As a fish pet owner, going on a long vacation or moving to a new home leaves you with basically two options for your aquatic pets: (1) temporarily or permanently rehome them, or (2) take them with you. 

While rehoming sounds like a viable solution for complicated situations, most of us want to take our pets with us wherever we go. But unlike dogs and cats, transporting aquatic animals is a lot more difficult. It requires a lot of planning and preparation to make sure that your pets stay safe before, during and after transport.

In this blog post, we’re diving head-on into how you can keep your pet fish safe during travel. 

Before transport
 

The work for transporting your fish starts a couple of days before the actual travel date. 

The key to successful transport lies in creating a habitable environment for the fish during the entire trip.

Make sure to choose the right container to store your pets in. You can purchase plastic bags to separately keep your pets in during travel. If you want to keep them together in a single space, you can buy a larger plastic container that’s large enough to allow them to swim around. Your container should be able to hold water and air so your pets can safely stay in them for hours. 

Apart from having the right container, it’s also important to keep their water as clean yet liveable as possible. Change the water in the aquarium a few days before transport. You should also avoid feeding your fish within two days before your travel date to avoid soiling the water. Pack aquarium decors in separate clean storage. 

During transport

Place your fish in their container right before you travel. This minimises their time in the temporary enclosed space and reduces stress. Also, make sure to keep your pet fish with you in your vehicle. 

While there are companies that offer transport of pets, the safest place for your pet fish to be in during travel is still your car. By having them close, you can have better control over the temperature of your car and make sure it doesn’t get too cold or hot. 

Temperature control is important especially if you’re traveling in intense winter or summer seasons. Ramp up the air conditioning or heating to create a more comfortable environment for your pet.

Naturally, rapid or extreme car movements should be avoided to keep the water from sloshing around in the container.

 

After transport

Once you get to your destination, make sure to transfer your fishes in a liveable aquarium as soon as possible. Give them a boost by providing food and treats when they finally settle in the new location. 

You can also check for burns, abrasions, and injuries to see if your pet fish needs help. They may sustain a few injuries along the way which may need a quick remedy.  You can purchase medication in aquarium shops to help your pets recover faster. 

With the right equipment and attentiveness, it is possible to safely transport your pets with minimal stress. For high-quality food, treats, and fish accessories, visit our shop!