🧳Transporting a Killifish: bagging, acclimatisation, moving

Killifish : It jumps the moment the bag opens: handle it above a closed surface and transfer carefully. Slow 30 to 45 minute acclimation, especially into harder water.

In short: 4 to 6 cm as an adult depending on the species, 20 to 50 L depending on the species, water between 20 and 24 °C. A lively, colorful little surface fish, often kept species-only with one male and two or three females. A formidable jumper requiring a gap-free lid; its lifespan varies greatly by species, often only 1 to 3 years.

Bringing home or moving a Killifish

A 5 cm Killifish travels in a double bag — one-third water, two-thirds air — inside a cool box or opaque bag: darkness soothes, insulation protects from swings away from its 20 to 24°C comfort zone. A trip under two hours needs nothing more.

Acclimatisation: the critical step

On arrival, float the bag 20 minutes to equalise temperature, then add tank water in small doses over 30 to 45 minutes, and release with a net without pouring bag water into the tank. In this species, a botched transfer is paid for in bouts of velvet (oodinium) in unstable water. Lights off for the first day: a newcomer hazed under floodlights starts with a handicap.

Moving an entire aquarium

A successful move rests on three precautions: fish in covered buckets, the filter never dried out (damp cool box — it houses your bacteria), and a same-day restart using original water saved in jerrycans. The tank itself travels EMPTY: glass stressed by a few leftover litres cracks at the first corner.

Frequently asked questions

How long can a Killifish handle transport?

A few hours easily in a proper bag, up to 24 hours in an oxygenated professional bag. Past two hours, protect the temperature above all.

How do you acclimatise a Killifish safely?

Float the bag 20 minutes, add tank water gradually over 30 to 60 minutes, release with a net, lights off the first day — and never pour bag water into the tank.

The guides that apply to you

• Alarm Substance: Why You Should Isolate an Injured Fish After Handling

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• Moving House With an Aquarium: How to Transport the Filter and Heater Without Crashing the Cycle

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• Jumping Fish: Which Species Are Likely to Leap Out of the Tank

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