moving Oliver

My betta fish had his moving day!

I transported the plants, driftwood, snails and fish in clean five-gallon buckets, (only half full to not slop over, and I drove about 20mph the whole way with my hazards on haha- but it really is a short distance)

also took more tank water in the smaller two-gallon bucket. Set it all up again in the new place, returned to the tank the water from the smaller bucket and from the plant bucket. Replaced the driftwood plants. Then started running filter and filled the tank with new water. It was very cloudy at first. Couldn't even see stuff in the rear of the tank to reposition.

After half an hour still cloudy so I lightly rinsed out the sponge filter- it was overloaded with silt.

It wasn't really clear again until this morning:

I'm not used to how water comes out of the tap in the bathroom over here, so it was a bit too warm at first. Floated some ice cubes in baggie in the tank for a while, then it was safe to move Oliver in. I had transported him in a bucket with his skull for some security and I think that was a good idea- he did keep hiding in it.

The water from Oliver's bucket got dumped (stress = extra ammonia, don't want that in the tank). He was moving around the tank again fairly soon, but very nervous of the camera so I didn't get any pictures of him in here. Left the light off for rest of the day. Might replace it with a proper aquarium light- there's no real good way to situate the desk lamp I'd been using here...

Trumpet snails were out and about-

Now in about two weeks I will move the twenty's contents and inhabitants over into my new forty- when things are settled down here.