I miss her terribly) They do look really cool those bubble walls, they just scare me still I guess. I use a pond pump and have a virtual tsunami on the top of my tank!....and have another pump coming for the bigger tank, should see some serious wave action then.