Help! Dead fish everywhere!
- Thread starter bunnyl99
- Start date
ohiorn67
Member
Originally Posted by fishieness
that would be your problem right there!
all you are doing is getting your fish used to the temperature, not the chemistry of the water. Everything is different in your tank than in the fish stores. the amonia, the nitrates, the nitrites, the salinity, the pH!!
use the drip acclimation method.
Put the fish in a bucket, or if the LFS gives you small bags you can jsut use the bag and use something to stand it up strait.
1. buy a piece of airline tubing. A very thin piece
2. tie a not in the piece of tubing at the end, and stick that end in the bag or bucket with your new fish
3. siphone the water from your main tank into the bucket
4. adjust the knot so 5-6 dripps fall out a second
5. let sit for 2 hours, longer depending on the fish or invert. or until the water volume has quadrupled
6. let bag sit for a few minutes
7. add fish into tank without getting the water from the bag into the tank! (dont want your nasty LFS water in there, could be full of pathogens)
8. leave lights off for 24 hours
I am sorry but I never do the drip acclimate, although I do my acclimation over an hours time.......at least...15 min for temp to be the same then I start adding a few bits of water over an hours period, I have never lost a fish yet. EVER....
that would be your problem right there!
all you are doing is getting your fish used to the temperature, not the chemistry of the water. Everything is different in your tank than in the fish stores. the amonia, the nitrates, the nitrites, the salinity, the pH!!
use the drip acclimation method.
Put the fish in a bucket, or if the LFS gives you small bags you can jsut use the bag and use something to stand it up strait.
1. buy a piece of airline tubing. A very thin piece
2. tie a not in the piece of tubing at the end, and stick that end in the bag or bucket with your new fish
3. siphone the water from your main tank into the bucket
4. adjust the knot so 5-6 dripps fall out a second
5. let sit for 2 hours, longer depending on the fish or invert. or until the water volume has quadrupled
6. let bag sit for a few minutes
7. add fish into tank without getting the water from the bag into the tank! (dont want your nasty LFS water in there, could be full of pathogens)
8. leave lights off for 24 hours
I am sorry but I never do the drip acclimate, although I do my acclimation over an hours time.......at least...15 min for temp to be the same then I start adding a few bits of water over an hours period, I have never lost a fish yet. EVER....
sw65galma
Active Member
Originally Posted by ohiorn67
I am sorry but I never do the drip acclimate, although I do my acclimation over an hours time.......at least...15 min for temp to be the same then I start adding a few bits of water over an hours period, I have never lost a fish yet. EVER....
I can cross the road without looking hundreds of times and probably not get hit by luck...Does it mean everyone should do it?
I can touch tons of dirty things and put my fingers in my mouth and not get sick...does it mean i shouldn't ever wash my hands?
What you are doing is all by luck....Basically what you are doing is the eqivilent of jumping into a cold pool..You'll live, but it would have been nicer to slowly get used to it.
Be kinder to your fish and drip acclimate...someone didn't spend the time for each and every fish to figure out the best acclimation time because it doesn't make a difference.
I don't mean to sound like I'm jumping all over you......I mean this in the most constructively educational way.
I am sorry but I never do the drip acclimate, although I do my acclimation over an hours time.......at least...15 min for temp to be the same then I start adding a few bits of water over an hours period, I have never lost a fish yet. EVER....
I can cross the road without looking hundreds of times and probably not get hit by luck...Does it mean everyone should do it?
I can touch tons of dirty things and put my fingers in my mouth and not get sick...does it mean i shouldn't ever wash my hands?
What you are doing is all by luck....Basically what you are doing is the eqivilent of jumping into a cold pool..You'll live, but it would have been nicer to slowly get used to it.
Be kinder to your fish and drip acclimate...someone didn't spend the time for each and every fish to figure out the best acclimation time because it doesn't make a difference.
I don't mean to sound like I'm jumping all over you......I mean this in the most constructively educational way.
kevtheiris
Member
I use the drip method, bt how crutial is the amount of time that you allow.. I have my "tank bucket (which is an 11qt bucket). I ut the fish/water in the bucket and let it slow drip until the bucket is full, then add everything to the tank. This usually takes about 45mins to do... Is that enough time? I have not had any problems YET, but just added a spotted sweetlips yesterday, co I'm crossing my fingers.
ophiura
Active Member
Actually a lot comes down to the conditions the fish is in. If the LFS tank parameters are significantly different than your home tank, then the acclimation time can be less. You should test at least the specific gravity and then acclimate until they are basically the same. So people can acclimate in different ways just fine...or they can do the same thing from another store and have issues. There are no standard set rules, IMO.
fishieness
Active Member
you fill 11 gallons in 45 minutes?! wow!! thats a fast drip!! i usualy like to set it at a point where it drips 4-5 times a second or that the amount of water quadruples in 2 hours or so.
good luck with the sweetlips!!
BEATUFL fish!! they had one at my LFS that was about 3 inces long, kinda misleading. lol
and i hope you did your reserch ;-)
good luck with the sweetlips!!
BEATUFL fish!! they had one at my LFS that was about 3 inces long, kinda misleading. lol
and i hope you did your reserch ;-)
darth tang
Active Member
11 Quarts, not gallons.
kevtheiris
Member
11q is just under 3 gal... no i got hosed... g/f liked the sweetlips so i bought it, they siad if it grows too big for my tank they'd buy him back/ trade, so i am going to TRY to keep him as long as possible.
fishieness
Active Member
woops!! for some reason i registered gallons instead of quarts
wanabebell
Member
first make sure amonia is safe
then this is for every one
under ground filters do nothing
i would take a day out of my weekend get all of the water out and fish, then take your gravel out and take you under ground filter
YOULL BE SHoCKED ON WHATS UNDER THEIR
that the problem with underground filters you dont no whats under there.
oh and when your done keep your powerheads that were on the underground filters in the tank
youll be amaized
then this is for every one
under ground filters do nothing
i would take a day out of my weekend get all of the water out and fish, then take your gravel out and take you under ground filter
YOULL BE SHoCKED ON WHATS UNDER THEIR
that the problem with underground filters you dont no whats under there.
oh and when your done keep your powerheads that were on the underground filters in the tank
youll be amaized