Temporary storage of fish?

[Aatxe]

Looking at the possibility of moving house soon, and was wandering if there is anywhere (surrey area) that collects & temporarily stores fish (large koi)?

[jenky]

could you not put a kids swimming pool up at the new house and move the koi over till you build a permenent pond?

[Aatxe]

I'm not capable of moving them myself without causing undue stress. I though they were drugged during tranportation or something.

We have 5 koi and they've got to be about 3' each so I don't think a swimming pool will work

[mike515]

There are products you can use to sedate koi. There's one called Koi-calm that I've used for my catfish and that was fine. Clove oil works as well.


You need to be very careful using any sedative though. It's very easy to overdose which can be fatal to your fish/ Best off moving them in big bags or containers and holding them in a kids pool till you can get a new pond up and running.

[AnythingWithAShell]

How long are you talking? When I lived in Oxford, during the bad floods in 2007, a koi was found swimming down the street, and was kept at the fire station in a RUB for about a week, until someone came to collect it. My OH was a firey there, so I saw it. The RUB wasn't exactly spacious, but the fish was fine. He was bigger than 3" too. The owner had got back in touch with the fire service to let them know all was well

Are they going back into a pond, or a large tank? If it's a tank, then you shouldn't have much problem, just make sure setting up your tank is done before the unpacking and arranging of furniture! That's what i done with my turtle and fish. If you are going to have to dig a pond from scratch from them, maybe rehome them temporarily with someone who has a pond/big tank?

When we moved back up here, I had my tropical fish in fish bags under my seat in the car for 12 hours (we broke down...) and they were fine too. As soon as they got in their tanks this end they had a munch and a swim about.

I've no experience with koi at all, just my experiences/suggestions

[Paul B]

I am assuming these fish are 3 feet long.
You can buy temporary swimming pools that are big enough for fish of this size on a temp basis.

8x8 x 2 feet deep would be fine as long you keep the water moving and well filtered and oxygenated in this weather prevent it from freezing by slightly heating the water.

As you know moving fish can be very stressful so be lucky.

[AnythingWithAShell]

Originally Posted by Paul B

I am assuming these fish are 3 feet long.
You can buy temporary swimming pools that are big enough for fish of this size on a temp basis.

8x8 x 2 feet deep would be fine as long you keep the water moving and well filtered and oxygenated in this weather prevent it from freezing by slightly heating the water.

As you know moving fish can be very stressful so be lucky.

3 feet?! wow, that's some big fish. I read it as 3", but that's not what he said...!

In that case, ignore me, 5 3 feet fish aren't going in any RUBs or tank....

[Aatxe]

We have 5 koi of varying sizes between two and three feet, as well as some big tench and grass carp.

What I was looking for was a comapny that would come and collect the fish and look after them during moving, but I 'm not really sure such a thing exists...

[Sega]

You could ask a store with an outdoor display pond if they can look after them whilst you move.

[LDP]

I'm sure if you contact a decent lfs nearish to wherever you are moving to they will be able to help out in some way. You will prob have to organize shipping etc but I recon once you explain the situation and the see the potential of a new customer they would offer an arrangement of boarding or at least point you in the direction of someone local that could help you out.

Shipping should be quite easy especially if the destination is all setup and ready in advance. I wouldn't have thought you would struggle finding someone to help or do it for you.