# How long can fish survive in a bucket?



## chinaboy1021 (May 30, 2003)

Hi guys,

I need to overhaul a tank by adding more ADA Aquasoil, driftwood, and rescaping all the plants. I can anticipate several problems such as increase in ammonia, decrease in ph compounded by degradation in nitrifying bacteria and stunted plant growth for initial several days. 

That said, does anybody have a similar experience? How long can I keep my fish in a bucket with heater and filter (Eheim 2217)? I currently have 16 Serpae Tetras and 5 Oto cats (no others). 

The tank/filter is only 4-5 weeks weeks old but fully cycled. I added fish several days ago and I'm getting ph of 6 with 0/0/20ppm (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate respectively). 

Let me know. 

Thanks gang


----------



## jeepguy (Jul 24, 2013)

Spend $15 and go get a big 17/20 gallon Rubbermaid tub, put ur filter and heater in there and keep them in there as long as you want or until your tank is stable.


----------



## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

jeepguy said:


> Spend $15 and go get a big 17/20 gallon Rubbermaid tub, put ur filter and heater in there and keep them in there as long as you want or until your tank is stable.


+1
The longest I've ever gone with the fish in a bucket was just shy of three days with them split between two buckets and running heaters and air stones but I would not recommend it. There are all kinds of larger containers suitable for holding the weight of water for significantly less than the cost of a spare tank, which likely wouldn't remain "spare" for long anyway. A new medium-sized trash can would do the job just fine.


----------



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

Yah, I'm keeping my fish currently in a 33 gallon brute rubbermaid that my friend has. Using three eheim 2217's on it but that's because I want to keep them cycled, plus my fish are also larger than yours lol


----------



## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

A very long time.

I kept a 3 rasporas and 14ember tetras in a 1g doubled ziplock bag for a week.

I've had Rilli shrimp breed in a ziplock quart bag that I had sitting for about 2 weeks also. =X

Imagine how they ship these poor guys..


----------



## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

Forever.


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

If you can keep up the circulation and the water quality, that will go along way in helping the fish in the bucket. However, it looks like there are quite a few fish for 5 gallons, and the idea of a larger container (15-20 gallons) sounds better if it is going to be more than perhaps overnight. 

Wrap the bucket in a thick towel to help conserve the temperature.


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Considering how fish are shipped without any water changes or new air, being in a bucket with air circulation, heat and water changes when you do them, it should be a piece of cake.


----------



## treyLcham (Sep 9, 2014)

you could go to pet co and get a tanks for like nothing with there $1 a gallon sail or you could also try your luck at a good will and get a tank for like nothing there. When ever i go to my grandmas we go to the good will because there is always at least 2 or more that are like dirt cheap!


----------



## Raith (Jun 27, 2014)

When I had ich, I used a 20gallon bucket as quarantine, well, the fish in it survived for 3 weeks. No filter, natural sunlight, and rain water.


----------

