Need Moving Advice ASAP!

[puppyrjjkm]

Hello all!

We are moving saturday through wednesday, driving about 2000 miles. I will be taking my 3 male bettas with me. The current plan is: having 2-2 gallon kritter keepers with 1 male betta each, then 1 betta in a 1/2 gallon betta kit for the drive. The bigger ones will also have a couple ADF's in them. We will be in a hotel from Thursday night until probably next Thursday. The tanks will sit inside their empty 20 gallon long, which unfortunately will be in a horse trailer we are pulling since the car is full with 3 dogs and 2 cats and 3 people. So there will be some aeration especially since the containers have open "slits" on the covers. Temperatures look to be from 65-75 throughout the places we are driving so I'm just hoping they won't overheat... suggestions? Also I will bring them inside the hotels at night but should I put their heaters in at night? The hotel room will probably be around 68 at best (my dad always cranks up the AC at night). What do you guys think of the plan? Any advice is welcome! I love my boys and don't want to leave them behind and there are too many variables with time for shipping. Thanks in advance!

[BlueStar]

During the day my concern would be are you stopping to eat and staying in the car while you eat, thus keeping the temperature pretty consistant. Even with mild temperatures it gets warmer in the car even with the windows cracked, so if you go inside to eat be sure to check for large temperature changes (before you go in, half way through meal and when you get back to the car). If the temperature climbs pretty much I'd have some cups (like you buy them in) and put them in paper bags to take in while eating.
I'd keep the heaters to where they could be used at night if they seem to get sluggish at 68.

One thing I would do for all the animals is take some jugs of the water they are use to drinking plus the fish are use to having. Fish need to acclimate slowly to water changes (hardness, pH, etc.) and if your going 2000 miles you will end up with probably variances of these in the water. On the road if you use any new water for the fish, what they are use to is best. When you set up the tank again slowly acclimate them to the new water.
As for the dogs and cats having some of the water they are use too will help them keep them from getting upset stomachs or having loose stools. Some animals are very sensitive to food/water changes while others aren't.

If you can find some Methylene Blue (Zinc Free-tints water blue) it will reduce any stress they may get and helps lessen the effect of ammonia and nitrite poisoning. It will stain you or anything it comes in contact with so it's generally used in bare tanks, plus it kills the good bacteria so it's not good to use in cycled tanks. It aids in preventing bacterial growth and will kill most parasites. Most pet stores use it in the little containers they keep them in. Got mine at the local small pet shop, not sure if PetMart, etc. carry it but Wal-Mart doesn't. Handle it with rubber gloves on and keep the bottle in a zip lock bag in a container it can't get smashed in. One drop per gallon or even 2 gallons is probably enough and no need to add more unless your changing a lot of their water. Later it will come in handy if they get sick, but only use it in a quarantine bare tank. It won't stain glass and think it didn't my acrylic hospital tank, but it will gravel, etc. If you have any plants I wouldn't keep them in it either.

Have a safe, fun move!

[Tikibirds]

If it were me, I would put them into cups and keep them in the car. it may be too cold for them in the trailer.

I moved from Alaska to New York in January with 23 bettas, 1 dog and a chinchilla. 21 of the bettas froze to death in the backseat. I ended up holding the 3 survivors in their cups and then put the cups inside a small rodent cage in my lap for the remaining 8 days. Even though its warmer now, I really don't think you should keep them in the trailer. The 3 hotel stops we made, I allowed each of them to swim in a 2 galllon storage container and then I recupped them. I also added in a pinch of AMQUEL Plus and KRODON Fish Protector in addition to stress coat. They should be alot easier to find then Methalyne blue.

Mine were originally in the back seat in styrofoam coolers with heat packs and they still froze. The temp in the backseat was 40.

[Zero186]

I travel a little over 700 miles every few months with my bettas. I normally use mason jars that I have poked holes in the lid. I keep them wrapped in small towels in the pocket behind my passenger seat. This helped to keep the insulated,and provide stability to keep them from getting tossed around. Some times I have to stop at hotels,and just bring them in with me still wrapped in their towels to keep the temptaure as stable as possible. During most of this time they are at temptures around 70. Though mason jars aren't very large it's more water than the cups they come in, and as glass the seem to hold the temp better with less fluctuation.

[puppyrjjkm]

Thanks for the advice everyone!