How do you transfer fish from QT to DT?

[hllb]

Just curious what you all do. Do you do a slow acclimation? Or a quick one? Or none at all if the parameters match?

 

[TheHarold]

Salinity and temperature would presumably match, as would pH (mostly, if in the same environment). I am definitely no fish expert, but am not sure what it would be acclimating for. Following!

 

[hllb]

Salinity and temperature would presumably match, as would pH (mostly, if in the same environment). I am definitely no fish expert, but am not sure what it would be acclimating for. Following!

That was my thought as well, though ca, mg, alk may differ.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I do two 50% water changes on the QT with water from the DT an hour or two before moving the fish over. That way it basically gets acclimated but gets to stay in the relative comfort of the QT tank instead of a bucket during the acclimation.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I acclimated my fish fairly quickly over a period of 15 minutes in a bucket. I figured that it was going to be stressful for the fish no matter what I did, so I decided that parameter changes from no acclimation could only make it worse. I also washed the fish off with new saltwater to make sure that nothing in the qt water transferred to the DT. If the parameters in the two tanks match, I would just rinse with water and move on over.

 

[don_chuwish]

First match the QT to the DT. Then if no worries about getting along with other fish they can go straight in. I usually transfer them to a container of DT water, then to the DT to minimize any QT water transfer.
If you're concerned about other fish being mean, use an in tank acclimation box.

 

[sergifed91]

I have an acclimation box. Catch them then put in the box then move to dt and get them acclimated over a 15 to 20 minute period

 

[flsalty]

I've always used DT water in my QT. No need to acclimate.

 

[sergifed91]

Another thing I do is wait til my lights go out on the dt. Seems not to stress them put as much. Along with the other fish in the tank.

 

[TheHarold]

Another thing I do is wait til my lights go out on the dt. Seems not to stress them put as much. Along with the other fish in the tank.

Yup, I always feed heavily, lights out, then add and hope for the best.

Though twice now fish have swam directly into my XL BTAs and gotten eaten immediately.... which is unfortunate. Lol

 

[Old Fritz]

I literally just drop the fish in tbh. I once received fish from liveaqauria that was literally 12 hours late in the winter. The clown was super cold and gasping and I was afraid an acclimation process would just kill him. I threw him in the tank without even temp acclimating and it was fine. Obviously this isn't ideal and for some fish it's a death sentence.

Anyways I think the sensitivity of saltwater fish is overhyped unless your taking fish from a salinity of 1.020 to 1.026 I don't think you really need to drip acclimate. And to be honest I don't even acclimate starfish and I have never lost one even if they get exposed to air.

Please don't hate me too much

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I literally just drop the fish in tbh. I once received fish from liveaqauria that was literally 12 hours late in the winter. The clown was super cold and gasping and I was afraid an acclimation process would just kill him. I threw him in the tank without even temp acclimating and it was fine. Obviously this isn't ideal and for some fish it's a death sentence.

Anyways I think the sensitivity of saltwater fish is overhyped unless your taking fish from a salinity of 1.020 to 1.026 I don't think you really need to drip acclimate. And to be honest I don't even acclimate starfish and I have never lost one even if they get exposed to air.

Please don't hate me too much

I agree, sensitivity does seem to get way overhyped. I just plopped a goby into my tank once, and he was fine. They also say that corals and inverts are even more sensitive. I acclimated my coral and pistol shrimp just like fish. I even pulled the coral out of my tank, dropped it into fw for 5 minutes, and it was still fine.

 

[64Ivy]

I try to match parameters, feed the DT, wait until just about lights out, then transfer the fish into an acclimation box. I'd rather not use the acclimation box but I have a long-established welcoming committee made up of two tangs that tend to harass most newcomers.