Acclimating LARGE Fish

[md1017]

I think this post needs a disclaimer.
I know this is an old post. But I would not try this on an expensive fish. Even places like public aquariums dont deploy such methods. Sorry but it sounds nice in theory. But ive never ever lost a fish doing a drip method with a airhose. And people i know who collect very fish would never do this either. You try this on a sensitive ray and it will be lost for sure. Perhaps doing a small small squirt of AmQuel+ and NovAqua in the bag to deal with the amonia is fine. Then do a drip w. an airhose etc. But to dump an expensive fish of into a tank like that noway.

This is one reason i always say u guys in western society worry too much and use too much stuff in your tank. I even didnt use ammo lock or whatever when i got my rays, what i did was just to settle it down in its bag for 15 min then pour straight into my pond. They live happily until today, one of em even got pregnant. Too many theories confuse people. But miles has shown a KISS approach which is scientifically backed up. Well done

 

[$INI$T3R]

I will say, I read this post a few years ago and have done the squirt-pour-drop method on Dozens of exotic (expensive) FW fish without a single loss due to the method of introduction. I have only done this few times with larger fish over 20" with no loss. I have lost a few fish due to the drip method (maybe i didnt let them stay long enough only 15 minutes). because i lost a very expensive PBass, i looked around the forum and found this Thread. Now dont get me wrong, i didnt just go out and buy a $300.00 fish and try it, i bought a few cheaper ones that i really wanted to keep and used them as guinnie pigs (fish). After the first try and success i have done it ever since without even thinking about it. Everytime i have done the drop method the fish eat right away and never really seem to hide. I have moved alot of fish in and out of my tanks this way with only a loss of a 10" Temenisis.

So miles i want to thank you for the informative post.

To everyone else... you have brought up some very valid questions, and i agree with some of them. I guess i can see where after adding the chems, why not drip them? Seems to be a valid question, but i know from my own experiance, i will keep up with the drop method because i know my water is a billion times better than the shipped water is, so the faster i get them in my water the faster they recover and the less time they are in there stressed/shocked mode!

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

Thanks thank and more thanks!!!

 

[johnnycoolxx]

I tried Miles' method recently. I kept losing feeder fish in the bag. About half would die within 10 minutes of me floating the bag and mixing tank water with the bag's water. When I did the plop and drop on them, they all survived and even started eating 15 minutes later. It's counter intuitive, but seems like a good way to reduce the stress on fish when transporting them.

 

[geph]

I know its a old post but interesting stuff....

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

personally i'd like someone to take a crack at the original questions that were presented 6 years ago when it was first posted. Anyone have any input?

 

[meBNme]

Wow....

When I first started up my tank I knew nothing. I filled it with water and the next day bought 40 rosie feeders just to see if they would live before buying "real fish"

I brought 40 rosies home in 1 small bag on a 1.5 hr drive in july with no AC in the truck.

When I opened the shopping bag to float the fish bag I thought they were all dead.
I saw 5 fish moving, only two were not upside down.

I immediately dumped them in the tank.
35 of them lived until I removed them several weeks later.

I have lost two fish that were "new".
My first sturgeon and stingray.
I floated the sturgeon, opened the bag and would let in a little tank water treated with prime, and float some more.
I used the drip method on the ray.

Every other fish I floated just long enough to add stress coat and clean up the shopping bags and new supplies. Less than 5 min, then dumped them in.

Not only did I not lose fish to the drop and go method, I had 35 feeders revive from near death that way! (30 of which had no movement and were floating upside down.)
The fish i lost were both "acclimated".

 

[Raymann88]

Thanks Miles - Great Info.

If temperature is an issue, why not drop your tank temp down to the bottom of the allowable range for the fish you are bringing in before your fish arrives and slowly raise it back up after you put the fish in. This way the temp shock will not be as much and you can raise the temp over a couple of hours, but the fish is out of the crappy water right away. Of course, this would be no problem to your existing fish as we all quarantine our new fish first lol!

 

[spwd]

Old post but quite an eye opener I must say,thanks miles,il be fetchingba rather large IT soon and this has confirmed the method il use,as in the past if I've had to move a fish into another tank I've just whipped it out and dropped it in and have never lost a fish like this.


Steve

 

[ALAINA]

It's funny that people still cling onto mythology when they have scientific evidence right in front of them.

Do you think rapid pH swings occur in the Amazon? Ever heard of the rainy season or flooded forest?


This is an old post, but a goodie. Lots of good technical information. I have used this method with lots of high dollar fish as well as others. Would you consider a Tigrinus a high dollar sensitive fish? They never died from squirt and dump acclimation.

You can try the drip method if you want, but it clearly explains why this is detrimental and why getting the fish out of the tainted water is 100x more important than slowly adjusting them to new water parameters. FW fish are adaptable, especially out of the wild. Drip acclimating small fish or fish delivered short distances might be great 'piece of mind' (still mythology) but if you understand water chemistry and what goes on when fish are shipped you will agree that removing them from ammonia is more beneficial than drip acclimating.

Drip acclimation was created years ago as a way to acclimate sensitive fish.. There is no scientific research behind it's benefits (link me? I dare you) and it was a 'hunch' practice done by fish store owners in an attempt to reduce losses from shipping. Sadly, most methods are obsolete because the squirt and dump method is the best, although seeming the most impractical, especially at that time. Most fish don't die from pH shock, they die from Ammonia poisoning.. but people who don't understand water quality very well (but think they are experts, ie: oldskool LFS owners) will point the blame on a pH swing.

The same people who preached the mythology of drip acclimation, also came up with nobel prize winners such as 'Fish only grow to the size of their environment', and 'Don't do too big of a water change, it kills off your good bacteria', and the ever classic 'Oscars need live feeder fish to stay healthy'..

Sounds like solid advice to me

this post made me smile giving good advice is one thing (they can take it or leave it) but smarty pants snide remarks dont help ANYBODY!! if u want to help someone THEN DO IT.. dont go around putting in your two cents just to make yourself feel better!!


owner of a stunted rescue black con.. and i never worry about % on water changes.. i agree with u totally!!!!!!