Does a 1 Degree Difference Matter When Adding/Transfering a Fish?

[Tnops]

Hello, I would like to know if a 1 degree (F) difference between where the fish is from and the new water would cause any harm.

 

[fish farmer]

no

 

[Miami Reef]

Hello, I would like to know if a 1 degree (F) difference between where the fish is from and the new water would cause any harm.

Nope. Salinity can also be +/- .001

 

[BarSnackz]

Nope. Salinity can also be +/- .001

Not trying to start a dispute; but I have bought plenty of fish at hyposalinity from my LFS and put them in my tank after a 30 min drip and had them within .06 of my DT (not sure of their water temp). All have done very well - I don't think getting everything perfect is too big of a deal.

 

[DaddyFish]

Too much time in a bag or other small quantity of water can be much more harmful than a small shift in temperature and/or salinity. You should weigh the time spent in acclimation against the differences in water parameters. Time = stress.

 

[pseudorand]

No. As evidence, I put a thermometer in the bucket I was using to drip acclamate last weekend. I had floated the bags, but the water in the bucket still cooled by more than 1 degree during the 20 minute drip. Everything lived fine.

My alternative was to put my mini heater in the bucket, but it's per-calibrated to 80F, while my tank is at 78F. So either way they get a 2+ degree change going from acclimation to tank.

And I haven't seen an adjustable heater small enough to fit in a bucket, so I imagine the same is true for just about everyone.

 

[Reef.]

I bet most fish go in a tank that is warmer than the bucket they have been dripped acclimatised in, I’ve always found it strange that most people seem to float the bag to match the temp, then empty the fish into a bucket to drip it for 15-30 mins, that alone would result in more than a 1f temp drop in most cases.

I would say though it probably is best for the fish or corals to go from a cooler temp to a warmer one, than the other way around, less shock I would think?

 

[ZoWhat]

Hello, I would like to know if a 1 degree (F) difference between where the fish is from and the new water would cause any harm.

How many fish have died driving the fish home from the LFS when its 15° outside while you walk to the car and the interior of your car is 53° on the way home? Probably 0.01%

 

[Sean Clark]

Nope. 1 degree of temp is probably the least of acclamation worries.

 

[Reef.]

How many fish have died driving the fish home from the LFS when its 15° outside while you walk to the car and the interior of your car is 53° on the way home?

unless you take the fish out of the water and strap it in the passenger seat, I wouldn’t think that is an issue as the temp would slowly raise in the bag.

 

[Sean Clark]

unless you take the fish out of the water and strap it in the passenger seat, I wouldn’t think that is an issue as the temp would slowly raise in the bag.

Safety first.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I agree with the basic sentiments here; if small differences prove fatal— it was a highly stressed/ill fish to begin with.

 

[ZoWhat]

......

 

[Reef.]

Explain

I did, the part where I said the bag would slowly raise.

The OP was asking about a sudden raise or drop of 1f, in your scenario the temp would be gradual not sudden.

 

[ZoWhat]

.....

 

[Reef.]

Its 53° inside your car. How can the temp of the water in the bag rise?

Really are we doing this…the bag would equalise to the car temp over time, not suddenly.

Not sure what you are not getting or the point of your ‘walking to the car” scenario.

 

[ZoWhat]

Really .....

 

[Just John]

How many fish have died driving the fish home from the LFS when its 15° outside while you walk to the car and the interior of your car is 53° on the way home? Probably 0.01%

Forget about buying fish, people here in FL would be afraid to leave the house if it were 15°.

 

[tehmadreefer]

1 degree is quite significant for a fish and will likely stress it to near death. Best to not chance it

 

[Reef.]

Agreed but I'm talking 53° F inside the car since my scenario sets the scene in Winter time. And you're saying the temp would rise slowly in the bag.

I take it you live outside the US and 53° means Celsius to you = 127.4 ° F

You didn’t say how long the bag was outside, you said the outside was 15° And the inside of the car was 53°, I’m a slow walker… either way the temp would not suddenly change.

That surely must have answered your ‘explain’ post?