How to Move Koi - Ask #48

[@HeatherHale]

We're moving 10 koi from a 2,500 gallon pond in Tucson 36-hours cross country to Savannah in about two weeks. I'm a certified koi keeper and have just aced my first of 4 Transport tests! We will try to video the challenging logistics of our hopefully peaceful and uneventful journey!

[@scottfricke2152]

A few months ago I moved my koi from Alexandria, Virginia to Southern California. I have 12 koi, 6 are 18-26 inches and the other 6 were 1 year olds that were about 9.5" at the time. I bought 2 koi transport tanks which were made of PVC frames with a polyvinyl material for the enclosure. They have a zippered opening on the top and a sleeve on the side that is used for draining the tanks. When the tank is full the sleeve is folded up along the side of the tank. I used the sleeve to to feed an airline into the tank. As mentioned in the video, I stopped feeding the koi 7 days before the move. I set up the 2 tanks in the back of a 12' Cargo Trailer, each had about 50-60 gallons of water in them that was taken from the pond they were in. I have a Jackery 300W portable power station that used to power my aerator which has two outlet ports, one for each tank. I divided up the koi so roughly the same amount of fish by mass were in each tank. The trip took 4 days. The zippered top worked great, it kept the water in the tank and from getting all over the inside of the trailer. The weather was mostly in the 70's, except one day in Utah/Nevada/California that hit as high as 100. I bought 2 bags of ice and sealed them closed to keep the melted ice from getting into the tank, and then put the bags into the tanks. I had to do this 3 times during the day, I was surprised how long the ice lasted, and it kept the tanks a consistent temperature. The trailer had side vents and a roof vent, so there wasn't a lot of buildup of hot air inside the trailer. The charge on the power station lasted 3 days and I recharged it on the 3rd night while I had the aerator plugged into my truck with an extension cord. The system worked great, and as soon as we got to our new house I set up a 750 gallon temporary tank (swimming pool) to hold them until the new pond was built.

[@kingfish2137]

Double bags, visit a local fish store to fill bags with oxygen. I put them in tubs and add paper or plastic to lessen movement of the bags in the plastic tubs. I mimic a koi being shipped from Japan even though I have only moved them across town. I am about to move some 24 inch fish in the next week.

[@Carperama]

Thanks for the video. I have a 12 hour drive with 200 baby koi fry about 1-1/2" long. Any thing different about fry or just stick them in 10 gallon tote with aerator stone? Thanks.

[@rickeydonn]

Thank You So VERY MUCH for this vid. Will be moving in about a month, thank goodness only 1 mile from where we currently live. The info in this vid was tremendously useful for us, thanks again!

[@Rolypolioli79]

My last move I got a 275 gal IBC tote. Feed grade by the way & cut the top & put 200 gal of pond water & my koi. Moved it across town then put the pond water in the tote into my new pond (about 125 gal and put the new pond / old pond water back into toe tote. Slowly) to acclimate the koi into their new home/ pond

[@ThePondDigger]

+Rolo Ojeda Thanks for sharing

[@vinnyl6655]

I am learning how to use my technology thanks to you. Recently learned how learned how to share on periscope and this is my first comment on KZbin. I have watched every video you have and a long overdo thank you is needed. All great info! I would love to see a informative video on quarantining. Thanks!

[@ThePondDigger]

+Vinny L Hey Vinny! I'm glad we are the ones pushing you to use your technology! Awesome to see you on Periscope!!! We will likely produce a video on quarantine so stay tuned!!!

[@splbandita]

How do I go about finding the inverter you mention that can be used to attach a pump to the car charger? I do have an airstone that's solar powered, but I'm afraid it won't be enough aeration. There's just tiny bubbles coming out of it. Can you send a picture or a link of an inverter?

[@ThePondDigger]

+bandita Go to an auto part store or hardware store and ask for an inverter that will work in your car charger. I can't post a link here in the comment section.

[@roberthansberger7300]

Just took some fish to my moms house this week. I took 30 Ruby minnows and 1 fantail goldfish 1 comet goldfish 2 Shubunkin and 1butterfly KOI and two other KOI the KOI were young about 3" long Had a 5 hour trip. I got 2, 5 gal Homer buckets the orange ones, one battery powered air pump air line, 2 air stones, drilled a hole in the center of the lid of each bucket for the airline to pass through and two Moss Balls one for each bucket helps to keep ammonia down . Had to get the fish the night before the trip. so the fish were in the bucket for 17 hours no food, no 18 hours it took an hour for the water temp to change went from about 78 deg tanks to 58 deg 1000 gal pond did not loose one fish and mom is happy with the new fish in her pond. the fish looked happy also. :)

[@ThePondDigger]

+Robert Hansberger Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@tammaracass5511]

I'm preparing to move to a new home driving straight thru but it's a 24 hr drive any extra advice you can give to make move easier on my babies

[@dskoi7358]

I have only moved my koi from the pond outside to a holding (wintering) pond inside. The move wasn't far so I accomplished it with totes. I have moved aquarium fish great distances with great success, but I think they are more forgiving.

[@ThePondDigger]

+D S Koi Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@dskoi7358]

Just need to channel The Pond Digger and get this DIY pond expansion underway

[@sissymurphy9620]

I think this will help lots of people be prepared .I know I keep a stock tank on hand and filled with water with a pump in it and a air stone just in case anything happens at the pond .I even use 2 pumps in my pond nothing worse than having a pump go out and you have limited time to find one .My question also for you do you think over aerating a pond helps with water quality .I have never really had algae and i over aerate my pond now for 11 years.I also do not over feed my fish or overstock the pond .They get fed 3 or 4 times a week and sure don't look starved .This is the first full year for my new pond after the rebuild .Moles are bad

[@ThePondDigger]

+sissy murphy over aeration is an oxymoron to me. I love air in a pond! My favorite addition to a pond. The more the marrier!

[@sissymurphy9620]

I am always worried because of iron content in my well water .Axton is known for iron .I am on hold for trying to find the leak as we have had over 3 days of rain already and they are saying off and on rain for the rest of the week .I did try to do some out there but slipped in the wet grass and hurt my left shoulder .I think the leak is coming from the waterfall pond but can't be sure because before this rain I looked under the edges and it was dry and the 2 liners overlap by 5 feet and it is sloped down to the pond .I did turn the pump off at night and left it off and waterfall pond still had water in it so that is an iffy .The liner is new as of last year and I used a LED light to look closely at it and nothing .Hoses all run inside the pond and filters are inside liners that run back into the pond .

[@AlexGallegos]

So my four koi are about 14 inches long. I put each in an oblong water bucket and covered them up with a plastic grocery bag with a few holes. amazingly the bag fit snugly around the lib of the bucket. I moved from VA to DC, so it wasn't all that far. It only took half day from breakdown to setup at the new place. Being military, I move often, so I purposely invest in portable setups and equipment. I didn't use air stones, and I only fasted for one day. I know my fish are pretty hardy, so I knew they could take the move, and they did. FYI, I also did this for my fancy goldfish and my livebearers in different buckets.

[@diannekompler4072]

Im moving into new home and dosnt have a pond. My koi are big and i want to take them with me how do i keep them until i make a new pond.

[@AudioheavenDenmark]

I always move my kois in plastic bags. much safer for the fish, as they cant tumble around, jump ect. im just about to go move 12 very big kois today. ill see if I can make a video. its 60-80cm kois. I use double bags and fill them with air.

[@ThePondDigger]

That is an efficient way to move koi for certain.

[@andrejohnson5011]

Hey i.am building a larger pond and removing my fish to a 10x3ft mini pool... i move all my pumps a d filters to the mini pool but the water is cloudy and its been like this for a few days... there is about 17 fish ranging from 20inches to 12inches... i also checked the pH and its showing like a 6.5... the new pond will not be ready for aboit two weeks... how do I maintain their health condition until then

[@sissymurphy9620]

Thank you for this because it really will help people out .Question when moving them would it be better to pump the water from the pond into the transport vessel and use some of your pond water to start the other pond and your filter material also .Also if you use water from the pond in the vessel is it really OK to put that water in the new pond also or in transport will they foul it up to much .Great info on not feeding them before the move .How many people would think of that .

[@christinemccoy32]

+sissy murphy Hi Sissy...I see you following PondDigger with great loyalty..so I always read your comments....thought I might chime in...for what ever it's worth..I just had to find a new home for all my aquatic life....with a PGW...so...we did absolutely use the water from my pond in the vessels..as I had medicated and treated my pond and fish before they were transported...then..the pond water from my pond was transported to the holding tank for all these aquatic lives.....................they were kept in the holding tank until their new home was ready for them..and the transport from the holding tank to the new home was acclimated with some of the new pond water mixed with the old pond water from holding tank.....then released into new home.............so...whew..that's how I did it....fyi.........wonder what Digger will have to say about my process?...........love your comments...I'm your follower as well...:) xoxoxo

[@sissymurphy9620]

I was wondering how much they would foul the water up in transport .Thank you for your info and your following .I like to have info out there and ponddiggers video's are great because not many on here give this much info to us build your own pond people .It really does help .

[@Davidj3]

I use thick plastic bags. I buy them at my local koi shop. I find it's the easiest way to transport. No splashing in your car. And fish can't jump and injure themselves.

[@jc-aquatics191]

See my goal in life is that there is this pond where I had to release some of my koi (4 of them). And eventually I want to move to a different state and I want to bring them with me.

[@DravinClaw]

I never moved them to far just in a bigger shell pond the first time I did it took one day and they were in a big cooler but the last time it took 2 days but they were in the smaller pond while the bigger one was being installed we lost a couple of fish during the night to raccoon they torn up my netting to get at them but the rest are fine.

[@ThePondDigger]

+DravinClaw Thanks for sharing.

[@christinemccoy32]

mornin Digger....funny subject, but very informational....I have done this process..and...your information was spot on....good info...shit happens..so...it's nice to know info..incase...TY FOR ALL YOUR SUBJECTS YOU THROW OUT TO BE INFORMATIONAL............MY BABIES WERE WILLINGLY ADOPTED OUT TO A NEW HOME AS I'm a PGW so...we did our transport with great care, I researched, read..and BINGO...Thank Goodness I did learn how first...all the Fishy's are healthy and happy......................I commented to Sissy below as KUDO'S TO YOU FOR SHOUTING HER OUT..SHE IS ALWAYS ON YOUR TRAIL..so what she comments I pay close attention to....THERE YOU HAVE MY BACK STORY..and see ya next week......TGIF FROM YOUR LOYAL STALKER...:) MUWAH (& of course I shared my arse off fb & twitter & G+ as always)

[@ThePondDigger]

+Christine McCoy Thanks for stalking!! :)

[@christinemccoy32]

NO PROBLEM..MY OBSESSIVE PLEASURE!

[@mykelpearson2613]

#asktheponddigger is there a way to send an email so I can include photos of our pond system to see if moving our koi still in their current containers is ok?

[@danmo43]

I had to move an eel and 2 oscars from a 55 gal to a new home (same tank). I used a 30 gallon trash can with about 25 of the 55 gallons in it. It was even movable with a hand truck. Finding the fish among the old wrappers was interesting but that's another story. (Just kidding about the wrappers)

[@eveparkin2954]

Yes I've moved my 20 koi it was hard work because some weighed tons !!

[@ThePondDigger]

+Eve Parkin Thanks EVE for sharing your passion for ponds!!!

[@eveparkin2954]

+ThePondDigger lol you must be sick of listening to me Eric x

[@eveparkin2954]

+ThePondDigger can you make a video of your koi per chance xx I would really love to see your koi

[@TigiLova]

I will move from California to Washington State, can you let me know how you did the well job?

[@TigiLova]

i have 17 koi fishes need to be moved, please give me some good ideas. i am worry if i would do the wrong way, some koi fishes will be died

[@JCJourney]

ya. make sure the lid of the container is heavy or locked. :( Learn the hard way

[@ThePondDigger]

+J XXX Learn from my mistakes!

[@WillenaJennings]

Make sure of state laws before moving your koi. In Maine, koi are considered an invasive fish and are destroyed when discovered......

[@jacknash7023]

hi

[@ThePondDigger]

+Jack Nash hi

[@jaimetorrestorres4662]

why do koi jump out of ponds

[@ThePondDigger]

+Jaimetorres torres Good Question!!!! When you first move a koi they are prone to jumping especially if they are in a small environment like a transport container. If they jumping out of an established pond you should keep a close eye on them because it is very possible that the fish have been exposed to parasites. When they jump it could be because their skin is irritated.

[@AlexGallegos]

So Koi and other carp are probably the smartest fish out there. They "know" something's wrong with their water when they are stressing out, either virtue of parasites, toxins, unfamiliarity, crowding, etc. If your fish jump(s), consider revising parameters and other stressors in and outside the pond.