acclimation methods + results

[TheMcs]

I was brought up in reefkeeping to believe that a slow acclimation period was best. I went from adding measurements of tank water over a given time frame to the slow drip method.

Then I learned what happened to the ammonia in the bag water when the bag was opening & the water exposed to oxygen. We know that a fish pollutes the water during shipping, and the longer the ship time the more foul the water. During this time the pH drops. The bag is opened, pH rises, and the ammonia content increases exponentially. (I don't have all the chemistry/biology down, so please forgive the generalizations).

Working at a fish store I experimented with "rotten" bags. Bags that you opened & immediately smelled the ammonia. Rather than drip acclimate with the other fish, I immediately removed the fish from the bag and placed it in the system water. This was after a temp acclimation. The results were impressive.

On delayed shipments we started the temp acclimate then dump method and mortalities plummeted. I brought this method home, regardless of travel time for the fish, and haven't had a loss since. Many other factors have changed, so I can't attribute it directly to the acclimation, or lack of. But it does make sense to me to spare the fish additional time in a toxic environment while it gradually becomes liveable. I believe that most fish can handle far greater changes in environment than we give them credit for.

Works for me anyways. I'm just amazed now when I hear about 2.5+ hour drip acclimation.

Thoughts?

 

[wartskin]

May sound absurd, but I have always felt that the water in my systems had to be better than what they were dealing with in the bag. I can't remember the last time that I did a full scale acclimation. If fact I had an orange linka that i just dumped with out any acclimation that lived for 4 years before it was eaten. I haven't lost anything yet. But I am sure that others here will feel entirely different.

 

[Zoom]

TheMcs

TheMcs

I do partly agreed with what you say .
I had some fish come in in a water that it will be no way to just damp in to my tanks the salinity was so far off that some of the fish will go belly up in no time at all .
And i have check some waters that was very close to mine and i just damp the fish right in the water with no problems at all.
And is just the way some wholesalers bag there fish don't make any sense to me .
So it is Yes and No about just to damp the fish in the water you need to make a decision when you get them in.
I know you just talking about fish so i will not get in to the Corals Inverts.

 

[Am00re34]

i agree with everyone that my water has to be better then the bag water so my answer to that is sort of a hybrid. I take a container (little rubber maid containter, maybe 2-3 gallons) and dump the fish into that w/ thier water. (may have to tilt depending on water in bag). then i take about a 1/2 the water volumn that was in the bag of my tank water and dump it in immediatly. From that point i drip acclimate. Maybe a little excessive, but i have not had any losses in 2 years of ordering fish.

Also... this is after temp acclimating.