Acclimating Fish Bought Online

[Mr. Fish]

How have you guys acclimated fish and inverts that you got online?

I am planning on getting 20 scarlet hermits, a shaving brush plant, an ORA derasa clam and a diamond goby from saltwaterfish.com. When I acclimate fish from my LFS I float the bag for 30 min adding my tank water to the bag every 10 minutes. Should I do anything different with my online order?

 

[karsco]

Usually each online vendor sends a set of instructions with the package. I know Blue Zoo aquatics sends a drip line, so once you have floated the bags for awhile you drip your tank water in over an hour or so. Live Aquaria sends instructions as well. I spend a lot more time acclimating when I receive online orders since the livestock has been in route for almost 24 hours usually. Good luck!

 

[twiggyb]

Doing the fish that way should be fine IMO, but the inverts will most likely be more stressed and easier to perish if rushed with the acclimation. I would you use the drip acclimation for the inverts.

 

[sedor]

Personally I think people are too dramatic about acclimation. Basically your trying to gradually match the salinity and other parameters in your tank to that in the bag. I have always used what I call the turkey baster method and never have any issue whatsoever with it. Basically, every 5 - 10 minutes I remove a squirt of water from the bag and add one back from the tank, then 2, then 3 until I get up to about 7 or so which usually takes about 30 - 45 minutes.

Of course the drip method is probably the most popular and a lot of online stores ship with a drip kit in order to help you acclimate.

 

[iamwrasseman]

different strokes for everyone i guess . usually if the bag smells okay i do a drip method for 1 -2 hrs in my sump to ensure temperature is maintained .
if the bag is smelly ,which in many cases is then i simply do a 15 min temp acclimate and a 2 minute freshwater dip and then directly into the tank for the fish . i have been doing this for years and have not lost anything as a result . i purchase about a dozen fish or corals online per year and have only had good results with only one complaint ,that did work out for the best .

 

[zsqure]

saltwaterfish dot com has a video which explains their acclimation process. I use it on all livestock I get from anyone.

 

[Mr. Fish]

saltwaterfish dot com has a video which explains their acclimation process. I use it on all livestock I get from anyone.

Since I am getting multiple items from them how can I do what they suggest to do in the video? Is it ok to dump all my bags into the container and do what they recommend or do I have to have a separate container for each animal?

 

[zsqure]

I acclimated snails and crabs separate from each other, in two five gallon buckets. Corals and such have been floated to acclimate temp and placed into the tank making sure the transport water was left behind. You don't want those crabs climbing over your clam like a jungle gym. Acclimate the clam and goby together. Watch that goby...they like to carpet surf.