Urgent acclimation advice needed!!

[FishyFish]

I have a tang that was shipped to me this morning and is being temp acclimated for the QT tank right now. He was shipped yesterday afternoon and I got him about 2 hours ago so he's been in the bag 20 hours total at this point. I haven't opened the bag, I just pricked it to get a water sample then sealed it back up. It's a black bag so it's hard to see into. He looks relatively content so far, but I do hear him splashing once in a while.

My issue is that unfortunately I thought my QT was cycled and good to go but I double checked my nitrates this morning and they're somewhere between .25 and .50. Ammonia is 0 and salinity is 1.022 which matches the bag that the tang is in, the only thing I'm worried about is nitrite. I went out and bought some Fritz bacteria and put some of that in the QT. I also have some fresh saltwater mixing so I could do another water change but I don't think it's fully mixed yet, the pump has only been in that bucket for about an hour.

How long will the tang be okay temp acclimating in that shipping bag? If I need to let him out now, I have Prime on hand and I can put that in the tang to help neutralize the nitrite but I would rather not unless it's an emergency since I plan on treating with copper.

 

[Pdash]

You should be fine. Especially with the added bacteria in a bottle and water changes if needed. Ammonia is the big enemy in QT. I would put him in now. Also, for QT related questions I would suggest posting in the fish disease forum, those guys know their stuff.

 

[FishyFish]

You should be fine. Especially with the added bacteria in a bottle and water changes if needed. Ammonia is the big enemy in QT. I would put him in now. Also, for QT related questions I would suggest posting in the fish disease forum, those guys know their stuff.

Thanks, I ended up doing another 60% water change and adding a bit more bacteria before I put him in. He's swimming around and seems healthy enough but I'm going to give him his space for a while, I don't want to stress him any more.

 

[LilElroyJetson]

Yeah you should be fine especially with the addition of bottled bacteria, ammonia would be a much greater concern. Just keep an eye on him. Also the splashing in the bag is completely normal, tangs love to swim so of course he wanted out of that bag! And in the future, any exposure to air of the bag water that the fish was shipped in will cause the ammonia to spike, so even if it’s a small hole I’d play it safe with that. I try to never let them hang out in the bag water they came in longer than 30-45 minutes in an effort to play it safe from ammonia poisoning after a stressful shipping.

 

[FishyFish]

Yeah you should be fine especially with the addition of bottled bacteria, ammonia would be a much greater concern. Just keep an eye on him. Also the splashing in the bag is completely normal, tangs love to swim so of course he wanted out of that bag! And in the future, any exposure to air of the bag water that the fish was shipped in will cause the ammonia to spike, so even if it’s a small hole I’d play it safe with that. I try to never let them hang out in the bag water they came in longer than 30-45 minutes in an effort to play it safe from ammonia poisoning after a stressful shipping.

Oh I know, I was panicking the whole time he was in that bag. However stressed that fish was, I promise you I was WAY more stressed! I just wasn't sure which was worse, the potential ammonia spike from that tiny hole or the nitrites I'd have been dumping him into.

Lesson learned, ALWAYS have more mixed saltwater on hand than you think you need. That stress could have been avoided if I'd prepared more water the night before.

 

[LilElroyJetson]

Haha yeah I know the feeling when both your options are not ideal. I once thought I was receiving a couple fish at 1.025 and they came in at 1.018 and I didn't have the option of bringing the salinity down at the time. I freaked out and did a much longer acclimation than advisable, with way too large of a salinity jump, bringing the specific gravity up to 1.023 in just 45 minutes, then jumping the fish another .002 to 1.025 when I introduced them to the tank. Both are alive and thriving.

It happens to the best of us. Just try to take a deep breath when things are going south and try to calmly formulate a plan to address it. I'm sure everything will turn out fine if it's looking good now and you're keeping an eye on him. Keep us posted! Good luck!

 

[JasonK84]

Always need more water!! Glad he is doing good.

 

[FishyFish]

Always need more water!! Glad he is doing good.

Thanks! Man you look like you're well stocked for the reed tank apocalypse with all that water. Nice setup!!

 

[JasonK84]

Thanks! Man you look like you're well stocked for the reed tank apocalypse with all that water. Nice setup!!

It works very well and the pump used for the mixing station is a duplicate for my DT in case it ever quits. It can easily be taken off of the mixing station and put into the DT while another is ordered.
Here is my tank:
120 4x2x2 Planet Aquarium RR
Current Stocking:
Pair of Molly Miller blennies
Feather duster blenny
Blue spot Toby puffer
Picasso trigger
Koran angel
Powder Blue Tang
Pink face wrasse
Harlequin tusk

In QT:
Wyoming white clown
Black phantom clown
XL gold head goby

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pretty tank but looks like its approaching capacity.
For future acclimation, float bag in tank to adjust temps. Black layer of bag is to keep fish calm during transport and floating. Empty contents in bucket after 20 mins or so and drip acclimate or add 4oz of water from tank to bucket every 15 mins for 1.5 - 2 hrs and net fish out gently and introduce into tank.

 

[Michael Gilbreath]

Lol be ready for goby to move some sand i have to blow my rocks and corals off daily