Moving and Transporting Fish
Since Hurricane Katrina, many southerners have been able to
return to their homes and reclaim ponds as well as houses.
Others have relocated and are in the process of taking their
fish with them to the new home. Still others are moving, rock by
rock, the old pond to the new location. I happen to be in touch
with a number of these unfortunate pond owners. They are already
doing what I am about to begin shortly. I am in the process of
selling my house and will move sometime this fall to a warmer
climate. Naturally, the fish are going with me.
That brings me to the question of exactly how the fish are to be
moved from one place to the next. In my case I expect to
purchase a home with pre-existing in-ground pool that can, with
a bit of Microbe-Lift bacteria and Dechlorinator Plus,
accommodate my pets. But that still doesn’t tell me how to get
them from here to there.
I considered buying one of those transport tanks, but I don’t
have a pick-up truck, so it probably would be a waste of money.
I also considered using the
double-bag-method-with-oxygen-and-cardboard-boxes as the next
logical solution. And then, what would I do with the boxes? Do I
rent a U-Haul to pack the boxes and drive them down to Florida?
It would be a two-day drive so that really didn’t sound like an
ideal situation for the koi stuck in those bags, especially if
it was hot at the time.
Well, taking this one step at a time made me realize I couldn’t
do it alone. I began asking for help. Friends came out of the
woodwork. Some simply wanted to buy my fish -- not an option.
Others said sell the fish and buy new ones once you get settled
in. One offered to help ship them by air since it requires a
license to ship koi since 9/11/01. That sounds very attractive,
however I still need help catching, bagging and delivering them
to the airport at the last minute in order to be able to get to
Florida to meet the plane, or be on the same plane perhaps and
move them to the swimming pool.
Initially, that was the accepted solution. But the more I
thought about it, the more I realized I am probably not going to
get my house sold as long as I have the pond. The pond is going
to be filled in and the fish have to be put somewhere else, long
before they become airbound. And on the day of departure, I
would be in no shape to do all this.
Another koi dealer offered to come out, collect the fish, keep
them at his place until I am settled in at the new home, and
when I call him, he will ship them by air so I can just drive
out and pick them up. It’s a 2-hour plane ride. Will it cost
more? I’m not so sure. It may be more costly with a U-Haul… and
less stress for the fish!
A true story and ongoing saga…
by Carolyn Weise, Ecological
Laboratories, Inc.
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