acclimation write up for those who asked

[VivaDaWolf]

Er
" Immediately upon opening the shipping bag, add a few drops of water conditioner to detoxify the ammonia. Which product is not important, though I use Prime. From this point on it is preference. I prefer to then pour the fish into a net (over the bucket as they are quite jumpy) and add them directly to a dark tank. "

So its... put prime in shipping bag then pour fish into tank WITH that primedshippingwater or ... into totally different tank water altogether after netting (which makes the priming weird to me)?

[msjinkzd]

I just use prime to neutralize, then pour everything into a net and add the fish (no shipping water) into the tank. For my applications, i am talking hundreds of fish in a bag, so I try and just get things neutralized asap. You could skip that step if you are just addign them directly to the tank. If you are going to do a drip, you need to neutralize the ammonia before starting it, otherwise you are increasing teh toxicity exponentially as they sit there warming up.

[VivaDaWolf]

Basically... just dump the fish in huh?


Does this apply different for fish coming from a pet store or local persons tank? Assuming their params aren't terrible, the fish will be in a bag that isn't super crowded, no heavy co2 or ammonia, similar temps to your own tank-but prolly somewhat different in nitrates, ph, kh etc. Whats your recommendation then? Prime? Drip? Float the bag still and drop in??

[dprais1]

I have always used the drop and plop method, but yesterday I picked up 11 pea puffers. opened the bag added a bit of Safe (diluted with water) and did drop and plop. I believe I have 5-6 left alive today of the orifinal 11. That sucks. 3 were dead in the first hour!

[msjinkzd]

Originally Posted by VivaDaWolf

Basically... just dump the fish in huh?


Does this apply different for fish coming from a pet store or local persons tank? Assuming their params aren't terrible, the fish will be in a bag that isn't super crowded, no heavy co2 or ammonia, similar temps to your own tank-but prolly somewhat different in nitrates, ph, kh etc. Whats your recommendation then? Prime? Drip? Float the bag still and drop in??

I always plop and drop unless I am going to drip acclimate over many hours (which I only do for wild caught sulawesi shrimp).

[msjinkzd]

Originally Posted by dprais1

I have always used the drop and plop method, but yesterday I picked up 11 pea puffers. opened the bag added a bit of Safe (diluted with water) and did drop and plop. I believe I have 5-6 left alive today of the orifinal 11. That sucks. 3 were dead in the first hour!

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Were they shipped? From a store?
Puffers are very sensitive. I haven o idea what is in Safe, either.

I plopped and dropped 50 pea puffers just a few weeks ago, didn't lose one.

[dprais1]

well I think is was a number of issues. first let me say that I have previously kept discus and always did the drop and plop with great results. The same with angels, hatchets, corys etc. I had a LFS order them for me and they kept them in the bag until I picked them up..who knows how long they were actually in the bag. They were small, under .5 inches and I actually suspect several were dead when I got them. None were fat and round like I would want, ideally. I suspect the LFS in their attempt to do the right thing added water to the bag and O2. As of this morning I have one male swimming around biting the eyes off snails, the rest have perished, I removed 3 yesterday and have 4 more corpses to remove this morning, the rest are def. not in the tank. I assume they became food for snails and shrimp. 44.00 for 1 puffer. No more LFS for me!

[Hmoobthor]

i am interest in trying/doing this for some of my shrimp that i usually order..

some question:

do you do anything special to match the temperature difference....from a cold bag to hot tank and hot bag to cold tanks...versa vice

[dr3ww3rd]

Wow didn't know I could just drop them in. I might have to start doing this instead of the drip method. Can CRS be put in immediately too?

[msjinkzd]

Originally Posted by Hmoobthor

i am interest in trying/doing this for some of my shrimp that i usually order..

some question:

do you do anything special to match the temperature difference....from a cold bag to hot tank and hot bag to cold tanks...versa vice

Nope, as the heat increases, it jams up the metabolism as well- more poo, more darty, more stress. I literally pour them through a net and drop them in the tank. Often they will dart for a second, maybe headstand, then within minutes are colored up and charging around the tank.

Originally Posted by dr3ww3rd

Wow didn't know I could just drop them in. I might have to start doing this instead of the drip method. Can CRS be put in immediately too?

I always do. The only thing I don't is sulawesi shrimp which I acclimate over several days.

[STG88]

What about wild caught fish, like chili rasboras, yellow neon rasboras and green neon tetra? Same procedure?
BTW I love your family picture on your website!! 8]

[msjinkzd]

Yup, I treat everything (except Sulawesi shrimp) exactly the same way.

[Kudaria]

Safe is also made by Seachem and is the dry version of Prime. Same ingredients, well except for the distilled water

[STG88]

Does this help the fish adjust to ph better? For example if the fish is coming from soft water with ph of 6 into an aquarium with ph of 7.6?

Thanks

[msjinkzd]

As a general rule, fish have an easier time going into harder water than into softer water. The reality is unless you are going to do a very prolonged acclimation, you are just stressing the critters by acclimating them over an hour or two.