moving x-country followup

I'm trying not to count my chickens before they hatch, but I think a
three week long oydessy has come to a happy end.

Some might remember I called for advice a month ago about moving from
NY to CA with fish... I nixed the big plan because of how long it
would take the moving truck (with the tanks) to arrive. Instead, I
brought three fish with us on the airplane, a gourami we've had for
three years, and two horse-faced loaches that couldn't be caught to
give away.

We packed them in ziplock bags Sunday 8/1 as we emptied the tanks. We
took them on the airplane with the bags sealed, in a clear rectangular
container with cardboard taped over the top. Our tickets were tagged
to go through super-dooper security with our friends and yours, the
department of homeland security, so we untaped the top, they pulled
the bags out and stared, asked why fish, and sent us on our way.

A week and some days later, the moving truck came, along with our 5g
water changing bucket, we put them in there. We didn't want to put
them in a tank until it had sand (horsefaces like to burrow) because
catching fish is on my list of no-nos unless _absolutely_ necessary,
and pouring the sand on top of them is pretty stupid too.

Another week goes by and the car comes. Now we can start finding
stores, avoiding these insane California drivers who don't use turn
signals, and buying sand. Three stores later (with every clerk
treating us like nutters for wanting sand for _freshwater_ aquariums)
we found "Super Naturals" sand. It was entirely too expensive, but
well rinsed. (Rinsing was a problem because we live in an apartment,
and couldn't waste the million gallons it takes to rinse play sand or
commercial sand, and leave the residue anywhere)

This morning, the fish went in the tank, the horsefaces disappeared,
and the gourami is checking out her new digs. Looks good! Hopefully
the plants will straighten out and take root.

Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions you all sent last
month!

-Jess

P.S. Dick - we're engaged now : )

Glad we could help.

Let us know when you get more fish.

Limnophile

"Jess Van Tassell" wrote in message
om...
I'm trying not to count my chickens before they hatch, but I think a
three week long oydessy has come to a happy end.

Some might remember I called for advice a month ago about moving from
NY to CA with fish... I nixed the big plan because of how long it
would take the moving truck (with the tanks) to arrive. Instead, I
brought three fish with us on the airplane, a gourami we've had for
three years, and two horse-faced loaches that couldn't be caught to
give away.

We packed them in ziplock bags Sunday 8/1 as we emptied the tanks. We
took them on the airplane with the bags sealed, in a clear rectangular
container with cardboard taped over the top. Our tickets were tagged
to go through super-dooper security with our friends and yours, the
department of homeland security, so we untaped the top, they pulled
the bags out and stared, asked why fish, and sent us on our way.

A week and some days later, the moving truck came, along with our 5g
water changing bucket, we put them in there. We didn't want to put
them in a tank until it had sand (horsefaces like to burrow) because
catching fish is on my list of no-nos unless _absolutely_ necessary,
and pouring the sand on top of them is pretty stupid too.

Another week goes by and the car comes. Now we can start finding
stores, avoiding these insane California drivers who don't use turn
signals, and buying sand. Three stores later (with every clerk
treating us like nutters for wanting sand for _freshwater_ aquariums)
we found "Super Naturals" sand. It was entirely too expensive, but
well rinsed. (Rinsing was a problem because we live in an apartment,
and couldn't waste the million gallons it takes to rinse play sand or
commercial sand, and leave the residue anywhere)

This morning, the fish went in the tank, the horsefaces disappeared,
and the gourami is checking out her new digs. Looks good! Hopefully
the plants will straighten out and take root.

Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions you all sent last
month!

-Jess

P.S. Dick - we're engaged now : )