Buying and Acclimating fish from divers???

[Texastravis]

Looks like I found a reputable hawaiian diver I can order some saltwater fish from for cheap. The only issue is that he setups/holding tanks are all water strait from the ocean. What kind of acclimation process would I need to do to acclimate them into an aquarium? From my understanding the PH and salt lvls in the ocean are a lot higher than the aquarium/store water.

Any info on acclimating from ocean to aquarium would be great. I am sure there is a lot more that needs to be done than just a normal acclimation process when buying from a retail store.

Thanks

 

[Recty]

It would depend on what the water is you're putting the fish in.

I've ordered fish from diver's both in Hawaii and Florida and never done anything different for acclimation than I would if I had ordered from a place like Live Aquaria or even a local fish store.

The ocean is 1.026, my tank is 1.025 so there isnt much of a difference there. I think 8.1 is the average pH of the ocean at surface level, it might vary a little depending on region but it's pretty stable.

So try to keep your tank around those levels (although pH will probably be a little higher like around 8.2 or 8.3 which is fine) and you shouldnt have any issues.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Definitely be sure to QT. A guy on our local forum did a group order from a diver, something brought in velvet and he lost every fish in his 180. Normally diseases pop up after the stress of shipping. This means usually the store has to deal with it and they incur the loss and deal with the issues. I would almost bet if you order more than a few fish something will pop up on one of them within a few days you you receiving them. Not a problem as long as they go into a QT.

 

[Texastravis]

hmm for some reason I thought there was a notable difference in salt lvls and ph lvls in the ocean vs aquarium.

As for fish diseases, I believe the likely hood of getting a sick/infected fish from a store would be much more likey than a diver. Often times fish are caught, shipped to wholesalers, then shipped to retailers giveing them several different areas to pick up sicknesses. When buying from a diver u eliminate a lot of tank changes and shipping times. From my understanding ick and velvet are infact only aquarium diseases and are non existent in the ocean. In other words if you buy a fish with this disease then it was more than likely in a holding tank somewhere along the line that had this disease/parasite in it. Thats why I was looking to buy from a diver, also its cheaper

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Cheaper is right, but I dont buy the whole disease thing. I think you are making a big mistake if you dont QT these fish. They could be carrying ich, velvet, flukes, internal parasites, parasitic isopods, the list goes on. Shipping stress is what makes these issues flare up into big problems.

 

[myerst2]

I agree with lobster. For comparison. Humans as well as all animals have disease, fungas, parasites, bacteria, etc constantly trying to invade our bodies in order to do what every other animal wants to do, reproduce. Thankfully we and oter animals have anti-bodies and an immune system that are constatly fighting off the nasties that try and use use as a host. If we are healthy and no under stress than it is very unlikely that we will be affected by such attacks. Whereas if we are malnurished and under extreme stress we are far more likely to sucumb to such attacks. Such as is the case with fish caught on a reef. Regardless on well the diver treats the fish it will be stressed no matter what and the fishes ability to ward off disease will be compromised and thus should be QT'd. T

 

[Mark]

All wild fish carry a multitude of pathogens/parasites. They are usually suppressed by their immune system though. The stress of shipping will compromise their immune strength, giving the pathogen the opportunity it needs to do damage. You must QT all wild fish, and personally I think you should treat with copper and a dewormer/fluke med.

 

[snorvich]

+1 with Mark. New fish from any source should be quarantined and acclimated both socially and physically. It is difficult to say which source is more likely to have issues, just assume they all do.

 

[L8 2 RISE]

Care if I ask who/where you're buying from?

 

[cubow78]

thats right

 

[Recty]

Every shipment I've ever got from a diver has had ich visible on at least one of the fish, even with fish that were just in his holding tanks overnight.

You definitely want to QT.

 

[albano]

The only issue is that he setups/holding tanks are all water strait from the ocean. What kind of acclimation process would I need to do to acclimate them into an aquarium?

By using ocean water in his holding tanks, he has eliminated the acclimation process for HIMSELF...you will have to do a standard acclimation, the same as any other new purchase. BUT these fish NEED QT, or you MAY lose ALL the fish (new and old) in your tank. is the diver Les?

 

[Dtronic]

By using ocean water in his holding tanks, he has eliminated the acclimation process for HIMSELF...you will have to do a standard acclimation, the same as any other new purchase. BUT these fish NEED QT, or you MAY lose ALL the fish (new and old) in your tank. is the diver Les?

Les rocks!

 

[Texastravis]

Thanks for the info. I am definitely not saying that fish from ocean have no disease but I would argue that they are more healthy coming strait from diver than from lfs.

As for quarantine, I have practiced this several times before and think its a great thing. However I have a new tank thats completely empty, so I think best to just acclimate them all strait into it. Be a bit of a pain busting out several quarantines but maybe I will (or at least not make that big of an order)

Nope dont know Les but if yall say he good can I have his Email for prices??

Thanks

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Well it sounds like you've got your mind made up. But a day or two after the shipment arrives and you have something pop up, you're gonna wish they were in a QT so you could just drop some copper in and call it a day rather than 1) dosing copper, killing your LR, or 2) taking the rock out, chasing it around with a net, stressing everyone out, or 3) crossing your fingers and then flushing your money down the toilet 3 days later.

 

[tcmfish]

One question... where did the LFS or wholesaler get disease? They got the diseases in their systems from getting fish from the ocean! So just because you are getting fish straight from the ocean doesn't mean you are not risking those fish having disease it just means they are taking less stops to get to you, which hopefully means less stress/weight loss so that hopefully you get a nicer fish. You should still QT.

As for the pH and salinity thing, it couldn't be much different in our tanks than the ocean or the fish wouldn't survive.

 

[MatthewLaw]

Since your tank is new, I hope you properly cycled the tank and have some cheaper fish in there already to confirm that everything is fine!

Fish that are caught from the ocean may still be infected but are just not the sickest fish, yet. Sickest fish in the ocean = death = eventually getting eaten by presumably healthier fish = healthier fish can turn into very sick fish. Besides fish from the ocean may be carrying parasites that we do not know how to treat.

Finally, what's wrong with getting fish from your LFS or DD/LA (Divers Den/Live Aquaria)? At least with Divers Den/Live Aquaria you know what the fish is eating before being shipped out. You may not have the requisite food for the ocean caught fish and never figure out what the fish eats, thus resulting in its death.

Furthermore why deplete the ocean of its livestock when you can (probably) get a tank bred example? Between the diver's fees and shipping the fish overnight from Hawaii to Texas, how much money are you really saving?

Also it may be more expensive for the diver since it may take many dives to get the exact fish you want. At least with DD/LA/LFS you see the example before it is shipped to you. If the diver get the fish you requested but you do not like its coloring, etc, can you refuse to take delivery of the fish and not incur any diving fees?

 

[Texastravis]

Whats with all this attacking? I just wanted to know acclimation from ocean vs acclimation from LFS!

Well it sounds like you've got your mind made up. But a day or two after the shipment arrives and you have something pop up, you're gonna wish they were in a QT so you could just drop some copper in and call it a day rather than 1) dosing copper, killing your LR, or 2) taking the rock out, chasing it around with a net, stressing everyone out, or 3) crossing your fingers and then flushing your money down the toilet 3 days later.

Jesus I know the value of a quarantine tank. However this is obviously most useful when adding additional fish to an alrdy established tank with established fish. The use of copper is completely out of the question, copper is more poisonous and dangerous to fish than ich. Its like giving radiation treatment to a human to cure their flu/cold. Ich has never been a problem for me. Adequate nutrition with optimal tank conditions has almost always cured ich for my fish. I will quarantine when necessary.

Since your tank is new, I hope you properly cycled the tank and have some cheaper fish in there already to confirm that everything is fine!

Of course, this isnt my first rodeo

Furthermore why deplete the ocean of its livestock when you can (probably) get a tank bred example? Between the diver's fees and shipping the fish overnight from Hawaii to Texas, how much money are you really saving?

Lets be realistic. 99% of fish species are unbreedable in captivity. I really dont want a clownfish seahorse tank. I am saving about 600 dollars on stocking my tank by buying from a diver.

One question... where did the LFS or wholesaler get disease? They got the diseases in their systems from getting fish from the ocean! So just because you are getting fish straight from the ocean doesn't mean you are not risking those fish having disease it just means they are taking less stops to get to you, which hopefully means less stress/weight loss so that hopefully you get a nicer fish. You should still QT.

I NEVER SAID THEY HAD NO CHANCE OF DISEASE. Just that it is 100x LESS likely to get a sick fish strait from the ocean. I am NOT concerned with how the ick got to the LFS/Wholesalers tanks, I am more concerned with the fact that it IS there. In order for the stores to make money they cant constantly drain/clean tanks, dose them, hypo them, or have them go fishless. Rather EVERYDAY of the year there are hosts kept in each tank meaning there IS ICH. If u purchase a fish from LFS it is safe to say that it in fact DOES have ich on its body, weather its dormant on its body, or very difficult to see (gills).

Ick is found NO WHERE on fish in the ocean. Buying a tang for instance from the ocean is 100x less likely to have ich than fish from lfs. A little tid bit: Tangs in the ocean swim in mid waters many feet from the sand below were ich lies making them less likely to have ich. For this reason their slime coats are somewhat thin compared to other fish that thrive on the sand bottom. This is why tangs are more prone to ich in aquariums.

Sure I am taking a small risk of not being able to view my specimen before hand but thats a risk im willing to take. Often times I can purchase 3-5 of the same fish for the cost of 1 from the LFS. Keep in mind I live in Texas, not on the coast. Most fish stores are horrible down here in terms of quality and are often times extremely expensive do to costs of shipping inland. To give an example...my last visit to LFS some key fish i wanted were prices as follows.

Haw Naso about 6-7" $180
Purple tang 3-4" $200-220
Yellow tang 3-4" $60-70
Blue Hippo 6" $120

I could by 6 yellow tangs at that price. As for shipping from Haw to here. Although it might be high I will combine all my fish into one order and that will be that.


Not sure if all that I typed above makes a lot of since or is all mispelled, its late and im extremely tired

 

[zemuron114]

first off - what are you buying? that is a big determinant in the QT process and potential diseases. I know you are probably wanting to keep the species to yourself, but in order to really help we would need to know them... some fish need slower acclimation, temp fluctuations, etc...

if you are buying from a HI diver it is most likely deeper water fish (im assuming - again a fish list would help) This opens up a wider range of possible things to go wrong, more than likely the fish was pinned, which means you will have to med for external wounds (sticking a needle through a fish's scales results in an open wound that NEEDS to heal) Most people/places dont do external healing unless its visible. Pinning usually isn't visible but IS there. You CANNOT treat externally without QTing.

Provide a fish list

 

[snorvich]

I am saving about 600 dollars on stocking my tank by buying from a diver.

ROTFLMAO. Cheap fish are usually that, cheap fish. Short term savings may be long term costs. Additionally, when you buy from a "diver" you only get what that diver can capture in their location and can hope he or she decompresses properly. Also, unless that diver is diving a closed circuit rebreather, you also limit the kind of fish you can buy. Have you investigated the permits required to legally import fish?