Hi all. This seems like a silly topic before I even start! We're just starting down the road towards emigrating from the UK to Canada. I currently have a big, beautiful and expensive fish tank and I'm trying to decide what we should take with us and what we should get rid off before we go. If I take the easy option and sell the fish and tank, I'll never be able to afford to replace it. But what are the chances of the tank just breaking en route to Canada anyway if I keep it?! Obviously the fish will be rehomed either way.
Has anyone packed up and shipped an aquarium over the Atlantic?! Did it survive?!
Thanks all

Years ago shipped a fish tank, it arrived fine , but packing to be sure requires a lot to be sure. I do think first question is size of tank. Prices for fish tanks in USA at least very reasonable especially when on sale compared to UK. I suspect in Canada the same. The filters another matter. If you have an advanced outside canister and/or sump filter I think those are worth shipping.

The other issue after you arrive is water quality varies significantly in the US, even by state sometimes. Thus filtration media, or plant types, used in UK my not give the same result in USA. Good luck !

morpeth is right, the tank costs very little relative to everything else involved in fish keeping. Still, if you have a container you may as well take it as, full of stuff, it uses up little space.

This is a chain of fish tank shops, to give an idea of tank prices:

Big Al's Canada - The Pond and Aquarium Hobby Specialists

This is a mail order fish shop (!) for an idea of the price of everything else:

Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums

I agree little space, but very very careful packaging to be sure.

I have found best deals were from smaller shops when items on sale, larger tanks ( I am assuming over 75 gallons) sometimes smaller shops at certain times of year just want to move quickly- or depending on relationship with store owner, I would give price range and specifications and then let him source for me. Much more variety and options in my experience than UK or Europe.

Oh wow, yeah tanks are much cheaper there! I guess I'll give it a go and if the glass breaks I should be able to afford to replace it after all!
As for the filter, lights and air, I'm still struggling to get my head around the different power supply, so may end up just buying Canadian and starting again with them. It seems to be the way of the whole process that just when I get one aspect sorted in my head something else crops up that I hadn't even considered!

Sorry but just out of interest how big is this fish tank? I'm intrigued because you said you'll never be able to afford to replace it... so my brain is automatically thinking you inherited Sea worlds main pool.. but a small part of me is thinking it can't be that big.

Hahaha, well I've got to keep the dolphins SOMEWHERE!
OK, it's *only* a 450l tank, but it has a bespoke cabinet with it, so is pretty special. I reckon it'd cost £800 to buy here. Which my husband would never let me do!!

I think that's a 100 gallon tank (we don't have metric fish here) so that's a decent size. I wonder about storing it/hauling it around between rental places before you're settled. Maybe a lock up garage would make sense. What sort of thing do you keep in it (I have a similar tank across the room with various low stress reef fish and creatures)?

My advice would be to sell it and put the money towards buying another one when you get to Canada.

I'd guess most insurance will not cover for glass tank breakage in transit. They consist pretty much of five panes of glass glued together.

It's true, they are frighteningly fragile. The tank I had before, I built myself. When I first filled it, I was convinced it was going to leak/ explode!
My current tank is just a cold water community. I have danios, tetras, corys, hillstream loach, Siamese algae eaters and yamato shrimp. Nobody that I'd be broken hearted to leave behind, though the SAEs are lots of fun!

My fish tank broke just moving it from one house to another in UK and I thought I had packed it really well. You mention a bespoke cabinet, maybe bring that over and replace the actual tank when you get here

Good thinking!

@MamaSealion - welcome to BE!

You might want to look into the cost of shipping it too, before you decide. You can also look to pick up a 2nd hand tank, perhaps?

100 Gallon Fish Tank | Kijiji: Free Classifieds in Ontario. (Kijiji are all over Canada, not just Ontario)

Edited to add - such as this, 100 gallon tank with stand and all accessories, rock, filter and pump, $350 http://www.kijiji.ca/v-buy-sell-othe...ationFlag=true

You can pick up use tanks pretty cheap, sometimes full complete set ups used for a reasonable price.

Checks Kijiji and craigslist and find local aquarium groups in whatever area you end up in.

And if renting, a larger tank might be harder to find a rental, landlords don't typically want 100+ gallons in their rentals, even my 30 gallon was difficult, but I have since sold it.

If properly packaged and crated, it should survive, after all most aquariums in Canada are built either in the US and shipped or made in China and shipped over, all comes down to packing it properly.

Exactly my point, I was in the moving business in the UK for many years.
Glass fish tanks along with garden pots not insured by most firms.

I love how cheap it seems to be to have an aquarium in Canada!
I think it might come down to how much space we're left with in the container. If there's room I'll give it a go, if it breaks I can replace it once we're settled. If we're tight on space I'll sell it and get some free money!
Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate it.