# Hey College Students! How do you do it?



## Galaxy (Nov 9, 2013)

Hello there everyone. I'm currently a junior in college, and I just bought my betta fish halfway through last semester.

I've seen that some college students have tanks both in their dorm and at home. But, I personally don't have the funds at the moment to have a tank with lid/light/heater/filter/gravel/plants both at home and in the dorm. Plus, over some breaks we have to unplug all electrical devices in the dorm. And, some breaks are to long to leave a betta with a feeding pellet that'll last a week or a self feeding trinket.

So, I'm wondering what do you guys do? What do you recommend? 

I'm figuring I may have to lug everything back and forth every break....

Do you guys cycle your tanks? Do the breaks/moving things around affect your cycled tanks? How do you move your cycled tanks

Do you have real plants? If so, how do you transport them? 

Do you have shrimp as well? Do they do okay being brought back and forth? (I'm thinking of getting some in the future)

My college is 4 hours away from my home. How far is yours? How do you travel with your fish?


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## BettaLover1313 (Apr 15, 2013)

Hello there Galaxy, I'm also a Junior in college and I got my first betta near the end of my sophomore year.

I do lug everything back and forth over long breaks (like right now is my month long Winter Break, so my boys had to come back with me. I've heard of several methods of transporting bettas, including in their cups that you bought them in a cooler. I transport mine in 1 gallon Kritter Keepers (each boy has their own Kritter Keeper). 

Can't really answer the cycled tank question as I'm still unfamiliar with what a cycled tank is. Not sure if mine would be one or not.

I do not have real plants yet, however, I have been learning about them, and plants can be transported in bags filled with water (some are easier to transport than others, like floating plants like Water Sprite or plants that can attach to rocks like Anubias or Java Fern, plants that root into the substrate are a bit harder).

I do not own any shrimp, so I can't answer that question either.

My college is 2 hours away from my home residence, and I transport everything in my car, placing the boys Kritter Keepers behind my front seats and bracing them against the seat, and if I have something that will fit behind them to further steady them, I put those on the other side of the tank. I take turns and curves slower just to be sure I don't tip over anybody, and if I can help it, I don't stop suddenly either. I just take the tank in my dorm room back and forth between my home and dorm in the container it came in.


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## Galaxy (Nov 9, 2013)

@BettaLover1313
Thank you for your reply!

Ah, I figured I might end up bringing everything back and forth. :/ It's my winter break right now, and my second break bringing my fish home (I brought her home for thanksgiving break as well). I've been transporting her in her cup, but that does stress her out a bit. :/ Guess there's no way around it though.

Aww, that's okay! Maybe someone else can answer my questions about a cycled tank then. ^^ I bought a new 5.5 gallon for Christmas, and I've decided to cycle the tank for my shrimp and fish. 

Okay, good! I plant on getting plants that don't need substrate sometime in the future, so it should be fine transporting them.  (Anachris, hornwort, and the like)

Okay, that's what I'll do too! I was just wondering if anyone else had some different methods. I'll probably take the box my new tank came in (has styrofoam), and I'll put everything in the tank in that box.


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

If you keep the filter media wet in tank water your cycle shouldn't be destroyed but it could go through a mini cycle. Cycling is just the process in which your filter accumulates beneficial bacteria (BB) that eat the ammonia and such your fish produce to keep the water "clean". They mainly live in filter media (hence why you shouldn't change your filter pads even though they say you should) though they can be found on various surfaces in your tank. Cycling mainly happens with tanks larger than 3g WITH filters. It's hard to cycle smaller tanks but not impossible.

I never had any luck with plants so I can't help much. The less uprooting you do on them the better. 

Keep your fish in a dark spot or covered while in the car to try and minimize stress. There will be some stress no matter what you do but it shouldn't harm her too much. Fish are shipped from Thailand every day and go through UPS and generally come out okay. Keep them warm and safe. If you still have your cup then I would only fill it halfway or less with tank water to transport.

As for shrimp. I wanna say you might need a portable air stone? But I truthfully do not know.


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

I was lucky enough to inherit a 5g and spare heater, filter, etc. from a family member, so it's been easy on me to move my fish for break. Fall and Spring breaks are only a week long at my school and I leave the tank running without any sort of feeder; haven't had any problems. For Winter break I leave my 10g at school, we have to empty ours as well as unplug so it gets drained with just the rinsed out gravel left. The fish live in the 5g over break with the same filter running and same decorations, so there's a mini cycle but I can stay on top of it. Summer break I bring the 10g down home and have that up and running, there's usually a mini cycle but most of the BB seem to survive.

My school is also four hours away and I just put my fish into jars and keep them into an insulated shopping bag up front with me (A lunch box works great for one fish). I made seven trips with the first fish I had, and with one exception they all survived (My first trip home one tetra became a snack within hours, but it survived the journey). When I had live plants I just took off the weights and put them into the same jars as the fish since they were pretty small, larger plants would probably need their own bag/jar.


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## Galaxy (Nov 9, 2013)

@Kithy
Thanks for your reply!

I have a 5.5 gallon tank, so I think it really should be cycled. I'll keep the filter media wet when I travel then. 

Okay! I'll make sure to get some hardy plants with easy care if I do get any.

Oh gosh! I'm glad you told me that. I usually keep my fish in the cup holder and make sure the car is already warmed up before taking her outside. I always thought it might be better if she could see around her, but keeping it dark totally make sense! I'll make sure to keep to try keeping it darker next time.

I also didn't know about filling a cup halfway. Why halfway or less? I'm just wondering.  I thought it'd be best to fill it as much as possible? :/ That way there's more area to swim in and stuff?

Portable airstone?  I hadn't heard of that. Hmmm.... Hopefully someone else knows something. :/

@Rana
Your avatar is soooooo cute! And, thanks for your reply. 

Wow! That is /awesome/! Unfortunately, my family isn't really into fish. That's awesome you are able to do that though! 

Ah. That does sound like a good system!  We do have a 10G left over from my sister's frogs. Maybe some day I'll be able to get it fully set up and do the same thing you do! We'll see.

Alrighty then! I'll be sure to keep any bags/containers future plants/fish come in for transport. Seems that's the way to go. ^^

A lunch box for insulation is a /great/ idea! It'll be great to keep her a bit warmer! I'll definitely have to do that next time!


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Halfwayish was should be be a bumpy ride the water doesn't go flying out. I hadn't know about the portable battery ones either til I gave two of my goldfish away and the guy had one. I was like whoaaa, now I KNOW you'll take care of 'em!


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## Galaxy (Nov 9, 2013)

@Kithy
Ah, got it! Yeah, I usually do it 2/3 full, but I'll lower the water level a bit more next time. Ohhh! Portable battery airstones.  Nifty. I'll have to google that. That's great you found someone who knew how to take care of fish! I feel like I'd have to look for a long time if I ever decided to give my fish to someone else. Not to many people my age who take care of fish correctly I think. :/


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## AAquarist (Dec 3, 2013)

Not to high-jack this thread, I am just wondering how Bettas would do on a 5.5 hour/6 hour car trip? I will be leaving for college next fall (I'm in Community College) and I was concerned with that. I am also going to a really cold place for school and obviously can't plug the heater in the car, so I'd be a little worried about that to?

Galaxy, sorry I am not much help


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## AAquarist (Dec 3, 2013)

Double Post


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

AAquarist, I've done four-five hour trips without a problem. I think if you start with clean water in their cups that helps, and crack open their container if it's airtight every so often. Keeping them dark will help keep them calm, and remember that fish get shipped across the globe every day and make it in good health.

My school is up in VT so it's pretty darn cold in the winter; I use an insulated bag shopping bag with a towel for padding and keep the car heat on. My advice is to have the fish be the last thing you put in the car before leaving, and the first thing to come out when you arrive. I even take mine with me when I check in rather than leave them in the car. Don't use those disposable hand warmers as heat packs, they get too hot for fish to handle.

Something I forgot to mention, is to always take a gallon or more of clean water with you from your current location (I use cleaned-out milk jugs to hold all my water). That way you have fresh water that they're already used to, so they can be taken out of their cups before you start acclimating them to the new water. :3


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## Galaxy (Nov 9, 2013)

@AAquarist
No worries! I was actually wondering if someone had a longer car ride to college than me, and what they did for their fishies. I guess I might recommend putting your fish in a lunch box/bubble wrap if you'd like to keep him warm (good insulation, and the dark would help keep him less stressed out). I'm not sure what else you could do. 

Kithy stated in an earlier post:

Keep your fish in a dark spot or covered while in the car to try and minimize stress. There will be some stress no matter what you do but it shouldn't harm her too much. Fish are shipped from Thailand every day and go through UPS and generally come out okay. Keep them warm and safe. If you still have your cup then I would only fill it halfway or less with tank water to transport.

My fish does fine with my 4 hour drive. I try to make sure to keep her as warm as possible (take her into restaurants when we stop even).


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## Sunshine42 (Jan 20, 2014)

Hi Galaxy! 
Thanks for posting a good question  I am new to this forum, but I have owned four bettas previous to this, and moved two of them to and from my Uni, which is nine hours away from my hometown. Not to mention I worked in a petstore for two years (no haters, guys, we are a small town petstore with a genuine interest in our animals- no plastic cups for our bettas  ). Personally when I take my baby home with me, I put him in a large mason jar with holes poked in the top. Normally its a non-stop trip for me. I have one of my old tanks, a 2 g at home where he stays for the three weeks max I am home for christmas! The other times I go home do not exceed 7-8 days, so I pop a feeding block into his tank and clean his tank as soon as I get home, as his house gets a little dirty after such a meal!
I don't normally cycle the tank at home, but he hasn't seemed to have an issue with it so far. I would recommend keeping the jar (or travel tank) warm and dark, so as to not overstimulate him. If it is large enough that it won't knock itself over, then I would tuck it on a seat in a towel or on the car floor where it won't get knocked over. Get him into a tank as soon as you get home and his temporary home is safe!
Unfortunately I don't have anything else other then a betta, or live plants (I have tried, and personally haven't had luck with them), so I can't help you there.
I hope this was somewhat helpful, though!!


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## Spectacled (Jan 15, 2014)

AAquarist said:


> Not to high-jack this thread, I am just wondering how Bettas would do on a 5.5 hour/6 hour car trip? I will be leaving for college next fall (I'm in Community College) and I was concerned with that. I am also going to a really cold place for school and obviously can't plug the heater in the car, so I'd be a little worried about that to?
> 
> Galaxy, sorry I am not much help


Fun fact. If your car has a functioning cigarette lighter, they sell plug-ins that are outlet plugs and if you have a small heater (enough to do a gallon or whatever you're transporting in), you might actually be able to plug in your heater!
Or, I've read on a number of threads that you can wrap towels and small blankets around the tanks. It offers stabilization, too!

Best of luck!


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## Galaxy (Nov 9, 2013)

Thanks guys for your replies! 

(I travel with Galaxy in her small cup she came in at the store. It has holes in the top. )

I wrapped Galaxy's cup in a towel this time to keep it dark and a bit warmer, and she seemed to not be nearly as stressed out. I'm glad I made this thread and found out about that! I thought my fishy would like to see what was going on, since that's how I'd feel if I was travelling in a cup, but it was much easier on her when I kept her cup in the dark. Next time I'll try bubble wrap as well to keep her better insulated, and I'll be keeping my eye out for the perfect lunch box to transport her in (more insulation) 

@Sunshine42
My pleasure! I'm glad you found this thread interesting! I'm also new to the forums, and new to bettas in general. It's been a lot of fun!

Wow! That is quite the car ride! 
Yes, I may take everything I have home except the tank, since I have a 10G at home. Might have to change that if I ever get live plants. But, I'll probably be trying different arrangements out over the next breaks/semesters to see what works best for tank arrangement in dorm and at home.

@Spectacled
The cigarette lighter/heater fact is great! Although, I usually transport my fish in her cup. But, if it's really cold out, and I'm worried about her, I might try that. ^^ I'm not sure if my heater would be to big or not. I'd have to keep that in mind, unfortunately. (I love my heater, but it's huuuuge~)


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## xxxthebxxx (Sep 25, 2013)

Hi guys! I'm also a Sophomore in College. I have a 4 hour commute from my home in RI to VT, and it is cold all the way through!

I received my fish this past August, and kept her in a half-gallon, unfiltered and unheated tank until December. I had wanting to upgrade for a long time, but it wasn't until Christmas when it happened. For trips such as this, I just lowered the water level and surrounded the tank with memory foam to absorb bumps some. 

Now that I have a 3-gallon tank with a 25 Watt heater, I have upgraded to an Aquaclear 20 filter and have been working to establish a cycle. I'm a newbie when it comes to fish caretaking, so I was astounded when I first saw a bacteria bloom, but my tank has since cleared out and the parameters are good.

Being that I got the tank all set up while I was home for break, I dismantled it for it's maiden voyage to college 2 days ago. I had purchased two 1-gallon pitchers for water changes, so I set up one with new conditioned water and also placed a 7.5 Watt heater in it.

I had originally purchased the 7.5 Watt undergravel heater for use with the 3-gallon tank (because it claimed to work in tanks up to 5 gallons), but it quickly wasn't up to the task. I found a use for it here.

For the car ride, I made use of a Power Adapter that converts DC electricity to AC currents. So, I was able to power the heater for the car ride! With a cover, I was able to keep the water level near the top. The heater did not perfectly keep the water around 80 degrees, as it had dropped to 76 after a longer 5 hour drive. But it was decent enough. 

For my two 1-week breaks this semester, I plan to leave the 3 gallon here and bring my betta fish, Gamma, home and heated in the half-gallon tank again. That should suffice for one week at a time.


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

xxxthebxxx said:


> Hi guys! I'm also a Sophomore in College. I have a 4 hour commute from my home in RI to VT, and it is cold all the way through!
> 
> I received my fish this past August, and kept her in a half-gallon, unfiltered and unheated tank until December. I had wanting to upgrade for a long time, but it wasn't until Christmas when it happened. For trips such as this, I just lowered the water level and surrounded the tank with memory foam to absorb bumps some.
> 
> ...


Where in VT if you don't mind my asking? That's where my school is too. :3

You probably don't need to take her home for week long breaks, since bettas can go a week without eating easily and a 3g won't get too dirty in that length of time, especially if you get it cycled. In my opinion the stress of traveling is worse than being alone for a week, but that's your call.


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## xxxthebxxx (Sep 25, 2013)

I have considered buying an automatic feeder to use for a week, so I have a week to look into it.

I'm located at Lyndon State College, where are you?


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

I don't have much faith in automated feeders, or those weird chalk blocks fish are supposed to eat. I just fed mine a little more the week before I left, but again it's totally your call. Some people say a gel-based food is good for long-term feeding without polluting the water much, but I've never even seen it in stores.

I'm at UVM! Right on the lake. I just reread that you get two breaks and now I'm jealous, we just get one week.


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## AAquarist (Dec 3, 2013)

Thanks for all the answers guys. This thread is a great resource. You'll be in Vermont? hehe, I'll be Upstate NY (If you're that curious as to where you can PM me), so I will be right next door. I have quite a bit of time till next fall to look up all this and worry about it, so I'll probably just worry about it then and bookmark this as a resource. Thanks for the awesome info though, it is much appreciated


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## xxxthebxxx (Sep 25, 2013)

Not a problem, good to see other people in the same boat!

And @Rana, yes, I have a break in February and April, which is pretty sweet! My summer break probably starts a week after you, though,


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## Octrine (Jan 8, 2014)

My little boy's going to need to do a 2 day trip to get home at the end of the term along with his plants. This was really good for the extra information. I know someone who had 2 boys living one each in large semi transparent hiking water bottles and she had been travelling cross country with them for a few months with out a problem.


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## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

For shorter breaks, a betta will do just fine left at school, as long as the building temps aren't a concern (if they cut the power and the temps drop to freezing, yeah, that'd be bad). As long as the water temps stay in the 60s, a betta will be FINE for a week. Just warm it up slowly when you return. The betta can go a week without food no problem at all. Only for longer breaks do you need to consider transport.

If your tank has plants and such, again, I'd leave it at school for anything shorter than 2 weeks. Put the tank near the window so plants can get some natural light. Plants won't care about cold temps, as long as it's not ACTUALLY freezing, obviously.

Then just being the betta home, and he can live in a small 1 gal bowl for the duration of the break, then back into the tank once school resumes.

Obviously, longer breaks, like summer, will need to have things transported home, unless you make friends with someone who lives off campus and stays in town, and is willing to take care of them over the summer.

People make a big deal out of a betta's _preference_ for warmer temps, but they're actually quite hardy. If you notice, the fish at pet stores don't exactly have heaters in those little cups. They can handle relatively cold water reasonably well, they're not thrilled about it. Long term, you definitely need a heater, short term, really not as big of an issue as people make it out to be. As long as you're comfortable in your car (and I don't mean comfortable in a down jacket and scarf!), the betta is going to be fine, too, even for an 8 hour car ride.


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