Acclimating Shipped Fish

[Adamantium]

Hi all, I have an order of fish coming Wednesday. They’ll be in 1.018 SG water, while my DT is 1.026 (maybe a little higher, long story).

Here’s my plan: prepare a bucket of tank water mixed with RODI water to 1.018 SG, and aerate and heat it. When the fish arrive, temp acclimate them in that bucket, and then remove them from the bags, discard their water, and put them straight into the bucket. From there, drip acclimate as usual.

What do you guys think?

Thank you!

 

[Adamantium]

Might even mix in a little Prime

Or is that pointless, since I’ll be separating them from the bag water?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all, I have an order of fish coming Wednesday. They’ll be in 1.018 SG water, while my DT is 1.026 (maybe a little higher, long story).

Here’s my plan: prepare a bucket of tank water mixed with RODI water to 1.018 SG, and aerate and heat it. When the fish arrive, temp acclimate them in that bucket, and then remove them from the bags, discard their water, and put them straight into the bucket. From there, drip acclimate as usual.

What do you guys think?

Thank you!

Float bag(s) 20 mins
Empty bag and fish into a Clean pail. Add a cup of tank water to bucket every 15 minutes 8-10 times
Test bucket salinity and assure it it’s at least.1.024
Transfer fish-NOT water into tank

 

[Adamantium]

Float bag(s) 20 mins
Empty bag and fish into a Clean pail. Add a cup of tank water to bucket every 15 minutes 8-10 times
Test bucket salinity and assure it it’s at least.1.024
Transfer fish-NOT water into tank

Isn’t that a bit risky with shipped fish, though? As air hits the water, and pH goes up, ammonia gets more toxic, no? That’s what I’m trying to avoid with my method.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Hi all, I have an order of fish coming Wednesday. They’ll be in 1.018 SG water, while my DT is 1.026 (maybe a little higher, long story).

Here’s my plan: prepare a bucket of tank water mixed with RODI water to 1.018 SG, and aerate and heat it. When the fish arrive, temp acclimate them in that bucket, and then remove them from the bags, discard their water, and put them straight into the bucket. From there, drip acclimate as usual.

What do you guys think?

Thank you!

How long will they be in transit? I think your plan makes sense as I would want them out of that water ASAP.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Isn’t that a bit risky with shipped fish, though? As air hits the water, and pH goes up, ammonia gets more toxic, no? That’s what I’m trying to avoid with my method.

I owned a full line pet store and been doing saltwater 33+ years
Never failed me
Bought this guy home yesterday and acclimated same way

 

[Adamantium]

I owned a full line pet store and been doing saltwater 33+ years
Never failed me
Bought this guy home yesterday and acclimated same way

Totally fair, but was that guy shipped? That’s my biggest concern. They may be in the bags for as long as 24 hours. Nice sailfin, btw!

 

[Adamantium]

How long will they be in transit? I think your plan makes sense as I would want them out of that water ASAP.

It could be as long as 24 hours, with how UPS is in my area.

 

[vetteguy53081]

How long will they be in transit? I think your plan makes sense as I would want them out of that water ASAP.

My store shipments were Tran shipped for as long as 36 hours and no issues

 

[DeniseAndy]

If in transit for more than 12 hours, I do it your way. Make the water as close to bag water as possible, move fish, then bring up over days in a qt. Now, some stores require you to do their method for guarantee and I have not had too many problems with this one either:
Add prime to the water bag the fish is in after 20min floating in the tank you will be adding it to. Then drip acclimate for about 30m to 1hr. I admit, I am not a huge fan of that, but I have not had losses determined to be because of either method..

 

[Adamantium]

My store shipments were Tran shipped for as long as 36 hours and no issues

Wow. So what’s with all the hubbub about ammonia toxicity?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wow. So what’s with all the hubbub about ammonia toxicity?

Dunno. When you’re adding fresh tank water to bucket, you’re in essence removing or in better terms reducing toxicity and increasing oxygen

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I have done it both ways but it always largely depending on how much water was in the bag...

Idk @vetteguy53081 has been doing this a looooong time. I guess you could always add a detoxifier like Prime.

 

[Paul B]

Isn’t that a bit risky with shipped fish, though? As air hits the water, and pH goes up, ammonia gets more toxic, no? That’s what I’m trying to avoid with my method.

You are making this much more complicated than you need to. Forget the air hitting the water and changing the pH.

Just acclimate the fish like any other fish and it will be fine. Fish are no where near as delicate as many people feel they are.

 

[Adamantium]

You are making this much more complicated than you need to. Forget the air hitting the water and changing the pH.

Just acclimate the fish like any other fish and it will be fine. Fish are no where near as delicate as many people feel they are.

Fair enough. I’ve just heard so many people say that ammonia toxicity should be taken into account when fish are shipped. The seller even has an acclimation guide that recommends plop and drop because of ammonia, but there’s such a big SG difference that that worries me.

 

[Jeffcb]

Just float 20. Add a little water to bag a couple of times. If anything the fish is in shock from being in a bag for so long. IMO the quicker you get it in the tank the better.

 

[Malcontent]

Isn’t that a bit risky with shipped fish, though? As air hits the water, and pH goes up, ammonia gets more toxic, no? That’s what I’m trying to avoid with my method.

No, it actually takes almost 24 hours for that to happen.

 

[Adamantium]

No, it actually takes almost 24 hours for that to happen.

24 hours of being in a sealed bag, or 24 hours after opening is when ammonia toxicity becomes an issue?

 

[Paul B]

I’ve just heard so many people say that ammonia toxicity should be taken into account when fish are shipped.

If you listened to everything people say on these forums you couldn't keep cockroaches alive. And they could live in a volcano.

 

[Malcontent]

24 hours of being in a sealed bag, or 24 hours after opening is when ammonia toxicity becomes an issue?

~24 hours after opening. CO2 doesn't diffuse out of water instantly.