This can help save your new fish! Do you have one?

[joeyrm7]

I have 2 of them that get suction cupped to the glass. For starters I always place incoming fish into the box after acclimating them so that I can see that they are swimming well and usually only hold them there until they eat. I will release them after the lights are out. I recently had an online retailer tell me that it was too stressful on the fish and was the cause of death of the fish I bought from him. Don't buy that story but figured I would present it.

 

[Mical]

I have one, haven't used it for awhile for fish, but it does get used as we call it as "the penalty box" for wayward anemones.
We have a nem we call "Kami" (AKA Kamikazee) who's tried to end it's life by going into powerheads, down overflows and even getting melted against a heater. Anytime Kami has gotten into a predicament he ends up in the penalty box for a week to recover. Luckily (knock on wood) it's happy with a pair of mated gold nugget clownfish in our 65gal.

 

[Rubberfrog]

If only they had an Acclimation Box for MARRIAGE

They do. Its called don't move in too fast.

 

[vetteguy53081]

1. Do you own a fish acclimation box or fish breeder box that you use to acclimate new fish to your aquarium?

I have a large one of acrylic and rarely used but have mainly as a time -out for fish who cant behave or are uninviting

2. How well has the fish acclimation box worked for you?

Very well. Easy to mount/dismount and circulate water

 

[Buckster]

I have not used one. I put several fish into quarantine and had to use a divider in the 30g. The yellow and purple tang kept fighting. Once they finished the quarantine I added them back to the 180g. I couldn't believe that the fighting stopped immediately.

 

[ChadmRoman]

I use one but not sure why. When I introduce a new fish, current fish stay away for the fish in acclimation. I can leave this fish in for a week without any interactions. Once I release the fish, it's all out harassment.

 

[coral408]

I have an acclimation box with 3 large suction cups, very strong once sucking to the glass!
I used several times mostly for removing the aggressors effectively. One time was used to acclimate new Anthias and hold them for several days for eating training purposes. So far it works good for my tank needs.

 

[Ennvi]

Only used it for flasher wrasses. Every other fish I just put them in right away. Both methods work fine for me, although I haven't tried adding flashers without acclimation box

i added a flasher right away, he was shy but i didn't have any problems! still though I've been thinking of getting a box just because I'm always nervous, i just always forget about it lol

 

[Charlie C]

I have a homemade divider that slips down into my 125 to give new arrivals a separate area while allowing the older fish to see the new ones. Seems to work okay.

 

[Mkissane]

I have used one with success in the past. Have not used it lately as tank is in harmony and I resist adding new fish, as tempting as it is.

Funny story about another method I used when I introduced my Morish Idol. I took a good picture of it in QT. I printed the picture as close to actual size as possible, cut it out, and taped it to the outside of the tank for all the current inhabitants to see. When I introduce the MI to the tank it was uneventful. No aggression or problems of any kind. Did it work? No idea but I can’t say it was not part of the success either. My family still laughs at me. MI has been perfect for over 3 years now. So happy!

 

[MarquetteX]

I keep new fish in the "OCTO" for 2 days or until no other fish are hovering around the "OCTO". I also always open the top at night and allow the new fish to find its way out of acclimation. A great, high quality acclimation box is key. It allows for the fish to get flow, light and food. Thanks to Melev's Reef for the idea and Octo Aquatics for great acclimation boxes.

 

[codycolina707]

I have a acrylic fish trap pretty much the same thing but also can trap fish if needed

 

[Anchor]

I have one from OctAquatics. Love it. has helped me save a couple additions in the short time I have had it.

 

[Opah]

I own a few. Octo aquatics is the best quality by far. https://octoaquatics.com

 

[ReefGrammie]

Perfect topic, as I currently have a Kole tang in my acclimation box (which looks identical to the one in the thread picture...I've had it for years). My only regret was not putting the tang in the box to start with. It's actually been over a year since I've introduced a new fish and I honestly didn't think about out. As soon as I released the tang, the attacks started. After ripped fins/tail and thinking he wasn't going to make it, I grabbed the box and managed to catch him. He seemed really stressed and of course, I felt terrible. He made it through the night, so I started sliding a little food under the lid, algae wafers and freeze dried brine soaked in Selcon. He gradually took to the food and wafers and has improved...it's been a week today. I also keep a little section of PVC pipe in the box as a "cave."

The first few days in the box, several of the fish attacked constantly, mostly my pygmy angel (not such an angel) and the three-stripe damsel. Over the week, the aggression has lessened and now is more of a sideways glance by the bullies. The tang also started showing more "tang-like" behavior with the bullies....backing into them and flipping his tail. I plan to reintroduce the tang this weekend. Fins/tail have also healed up considerably.

I actually have used my acclimation box as a fish trap more than an acclimation box. I caught an evil six-line wrasse in the box....never thought I'd EVER catch that fish without ripping the entire tank apart. I lessened feeding and started feeding inside the box, which was slightly tilted with the lid open. Of course, I ended up with every other fish in the box except the wrasse. I finally taped a section of mirrored tile in the end tilted up and he couldn't resist. I sprung the trap with a long thread of dental floss wrapped around the lid. He went back to the LFS. The other thing I will definitely consider if the aggressors start back up on the tang is putting the bullies in the acclimation box for a little time out.

I think an acclimation box is a very handy tool and more than one use. Here is a picture of the box with several fish in there....I wasn't trying to catch them! The dental floss is wrapped around the lid to spring the trap.

The offender in the box!

Ignore the horrible hair algae...this must have happened during my tank reboot in the fall of 2019...ugh.

 

[725196]

1. Do you own a fish acclimation box or fish breeder box that you use to acclimate new fish to your aquarium?

Yes, yes I do. In fact I bought this yesterday. I have been reading all I could about them for days and decided to use it.

2. How well has the fish acclimation box worked for you?

IDK yet, I am just using it for the first time, introducing a Copper Banded Butterfly to the aquarium. I have determined my Yellow tang needs to go asap as he attacks anything new. He keeps using his scalpel to attack the acclimation box, so having it has taught me a lot.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I own one but I've never used it.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Perfect topic, as I currently have a Kole tang in my acclimation box (which looks identical to the one in the thread picture...I've had it for years). My only regret was not putting the tang in the box to start with. It's actually been over a year since I've introduced a new fish and I honestly didn't think about out. As soon as I released the tang, the attacks started. After ripped fins/tail and thinking he wasn't going to make it, I grabbed the box and managed to catch him. He seemed really stressed and of course, I felt terrible. He made it through the night, so I started sliding a little food under the lid, algae wafers and freeze dried brine soaked in Selcon. He gradually took to the food and wafers and has improved...it's been a week today. I also keep a little section of PVC pipe in the box as a "cave."

The first few days in the box, several of the fish attacked constantly, mostly my pygmy angel (not such an angel) and the three-stripe damsel. Over the week, the aggression has lessened and now is more of a sideways glance by the bullies. The tang also started showing more "tang-like" behavior with the bullies....backing into them and flipping his tail. I plan to reintroduce the tang this weekend. Fins/tail have also healed up considerably.

I actually have used my acclimation box as a fish trap more than an acclimation box. I caught an evil six-line wrasse in the box....never thought I'd EVER catch that fish without ripping the entire tank apart. I lessened feeding and started feeding inside the box, which was slightly tilted with the lid open. Of course, I ended up with every other fish in the box except the wrasse. I finally taped a section of mirrored tile in the end tilted up and he couldn't resist. I sprung the trap with a long thread of dental floss wrapped around the lid. He went back to the LFS. The other thing I will definitely consider if the aggressors start back up on the tang is putting the bullies in the acclimation box for a little time out.

I think an acclimation box is a very handy tool and more than one use. Here is a picture of the box with several fish in there....I wasn't trying to catch them! The dental floss is wrapped around the lid to spring the trap.

The offender in the box!

Ignore the horrible hair algae...this must have happened during my tank reboot in the fall of 2019...ugh.

I like the idea of doubling it as a fish trap, now I don't have to go buy one, thanks!

 

[Mark Bradley]

I would always use one - can’t see any downside. Got into the habit when keeping Malawi’s. All my fish I’ve had for over 16 months so they are well established - I wouldn’t just put a new fish into this. I will only buy a new fish if I lose one as I’m happy with my set up. Amongst others I have some damsels and a Midas Blenny (I’ve read articles saying both these can be troublesome) which have lived together, trouble free, for circa 16 months - but I think a new addition might upset the status quo.

 

[Rudefish]

I was planning on getting one but was not sure how it would work with those wrasse which like to bury under the sand. How long would they be able to stay in one of those box without having sand in it and would that be more stressful for them. Tank is already established and wanted to successfully introduce a few wrasse with success. Has anyone tried the box for sand sleeper wrasse and how did it work out?