To acclimate or not? Poll.... - APE - Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts

AquaZilla · 10-16-2009, 07:41 PM

I want to see what the rest of the folks out there do when bringing new fish home.

I will start I guess....

For me it has always been simple regardless of species, fish or shrimp.

Once I get them I toss them in the QT tank immediately. I don't believe in any drip acclimation or temperature acclimation of any kind. These fluctuations happen everyday in nature so I see no reason to do so.

Having kept some of the hardest fish to keep in the hobby it has not failed me yet. I can say that I have tried acclimating, and most of the time the fish died.

CL · 10-16-2009, 08:07 PM

I do not acclimate sometimes. Sometimes I'm too scared not to. I know that there are all kind of crazy fluctuations in nature, but when I have a relatively expensive fish, what's a 15 minute acclimation gonna hurt? I never do drip acclimation, though. Too much work IMO.

AquaZilla · 10-16-2009, 08:12 PM

Thats just the thing, it can hurt. If you keep your fish in the bag to long all while its sitting in its own poo, ammonia will build up to high levels damaging the fish respiratory system.

They are fine when the bag is sealed up, but when you open the bag and fresh O2 gets in the Ammonia starts to build up.

CL · 10-16-2009, 08:14 PM

Oh, yeah, I never acclimate fish that have been in the bag for an hour or more, I only let the unopened bag float for a while just to be careful about temperature. But, if I just got them from the pet store 15 minutes ago, I might or might not acclimate them.

Pure_Addiction · 10-16-2009, 08:40 PM

I don't even use a QT tank I bring the fish home, dump into a net, and toss in my main tank.

I am new to planted tanks but not aquariums fresh or reef and I never had a problem with disease or death just tossing them in the tank. I am a firm believer that what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. Maybe I am just lucky or maybe my tanks are healthy who knows but I have gotten away with it for years.

Eric

mountaindew · 10-17-2009, 11:44 AM

Adding fish directly to a c02 dosed aquarium from a lfs would cause stress in some fish imho. ph change from lfs tanks to any of my tanks would be big. I just dont buy enough fish or any rare ones to worry about it much. I care for plants and the fish get to live there

AquaZilla · 10-17-2009, 11:45 AM

Do you use RO water MD, or does your LFS use RO water? Or is it your substrate?

ukamikazu · 10-17-2009, 03:39 PM

The LFS's in Austin all use the same water source, so water chemistry is not a problem, and when I get fish either at the LFS or via mail order, my preference is to open the bag, empty half the water and then fill it up to the top with my own and let it set for 15 minutes.

I have found this to be the best way to get a fish whose never been in a CO2 injected tank a chance. They gasp or list a little bit for just under an hour after release, but then they are fine ever afterwards and ready to eat!

chillplants · 10-17-2009, 04:16 PM

I only acclimate on delicate fish. I use tap water for all my tanks and I'm sure the LFS does the same. Most params will be nearly the same so I just float the fish for a little while, then pour the fish into a net over a bucket (I only want the fish, not the water) and put them in the tank.

mountaindew · 10-18-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaZilla

Do you use RO water MD, or does your LFS use RO water? Or is it your substrate?

I could use ro, but i dont because it takes to much room and or time to make up 100 gal a week. I was commenting on the fact I inject c02 at high levels lowering the ph of the tank in the low 6.? and the lfs is more like 7.?.
When adding fish directly to a c02 dosed tank I have noticed they are not to happy for the first hour or so. All things said I have never lost one. And always figured it was the ph change, but it could be something else.
As for lfs, I would bet they use an ro mix. I would if I was in the fishy business anyway.
md

View Poll Results: Introducing new fish into your aquarium, acclimate or not?
No Acclimation, straight into a QT tank	7	50.00%
Drip acclimation no QT tank	4	28.57%
Acclimate and into QT tank	3	21.43%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll

10-16-2009, 07:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	To acclimate or not? Poll.... I want to see what the rest of the folks out there do when bringing new fish home. I will start I guess.... For me it has always been simple regardless of species, fish or shrimp. Once I get them I toss them in the QT tank immediately. I don't believe in any drip acclimation or temperature acclimation of any kind. These fluctuations happen everyday in nature so I see no reason to do so. Having kept some of the hardest fish to keep in the hobby it has not failed me yet. I can say that I have tried acclimating, and most of the time the fish died. __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

10-16-2009, 08:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	Thats just the thing, it can hurt. If you keep your fish in the bag to long all while its sitting in its own poo, ammonia will build up to high levels damaging the fish respiratory system. They are fine when the bag is sealed up, but when you open the bag and fresh O2 gets in the Ammonia starts to build up. __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

10-17-2009, 11:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	Do you use RO water MD, or does your LFS use RO water? Or is it your substrate? __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

10-17-2009, 04:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
chillplants Aquatic Plant Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 408	I only acclimate on delicate fish. I use tap water for all my tanks and I'm sure the LFS does the same. Most params will be nearly the same so I just float the fish for a little while, then pour the fish into a net over a bucket (I only want the fish, not the water) and put them in the tank. __________________ 125 gal 75 gal eel tank

10-16-2009, 08:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
CL Aspiring Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 506	I do not acclimate sometimes. Sometimes I'm too scared not to. I know that there are all kind of crazy fluctuations in nature, but when I have a relatively expensive fish, what's a 15 minute acclimation gonna hurt? I never do drip acclimation, though. Too much work IMO.

10-16-2009, 08:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
CL Aspiring Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 506	Oh, yeah, I never acclimate fish that have been in the bag for an hour or more, I only let the unopened bag float for a while just to be careful about temperature. But, if I just got them from the pet store 15 minutes ago, I might or might not acclimate them.

10-16-2009, 08:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
Pure_Addiction Almost Guru Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Greencastle Pa Posts: 157	I don't even use a QT tank I bring the fish home, dump into a net, and toss in my main tank. I am new to planted tanks but not aquariums fresh or reef and I never had a problem with disease or death just tossing them in the tank. I am a firm believer that what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. Maybe I am just lucky or maybe my tanks are healthy who knows but I have gotten away with it for years. Eric

10-17-2009, 11:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
mountaindew Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 47	Adding fish directly to a c02 dosed aquarium from a lfs would cause stress in some fish imho. ph change from lfs tanks to any of my tanks would be big. I just dont buy enough fish or any rare ones to worry about it much. I care for plants and the fish get to live there

10-17-2009, 03:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
ukamikazu Moderator Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Austin, Texas, USA Posts: 258	The LFS's in Austin all use the same water source, so water chemistry is not a problem, and when I get fish either at the LFS or via mail order, my preference is to open the bag, empty half the water and then fill it up to the top with my own and let it set for 15 minutes. I have found this to be the best way to get a fish whose never been in a CO2 injected tank a chance. They gasp or list a little bit for just under an hour after release, but then they are fine ever afterwards and ready to eat!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode