Can I just do this too acclimate my fish?

yougmoney

Member
Turn off aquarium lights.
Dim the lights in the room where the shipping box will be opened. Never open the box in bright light - severe stress or trauma may result from sudden exposure to bright light.
Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15 minutes (Fig. A). Never open the shipping bag at this time. This step allows the water in the shipping bag to adjust slowly to the temperature in the aquarium, while maintaining a high level of dissolved oxygen.
After floating the sealed shipping bag for 15 minutes, cut open the bag just under the metal clip and roll the top edge of the bag down one inch to create an air pocket within the lip of the bag. This will enable the bag to float on the surface of the water (Fig. C). For heavy pieces of live coral that will submerge the shipping bag, place the bag containing the coral in a plastic bowl or specimen container.
Add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag (Fig. D).
Repeat step 5 every four minutes until the shipping bag is full.
Lift the shipping bag from the aquarium and discard half the water from the bag (Fig. E).
Float the shipping bag in the aquarium again and proceed to add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag every four minutes until the bag is full.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by YougMoney
http:///forum/post/3263188
Turn off aquarium lights.
Dim the lights in the room where the shipping box will be opened. Never open the box in bright light - severe stress or trauma may result from sudden exposure to bright light.
Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15 minutes (Fig. A). Never open the shipping bag at this time. This step allows the water in the shipping bag to adjust slowly to the temperature in the aquarium, while maintaining a high level of dissolved oxygen.
After floating the sealed shipping bag for 15 minutes, cut open the bag just under the metal clip and roll the top edge of the bag down one inch to create an air pocket within the lip of the bag. This will enable the bag to float on the surface of the water (Fig. C). For heavy pieces of live coral that will submerge the shipping bag, place the bag containing the coral in a plastic bowl or specimen container.
Add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag (Fig. D).
Repeat step 5 every four minutes until the shipping bag is full.
Lift the shipping bag from the aquarium and discard half the water from the bag (Fig. E).
Float the shipping bag in the aquarium again and proceed to add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag every four minutes until the bag is full.

LOL…you have some lucky fish because you care so much. I wish everyone did and not get in a hurry.
The only thing I would change is the idea of how to float, it doesn’t always work…I clip my bags to the tank. Also I remove a little bag water with a FISH ONLY turkey baster, and replace with the same amount of tank water.
When it is time to put the fish in the tank, the only water in there is from my own tank…I release the new critter water and all.
 

mrdc

Active Member
Sure that will work but do watch out for the float to make sure all the water doesn't spill into the tank. I am a fan of the drip method but your method works.
 
S

saxman

Guest
the new school of thought is that if the fish has been shipped, once the bag is open, the sudden rise in pH causes the ammonia that has built up in the bag to become toxic, so once the bag is open, it's better to add the fish to the target tank immediately.
here's a pic showing shipping water vs. tank water:

which water would you want your fish sitting in?
 

srfisher17

Active Member
I think the OP has the acclimation procedure from LA. This is a perfectly acceptable method. But; I really prefer the drip acclimation suggested by SWF.com. It may not be any better, but I've been using it for years....so why change? I've always used a little Ammo-Lock to de-toxify the ammonia in the acclimation container---just to be on the safe side. I never realized how fast ammonia could be produced until I did similar tests a while ago.
 

wen tom

Member
I've been doing the drip method this go around too. (last 3 yrs) but before (15 yrs ago.) I did this other method and wonder if the drip is really better. The temp by then is significantly different and you take the fish from that water out of the water its in and put into tank. It seems it would be easier on the fish to just be released water and all? But. . . whad do I know!!!
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
I float and add tank water to bag, until sg is the same. Then pour water down sink releasing just the fish in the tank. Now if your diligent w your qt you can put the bag water in that. But!!! Whatever is in it is now in the tank
 

bang guy

Moderator
Never open the shipping bag at this time. This step allows the water in the shipping bag to adjust slowly to the temperature in the aquarium, while maintaining a high level of dissolved oxygen.
I'm not sure about this statement. Where does the "high level of dissolved oxygen" come from in an unopened bag that has had a fish breathing in it? For me, I would think it more logical to address the water contamination issue prior to raising the water temperature.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
If it is an online purchase it should have been packaged in pure O2. Not so much from a fish store.
 
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