new fish acclimation

[slipbob]

I have used this method to revive several fish that have arrived by overnight delivery from several suppliers, and so far,using this method,I haven't lost a fish yet,even thought my last fish (a tiny 6-line wrasse) was upside down and nearly D.O.A. Using the styrofoam box the fish arrived in, use the usualy drip method,adding water from your tank into the box. Keep your hydrometer nearby,after floating the bag for about 15 min. in your tank add the fish to the box. Does it look like it's fixing to croak any second? Don't freak out just wash your hand and scoop the fish in the palm of your hand and pull your hand along in the tank,usung a figure 8 motion. The fish should perk up, and you will see it will quite enjoy being pulled along in the back current your hand is creating,making it easy for him to swim. The box should be about half full when you start reviving him.After a few trips around let the fish rest for a while,and in the meantime measure the salinity of the water in the box with your hydrometer. It's high,right? Most of the companies will ship livestock in a salinity of about 1.025.I keep my tank @ 1.022. Repeat this exersize at 5 min. intrevals.Don't be in a hurry, most times this goes on for 3+ hours.When the salinity in the box reaches the salinity of your tank,you should notice that the fish will suddenly swim away from you hand and then will begin to even show fear of your hand when you place it in the box. This is a good sign he has revived and can soon be added to the tank. I hope this method works for you as well as it has for me! Remember to be patient and to repete over and over, and to let the fish rest for a while in between.

 

[reefr]

Quote:
Originally Posted by slipbob http:///t/393073/new-fish-acclimation#post_3494045
I have used this method to revive several fish that have arrived by overnight delivery from several suppliers, and so far,using this method,I haven't lost a fish yet,even thought my last fish (a tiny 6-line wrasse) was upside down and nearly D.O.A. Using the styrofoam box the fish arrived in, use the usualy drip method,adding water from your tank into the box. Keep your hydrometer nearby,after floating the bag for about 15 min. in your tank add the fish to the box. Does it look like it's fixing to croak any second? Don't freak out just wash your hand and scoop the fish in the palm of your hand and pull your hand along in the tank,usung a figure 8 motion. The fish should perk up, and you will see it will quite enjoy being pulled along in the back current your hand is creating,making it easy for him to swim. The box should be about half full when you start reviving him.After a few trips around let the fish rest for a while,and in the meantime measure the salinity of the water in the box with your hydrometer. It's high,right? Most of the companies will ship livestock in a salinity of about 1.025.I keep my tank @ 1.022. Repeat this exersize at 5 min. intrevals.Don't be in a hurry, most times this goes on for 3+ hours.When the salinity in the box reaches the salinity of your tank,you should notice that the fish will suddenly swim away from you hand and then will begin to even show fear of your hand when you place it in the box. This is a good sign he has revived and can soon be added to the tank. I hope this method works for you as well as it has for me! Remember to be patient and to repete over and over, and to let the fish rest for a while in between.
I never buy anything online. You never know WHAT you will get. When i acllimate fish or inverst, I drip. for corals, I temp acclimate 20-30 mins.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by REEFR http:///t/393073/new-fish-acclimation#post_3494050
I never buy anything online. You never know WHAT you will get. When i acllimate fish or inverst, I drip. for corals, I temp acclimate 20-30 mins.
I'm just the opposite...at least online you get a 14 day guarantee, and to date I get the best looking fish and very healthy, I have had very few times to even need the guarantee. From the LFS, the minute you walk out of the store you are on your own and believe me you don't know what that fish has been thru anymore than the one you ordered on-line, how do you think they got the fish to sell to you?...They didn't breed the fish, they ordered it just like you do.
The only thing you do by ordering on-line is cut out the middle man...instead of the fish going to the LFS first...it comes to you directly....much better for the fish and with the 14 day guarantee, much better for you too.

 

[meowzer]

YUP....and for those of us who have no options online is the only way to go....LOL....I have been satisfied with my purchases and (when needed) the gaurantees
as far as the OP's methods....HMMMM.....IDK.....LOL

 

[smallreef]

Im feeling like that is ALOT more stress than the fish needs.. the whole point of acclimation is to get the ##s the same and get the fish comfortable... im not quite sure about moving the fish to and from ... I do drip acclimate with an airstone though because of the lack of dissolved oxygen from them sitting in the same water for a day (or 2 )

 

[reefr]

Quote:
Originally Posted by smallreef http:///t/393073/new-fish-acclimation#post_3494649
Im feeling like that is ALOT more stress than the fish needs.. the whole point of acclimation is to get the ##s the same and get the fish comfortable... im not quite sure about moving the fish to and from ... I do drip acclimate with an airstone though because of the lack of dissolved oxygen from them sitting in the same water for a day (or 2 )
+1
if the salinity is the same from LFS to your tank, you can simply float the fish. I stick to drip-accliation, since I think its better for the fish.

 

[saxman]

I don't agree with drip acclimation if the fish has been bagged for more than an hour or so, and I certainly don't drip if the fish has been shipped. The reason for this is that whether the fish has been fed or not prior to being bagged-up, they still breathe and thus are still ridding themselves of waste. This waste ends up as ammonia, however, as the pH of the bag water is generally low due to said respiration, the same low pH renders the ammonia much less toxic.
However, once the bag is open, the pH goes up and the relatively "safe" ammonia is now much more toxic and begins to burn the fish's gill structures. The best thing to do is to get the fish out of the polluted water and into a nice tank of decent water. We run our SG between 1.020 and 1.023, and most LFS/online vendors run a bit more salty, so matching salinity isn't generally an issue.
I know I've posted this photo before, but it doesn't lie...bag water on left, tank water on right. What would you like your fish sitting in?

 

[flower]

I found this gadget to acclimate fish. You hang it on the side of the tank and it slowly removes the bag water and replaces it with tank water...I thought it was a good idea until I read the last few posts...any comments?

Reef Gently AccliMate Pro with enhanced features means greater convenience and use. New AccliStick drip rate regulator eliminates guesswork for precision acclimation tailored to the hardiness of your new aquarium addition. Graduated notches lets you set the appropriate sensitivity level for the species you're acclimating. NEW AccliMate XL boosts capacity to 1-1/2 gallons (3X the volume of the Original AccliMate Pro) for transporting, acclimating, trapping or isolating larger aquarium fish, invertebrates and corals.
The AccliMate Pro automatic acclimation system consists of a pair of nesting acrylic boxes - One larger watertight and a smaller one with drainage holes. This simple yet innovative design lets you bring home and acclimate new aquarium inhabitants in one handy vessel. Once the acclimation process is over, simply lift the smaller acrylic box for a convenient, net-free way to release new aquarium additions. To use as a manual trap, attach included fishing line to the sliding cover/trap door, add bait and place in aquarium. Pull trap door close once target fish or pest enters the trap.
Industrial grade suction cups ensure secure mounting and user-regulated dual-siphon Continuous Exchange System (CES) slowly replaces store water with your aquarium water to significantly minimize potential contamination. Employing the added function as an isolation tank is as simple as suction mounting the Acclimate inner acrylic box inside your aquarium. Use the multipurpose AccliMate Pro to effortlessly transport, acclimate, trap or isolate aquarium inhabitants!