do we over-acclimate?

[greenbean36191]

Of all the parameters to worry about temp is the very last one I would consider acclimating for. It's just not important. Our animals are eurythermal and there's no indication that temperature fluctuations of even 15 degrees are a source of stress for any reef animals. Going from 60 in a shipping bag to 80 in a tank may cause some stress, but it's minimal compared to osmotic, DO, and ammonia issues.

For most animals salinity is the most important and really the only thing to be concerned about. pH is important too, but it's hard to safely adjust in a shipping bag and except for very sensitive species it shouldn't be a life threatening issue.

For fish, I approximately match the salinity and dump.

For most inverts, including snails and corals I dump any shipping water. Snails I just stick to the sides above the water line. Corals slime up for a few minutes and then I put them in the tank.

For sensitive critters (echinoderms especially) I dump most of the shipping water so there's just enough to keep the animal moist, let them sit for about 15 minutes and then start slowly dripping tank water in. Aside from sponges, they're much better off being exposed to the air for an hour or so than they are to a bag full of high ammonia, low DO water.

 

[Sk8r]

Thanks, Greenbean. Real interesting about the corals. I hadn't thought of going that far. But of course they'd do that. I think I am modifying my procedures with corals.

 

[CBehr]

So after reading this.. what is the suggested acclimation of fish?

I buy fish online, shipped overnight
float 10-15 mintues,
Dump most water out and replace with small amounts for 15-20 minutes at which time SG should be approx the same.
Dump in QT tank, which should probably have a SG of around 1.018 or so to better match LFS water.

 

[billsreef]

For fish, just adjust temp if there's a large difference, and remove from nasty bag water and place in good clean tank water No lengthy drip acclimation needed. Same for corals and anemones.

Snails do best "dry acclimated", i.e. if shipped in water, take them out of water and let them drain for 20 minutes or so, than place in tank water. If dry shipped, just place them in tank.

Crustaceans and echinoderms from reef areas can be a bit fussier and generally require a drip acclimation. Ones from lagoon/estuarine areas are better adapted to fluctuations and can simply be temp adjusted and dropped in, if salinity is reasonable close.

 

[NirvanaFan]

I acclimate in a few different ways, depending on the situation. I do agree with over acclimating, but if the conditions are right, I'll acclimate for hours.

If I buy a coral from the LFS or online, I usually won't quarantine it. I know I should, but don't have the cash to spend on a qt light right now. I give it a very good inspection. My family thinks I'm weird when I look at a coral in a bag through a magnifying glass. I usually take the rubber bands off the bag, and use a chip clip to clip the bag onto the sump and let the bag float in the water. Then I'll start a drip from the display to the bag that is clipped on the sump. Sometimes I'll let it go for 4 or 5 hours, emptying the bag as needed. I usually only let it go for around 45 minutes. This probably isn't needed, but it surely can't hurt. Floating the bag in the water keeps the temperature stable and dripping changes the parameters slowly. This is overkill, but I don't see how it will hurt the coral, only help it transition to my tank.

If I buy a fish from the LFS, I usually clip the bag onto the side of the qt tank and float the bag in the water. I add some water every 5 minutes for 15 minutes, and then take half the water out of the bag. I'll add water every 5 minutes again for 15 minutes or so, and then dump the fish in. The LFS is less than 5 minutes away from my house, so I don't have to worry about low 02, or ammonia toxicity.

If I buy a fish online. I try to get it out off the bag quickly. I'll float the bag for a minute while I inspect the fish and take a reading of the Specific gravity of the water. If the sg is within 4 points, I fill the bag almost to the top with water (this usually doubles the water in the bag). After 5 minutes, I'll dump the fish (including the water) into the QT. If I buy a fish online and know it is going into the 30g QT, I set the sg of the qt to 1.024. I always have at least 10 gallons of heated RO/DI, just in case the salinity is less than 1.020.

 

[HighlandReefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14386615#post14386615 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billsreef
For fish, just adjust temp if there's a large difference, and remove from nasty bag water and place in good clean tank water No lengthy drip acclimation needed. Same for corals and anemones.

Snails do best "dry acclimated", i.e. if shipped in water, take them out of water and let them drain for 20 minutes or so, than place in tank water. If dry shipped, just place them in tank.

Crustaceans and echinoderms from reef areas can be a bit fussier and generally require a drip acclimation. Ones from lagoon/estuarine areas are better adapted to fluctuations and can simply be temp adjusted and dropped in, if salinity is reasonable close.

I know a few hobbyists that purchase fish that cost over $1,000.00. I wonder if they acclimate the same way? I don't know what I would do with a fish that costs that much.

 

[MayorOfWhoVille]

My vote is 'yes', we over-acclimate. Especially after reading this thread!

 

[dots]

Nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution IMO

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14392655#post14392655 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dots
Nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution IMO

Interestingly, once I was convinced to try giving up lengthy acclimation procedures, my DAA (Dead After Arrival) rates dropped. The biggest difference (in favor of just floating and dumping) was in transhipped and overnight shipped fish.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14392655#post14392655 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dots
Nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution IMO

In the case of acclimation what one may think is caution sometimes results in longer time in the toxified bag water and a dose of ammonia poisoning to go along with osmotic shock.

When that bag that has confined a fish for a long period is opened ,such as is the case for shipped specimens , the ammonia in the water turns into its toxic form as the CO2 blows off and the ph rises.

It's much safer ,in my opinion. to match the quarantine tank to the sg of the bagwater and to move the fish out of the bag quickly once it's opened in those cases when the fish has been confined to the bag for a long period of time. Or if you don't know th sg of the bag water, aim low, ie introduce the fish quickly to water at lower sg, say 1.015 or so.It won't hurt the fish to move rapidly to a lower sg ,as long as it's higher than 1.008 (ther internal salinity of the fish)

 

[dots]

I guess I should point out I was thinking of fishys.....more than coral. But it really depends on the differential of the two samples.

How many people have tested the water BEFORE acclimation prior to introduction? Or did it only occur when there was a problem?

As far as the shipping thing.....I have always had a problem with that.....I always prefer to pick them up myself to ensure what I am getting. Though I understand some don't have that option all the time.

Testing and matching the bag water would be the best mode of introduction, then adjust over time to limit stress.......but who does that? Probably too much for most to handle.

 

[adtravels]

I have always been bung em in, living in thailand the Temp is never a problem.
This applies to fish corals and anemones.
The only things I acclimate for any length of tome are shrimp, stars,urchins and snails. And just because the LFS here tend to keep them in low sg for a period.
I have only ever lost a sexy shrimp and urchin to sg issues. I do advocate dimming the lighting (but definately not dark), this really seems to help. And adding agressive territorial fish last.

Of course it means your tank water must be of the highest standards

 

[tmz]

If you are using a quarantine tank it's really easy to set it up at low salinity(even less than the bag water won't hurt) and adjust it upward over a period of time for shipped fish. With locally acquired fish where the sg is close drip acclimation for 30 minutes or so is usually not a problem.

 

[Sk8r]

I always check the salinity of the bag, first thing after opening. I never believe what I'm told by the shipper.

 

[tmz]

Yeah I believe in checking too but I have a sense of urgency about moving the fish out of that water as soon as I can or at least diluting it so I usually just use low sg of around 1.015 in the qt tank. The bag water won't likely be much if any lower and a drop won't cause any stress.. I suppose a few seconds for a refractometer check wouldn't hurt too much.

 

[Dragonlady]

For fish, I dim the lights and float the bag for 15 minutes. Every 5 minutes I slowly add some of the tank water for a total of 30 minutes. I have not added a fish in several years.

Different acclimation procedures seem to be safer for more sensitive invertebrates such as snails and other invertebrates. In the past, my snails would mysteriously die after about a month until I learned to drip acclimate. I blamed it on hermit crabs. I took the hermits out and it happened again. The mysterious deaths in snails did not happen after I drip acclimated them for about 2-3 hours.



Dr. Ronald Shimek suggests a 5-10 hour drip acclimation for snails in this article.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php

The vessels in the kidney are numerous and delicate, and may rupture if the animal is not slowly acclimated when being moved from one set of water conditions to another. If the acclimation is too fast, the animal will die in a few minutes to a few weeks.

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14402730#post14402730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dots
Testing and matching the bag water would be the best mode of introduction, then adjust over time to limit stress.......but who does that?

I used to do that, even with large shipments of fish. Over the years I've discovered that getting them out of the nasty bag water and into clean water fast is far more beneficial to their well being. Think of like being locked in a polluted room than being let out into the fresh clean air...what's better, slowly being teased with sips of fresh clean air, or just getting the heck and into clean air?

 

[E.intheC]

Bill, I understand your thinking along these lines for longer shipments, but do you feel the same way when you're bringing home a fish from the local store, and their water isn't THAT terrible. I mean.. it's not as good as my system water, but...

 

[Obi-dad]

I am not sure that water temp really needs to be matched. I have been snorkeling over reefs where the temp change from one side of the reef to the other is large (ocean side to lagoon side) - and fish move back and forth between the different temps, no problem.

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14407153#post14407153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by E.intheC
Bill, I understand your thinking along these lines for longer shipments, but do you feel the same way when you're bringing home a fish from the local store, and their water isn't THAT terrible. I mean.. it's not as good as my system water, but...

Still no reason to leave the fish swimming around that little baggie