I've moved fish in styrofoam coolers before and it's always worked out. I think maybe throwing some live plants in there would help for oxygen and for giving the Oscars a little security.

Hope this helped.

-andy

If you can get O2 use it , if not leave a good sized air bubble or get a battery powered air pump and use it. It is a small battery powered pump about the size of two decks of cards with an air line and a airstone on the end.
Dont feed the Oscars for a day or so before you move them, they will panic, take a huge poo and foul their water so ship them on an empty cleaned out gut. Discard the water they traveled in and bring some clean water from your old place in a separate container if possible, to mix with the new water to help them ease into their new home.

Whatever you do dont clean your pump!! You want to keep all of the good bacteria going so you wont have to cycle your tank when you set it up again. I would actually put the travel water back into the new tank as long is it came from the original tank. Just trying to recycle your tank can cause them enough stress to kill them.

What I did when I move my fish some 500 miles was to keep a small air pump in my car ... when I stoped for coffee or something to eat I would find a plug at the store and plug in. You can also find adaptors for your car that will allow you to plug in. A styrofome cooler is the best idea .. keep it dark so as to not stress them. They should actually be ok without additional air for awhile. A bag could be dangerous if they get stuck in a corner or something .. I would go with a cooler.

Hope all goes well
Laura

Laura's right...definitely don't clean out your filter!!!

Good luck!

-andy

Thanks everyone, I feel much better about their move. I'll let you know later how they did.

You may want to check on this - but from what I understand plants compete for the oxygen in a tank as well as clean the water. So adding some to the bag while you are moving your Oscars would deplete the air supply. My advice would be one fish per bag and that's it - keep it dark and if possible O2. Good luck bagging those suckers, I've had some angry beasts when I've had to move mine in the past. Jumped clear across the room while I was attempting to bag and tag!

I was under the impression that plants give off oxygen and take in CO2 during the day and the only time they take in O2 is at night...so if the environment is dark then the plants think it's night and what you say is true...but if the fish and plants are in a light-permiable container they will provide the tank with necessary O2, correct?

I would never use trash bags to transfer fish. Most are specified as "not for food use", which makes one wonder, & some are treated with a mild insect repellant which is also probably not good for fish.