mandarin

squibley2

squibley2

New member
I was just wondering are mandarins just really sensitive? I bought one yesterday and then replaced it today because it died. I tried acclimating them both in the same way as I do with all my fish close to a drip method but not exactly I add about 1/8 a cup or water at a time over about 3 hours or so about 10-15 mins apart. The second guy didn't even last the acclimation time. My water parameters are perfect. Exact ocean reef conditions.

Ammo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
PH 8.2
Alk 8.7
Calc 445
temp 78.8
Oxy is at saturation


Am I missing something???
 
I have never done a fish acclimation period over 20 minutes.
I use a an old airline tube & tie a knot in it. Tighten the knot to adjust the drip rate.
 
Squibley - Hello mandarin killer ( j/k :) ),

Do you float them in a bag when you do this? I float mine and use a turkey baster to exchange about 1/8cup of water between the bag and the tank every 15mins when acclimating new fish (including 3 mandarins) and have experienced no problems with acclimation periods ranging from 0.5-2.5 hours. Like Puffer said, if they weren't floating in the bag inside the tank, then temperature may be a problem.

Also consider that these fish are shipped overnight and sit in their waste inside the bag for much longer than 3 hours, at temperatures that are less than optimal. Considering this, I would say that it probably wasn't your acclimation procedure that sent these lil' guys to the big aquarium in the sky. But it wouldn't hurt to cut your acclimation time down to an hour max (depending on salinity differences between the tankwater and bagwater).

You asked if you were "missing something" and you are.......what is the salinity of your tank water vs. the salinity of the mandarin's bagwater??
 
Yes I am floating the bag in the tank so temp is not the issue. I have not tested the salinity of the water in the bag, but I run my salinity at 33 - 34 just shy of sea water.
 
OK I just tested the water again and the only paramaters that have changed since the last test which was early in the week are.

Alk 6.0 and Calc 380
 
Hey Kevin,

I would have to agree with everyone else that long acclimations for fish are really not necessary. Long acclimations of 1 hour for fish should be done when salinity is way off. Some stores keep teir salinity lower than seawater especially in their fish tanks. As long as you equalize bag temp. and salinity is already equal. 15-30minute acclimation should be plenty.
 
These comments on acclimation time are too general to be of useful guidance IMO/IME. For example, the mandarins I have I got from David and from Todd when they left the hobby. I floated and released into the tank, as their water was as mine and I had no worries.

If I got one from a store, I would get a salinity reading from the tank the fish came from, and then, if not doing QT, would take an hour at least for each unit of adjustment. So from 1.022 to 1.026 I would take 4 hrs. If lower, adjust accordingly. At least, for sensitive fish.

For tangs, now I would never do even this from a store if the sp. g is lower than .022. If they are at .018, then you have to go the QT route and take a few days at least to get to tank parameters.

My hunch is you got the fish from somewhere that has a very low s.g. and you shocked them.

Or you got them from a place that has unhealthy fish. In fact, that's my hunch now. Forget the first one. Where did these guys come from?
 
They were from Aquarium Adventure in Schaumburg. I would not normally get my fish from there but they were the only place around that had them when I went to get one on Wed.
 
I would have to say it was the salinity and the prolonged acclimation. I acclimate for about 10 - 15 minutes only. If the salt is the same of course...I just cut the bag add some tank water and then add the fish to the tank. never had any problems...knock on wood!
 
Some of the fish there are in pretty bad shape. I did get two perc clowns that are doing well from there though.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8333539#post8333539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by squibley2
They were from Aquarium Adventure in Schaumburg. I would not normally get my fish from there but they were the only place around that had them when I went to get one on Wed.
Click to expand...
 
How much was the fish? I was looking at another pearly jawfish, but they wanted $55! I think I paid no more than $20 for my 1st. +, there was alot of floaters when I was there.
 
It was 39.99 minus 40% coupon I had. There were no floaters at all when I was there and all the livestock looked to be in preatty good shape in fact they refused to sell me an oscar that I was looking at because he was not eating well.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8334860#post8334860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by squibley2
It was 39.99 minus 40% coupon I had. There were no floaters at all when I was there and all the livestock looked to be in preatty good shape in fact they refused to sell me an oscar that I was looking at because he was not eating well.
Click to expand...

how big is your mandarin for 40 bucks? i bought one from exotic aquatics which is about 2-2 1/2 inch for 30 bucks....
 
I stopped by Aquarium Adventure tonight and there seemed to be a dead fish in like every 5th tank. There was even two dead maroons in one tank. I just couldn't think of buying anything there so I went to beyond the reef around the corner and bought a spotted mandarin for 32 bucks. Acclimated in an hour and immediately began to eat when I released him in the tank,
 
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