Fish ordered online: Full acclimation or simple float and dump?

[Hincapiej4]

I don't think I've seen the number yet but in my experience most fish are shipped at an extremely low salinity, about 25 ppt.

This prompts many to do a drip acclimation, which is generally a good idea. But if the fish has been in the bag a long time, you can run into problems with ammonia from the pH change on opening the bag.

I lost a lot of fish when I did acclimation like I read on the internet. And almost every fish I bought, whether it survived or not, looked like it was hating life during acclimation.

Then one day I decided to do it differently. It worked so well its the only thing I've done since. Now my fish are not stressed at all during acclimation, and I lose far fewer of them.

I prepare a batch of diluted tank water (RODI + tank water) at about 25 ppt, and aerate the crap out of it.

I float the fish in sealed bags in that container, about 15 minutes, to match temps.

Then one by one, I cup open the bags and working quickly, immediately pour the fish out into a net and drop it into the tub of diluted tank water. The fish leave their nasty bag water behind, and immediately find themselves in clear, oxygenated water with the same temp and salinity as what they left behind.

Try it, and you'll notice an immediate difference in the fish. The fish *love* this treatment. Zero stress.

This is ****** genius. I didn't even think about that.

 

[Lasse]

I had have problems with NH3 toxicity but mot with salinity differences. However - never have had a fish transported in 1.017 (around 22.6 psu). Normally it has been around 1.023 (30,5 psu)

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lasse]

This is ****** genius. I didn't even think about that.

Yes - I have not tested it but it is in line with other experiences I have and the water is ammonia free - all three "big" problems fixed easy like that. Nowadays - I am not involved in importing fish - but will surly test this next time when I acclimate a fish after a long transport.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[lion king]

I had have problems with NH3 toxicity but mot with salinity differences. However - never have had a fish transported in 1.017 (around 22.6 psu). Normally it has been around 1.023 (30,5 psu)

Sincerely Lasse

It is common place today that most suppliers and lfs run low sg, 1.020 to be the high standard, while many 1.018 to be standard. If you put fish in full reef from low sg without acclimation, most will be dead within 24-48 hrs.

 

[Lasse]

Its not the way here in Sweden or rest of Europe - not at all. It explain a lot of your problem with the supply line.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I prepare a batch of diluted tank water (RODI + tank water) at about 25 ppt, and aerate the crap out of it.

I float the fish in sealed bags in that container, about 15 minutes, to match temps.

Then one by one, I cup open the bags and working quickly, immediately pour the fish out into a net and drop it into the tub of diluted tank water. The fish leave their nasty bag water behind, and immediately find themselves in clear, oxygenated water with the same temp and salinity as what they left behind.

This is pretty much what I do, except I would reach out to the supplier and get the salinity levels they're shipping the fish in. That way the water is premixed and ready to go.

Once I get fish in, i stick the bag with a syringe and pull a sample out to bump it up against what is premixed.

 

[saltyhog]

I try to keep it pretty simple. I either know or verify(before shipping) the salinity that my vendor ships at. I match my QT to that salinity and verify that just before transferring. Higher to lower salinity is not a big problem, lower to higher salinity is. If salinity matches after a 15-20 float for temp acclimation I transfer directly to the QT. Drip acclimations do far more harm than good IMO.