Do acclimation boxes really work?

[Waters]

I am at a crossroads with the livestock in my tank. I am moving from a semi-predatory tank to more mellow tank. I have already removed a small trigger and a Lightning Maroon clown, since those were my two biggest problems. Problem is, as soon as I remove a fish, one of the remaining fish becomes dominate and develops an attitude. The way it is going I am going to have to remove everything and start over lol. I now have a Kole Tang that wants harass every new addition. I am trying to add some smaller wrasses, which I wouldn't think the tang would have any interest in, but he chased my first new addition relentlessly, forcing me to remove the wrasse and put him back in quarantine. I did pick up an acclimation box....just wondering how successful they are. Anytime I have tried one in the past, the existing fish were always afraid of it and never went by the new fish.

 

[dwest]

I am at a crossroads with the livestock in my tank. I am moving from a semi-predatory tank to more mellow livestock. I have already removed a small trigger and a Lightning Maroon clown, since those were my two biggest problems. Problem is, as soon as I remove a fish, one of the remaining fish becomes dominate and develops an attitude. The way it is going I am going to have to remove everything and start over lol. I now have a Kole Tang that wants harass every new addition. I am trying to add some smaller wrasses, which I wouldn't think the tang would have any interest in, but he chased my first new addition relentlessly, forcing me to remove the wrasse and put him back in quarantine. I did pick up an acclimation box....just wondering how successful they are. Anytime I have tried one in the past, the existing fish were always afraid of it and never went by the new fish.

I think the acclimation boxes help. I use them now. I would also try to add several fish at once and putting a mirror on the glass so the kole can atttack the “new tang” instead for a while.

 

[Ameer214]

I have not had much luck with them. The box was stressing out the new addition so I stopped using it. Did you try adding after lights are out routine?

 

[CMO]

I've actually had very good luck with them and seen a big difference in aggression from the existing fish with a 3 day acclimation box period vs. not. And they also let the new fish start feeding without competition which I think eases the transition for them as well.

 

[Finnaddict]

I have had good luck with them as well. Had to leave the fish in there a week before the aggression calmed down. Using a mirror is also a good trick.

 

[Bob Weigant]

The problem I’ve had with acclimation boxes are none of the fish would care to much who was in there but as soon as I would release the new guy into the general public some would go nuts.

 

[Hal3134]

From experience, yes they work. 3 days in the box for new fish reduces the aggression by 80%.

 

[Scurvy]

Using one vs not is like night and day for me with a focus on pricier wrasses. Until I got one I always questioned their value and now wont go without.

 

[Waters]

The problem I’ve had with acclimation boxes are none of the fish would care to much who was in there but as soon as I would release the new guy into the general public some would go nuts.

This is the same experience I have had also. Fish always seem afraid of the box so they stayed away from it regardless of who was inside. Oh well...seems like the majority had good luck with them so I will give it a shot. Thanks everyone.

 

[Waters]

I have not had much luck with them. The box was stressing out the new addition so I stopped using it. Did you try adding after lights are out routine?

Yeah..........didn't help unfortunately because the wrasse just dove into the rocks anyways. He decided to show himself for the first time in the middle of the day.

 

[Jesterrace]

It helps, just remember that acclimation boxes don't have to be fancy. Here are some dollar store ones I used and they worked pretty well:

 

[Squeaky McMurdo]

They work beautifully for me. I have some Clarkii clowns that immediately started beating and plucked out the eye of one of my Columbian Sharks leading to its death. Pulled both out back to quarantine but it was too late for that one. I reintroduced the survivor in an acclimation box a week later and they ignored him when I finally got the nerve to release him. I just introduced a white tail bristletooth tang after quarantine and then a few days in the box. It went oof without a hitch. And the funny thing is, the tang was super shy in quarantine and was always under the plastic cave in there. She’s super social in my display on day 2 of freedom.