# Acclimation of shipped fish



## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

I wanted to get everyone's take on acclimating fish that have been shipped to you (rather than picking up at the LFS). I've generally heard that you ought to acclimate (usually with some version of the drip method) everything to prevent shocks from differences in water parameters. But the water in those tiny plastic bags fish are shipped in gets pretty gross in 24 hours, and I've also heard that opening the bag and adding water can cause issues with regards to ammonia.

So, do you acclimate your fish that have been shipped? I must admit, I did not do so with my last shipment (16 pygmy corydoras and 12 cardinal tetras) out of concern for ammonia, etc. I floated the bags in my tank to equalize temperature, but then I just "filtered" the fish out by pouring the bag through a net into tupperware and plopped them into the tank. I had no losses and all seemed and remain happy and healthy.


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## randym (Sep 20, 2015)

I never float bags of fish.

If they are shipped to you, they are likely "breather bags." If you float them, they can no longer breathe.

If they are from the LFS...floating the bags likely increases the temperature, which reduces the oxygen in the water. It also causes some weird pH problems.

After reading a bunch of stuff on this subject, I decided floating bags was not a good idea. I prefer to get my fish into their new home as quickly as possible. According to research, fish need days, not minutes or hours, to acclimate to new water conditions, so you may as well just dump them in. 

I do acclimate shrimp, which seem to be more sensitive to sudden water changes than fish. But not in the bag. I put them in a large glass mixing bowl with the water from the bag, and slowly add tank water. Since shrimp are fine in nano tanks, I figure it's not too stressful to them to be in a bowl for a few hours.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

end3r.P said:


> I wanted to get everyone's take on acclimating fish that have been shipped to you (rather than picking up at the LFS). I've generally heard that you ought to acclimate (usually with some version of the drip method) everything to prevent shocks from differences in water parameters. But the water in those tiny plastic bags fish are shipped in gets pretty gross in 24 hours, and I've also heard that opening the bag and adding water can cause issues with regards to ammonia.
> 
> So, do you acclimate your fish that have been shipped? I must admit, I did not do so with my last shipment (16 pygmy corydoras and 12 cardinal tetras) out of concern for ammonia, etc. I floated the bags in my tank to equalize temperature, but then I just "filtered" the fish out by pouring the bag through a net into tupperware and plopped them into the tank. I had no losses and all seemed and remain happy and healthy.


This is currently the same way I acclimate my fish also.



randym said:


> I never float bags of fish.
> 
> If they are shipped to you, they are likely "breather bags." If you float them, they can no longer breathe.
> 
> ...


& this will be how I acclimate my fish from this point forward.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

randym said:


> I never float bags of fish.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Agreed, I wouldn't float breather bags -- I don't think the ones I was shipped recently were breathers.


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## RugburnTanks (Mar 31, 2015)

I do drip acclimation but I first put them in a container and float them with a air stone especially if they were shipped in cold weather.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

RugburnTanks said:


> I do drip acclimation but I first put them in a container and float them with a air stone especially if they were shipped in cold weather.


One of the things that steered me away from this approach was the assertion that oxygenating the waste-full shipping water converts nitrogenous waste in the tank into the toxic form of ammonia. Or something like that. But you've had good luck with it?


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## DavidZ (Nov 17, 2009)

The last point is correct, and should be kept in mind.
Depending on the kind of fish you get and whether it is domestic or wild.
In all cases the best way is to match the temp and then what ever works for you, you can drip or add the fish to the tank.
Stress causes problems, so does ammonia.
And not all fish is shipped in breather bags!


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## tuffgong (Apr 13, 2010)

I always, always, always drip acclimate. I've been doing this for a number of years now without any losses. My drip acclimation is always at least an hour. I prefer to let my tank water triple the amount of water in the bag. So there's 2 parts tank water to 1 part of shipping water. If I feel the water in the bag is of really low quality then I will put an airstone into the acclimation container.


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## lksdrinkerII (Nov 16, 2015)

I think this sometimes depends on the species you're talking about; also depends on the shipping method (kordon bag vs. regular bags) and also where the fish was sourced (wild caught? tank raised? old parameters, new parameters etc). Its true that warmer water will have less oxygen saturation; but most who float bags to acclimate temperature do so with the bag opened which should allow gas exchange at the surface. It is also true that opening the bag and introducing oxygen can convert some waste into ammonia rather quickly (still not sure of the science behind this one though). That is why better/more reputable sellers often place a small piece of some sort of chemical filtration pad into the shipping bag so it can handle that sudden ammonia spike. Its also true that acclimating a fish (ph, gh, kh, etc) can take quite a long time so most drip acclimation systems wont really do what they're intended to do. It seems that more reputable breeders of certain "difficult" species (discus in particular) are more often recommending the "plop and drop" method which is really no acclimation at all other than temperature. I've honestly done all of the above and cant say any one way worked better or worse than any other. The only steadfast rule I stick with is to make sure no water from the bag makes it into my tank.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

With any fish I immediately transfer them to a sheetrock bucket then drip acclimate. Because there usually isn't much water in there I tilt the sheetrock bucket so it fills the corner of the bucket first


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## patfat (Oct 23, 2015)

Honestly, I let my bags float for 10 or so mins some times even less then I just toss my fish right on in to the tank. So far I haven't had in losses most the time the losses I get are from fish fighting or they came from the store already sick. Where I've had that a couple of times and returned and got new ones. Or some fish die and I have no clue why when I've had them for some time. Any ways float for a little then toss right on in they seem to do fine


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## RugburnTanks (Mar 31, 2015)

end3r.P said:


> One of the things that steered me away from this approach was the assertion that oxygenating the waste-full shipping water converts nitrogenous waste in the tank into the toxic form of ammonia. Or something like that. But you've had good luck with it?



My method has worked great. I acclimate all my fish, even apistos and GBRs that are wild caught, like this and no casualties.


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## JustJen (Jun 20, 2011)

I too am in the camp that figures the faster I can get them out of their shipping water, the better. I float the bags (unless they are breather bags) for 10 minutes or so to get the temps similar, then the fish go straight in the tank. I'm sure it's coincidence or a difference in the health of the fish prior to shipping or something, but since I switched to this method (vs. drip acclimating for several hours like I used to do), I've not lost a single fish in the weeks surrounding shipping them. Not that I lost a ton before, but I'd lose a fish during or shortly after acclimation every other shipment or so. I've even noticed that the "float and dump" fish seem to color up and start eating faster. It should be noted too that my water is fairly extreme compared to most (kh = 19, ph = 8.3), the likelihood that any of the shipped fish came from similar conditions is very slim. All of the 50+ nano fish in my 33 were shipped in and acclimated in this manor, as were my 2 dozen neons, my rainbows, and even my gold rams. I know everyone has their own methods that work best for them, but this is what I've found works the best for me.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

My supplies for acclimation:
scissors or utility blade
Seachem Prime
needleness syringe for Prime
clean cup, bowl, or 1g cube (depending on how much water fish are shipped in)
towel or cloth (to cover the acclimation container so its dark-less stressful)
air line tubing
tetra whisper pump's air pressure valve (little adjustable black knob to control air flow but in this case water drip rate. if you don't have a tetra whisper air pump you can buy these valves for cheap at your lfs/online)
bucket of dechlorianted water (to add to main tank)
zip lock type bag
fish net
timer device (i use my phone)


I set up the acclimation area next to the tank the fish will be going in. Load the syringe with several drops of Prime then quickly cut the bag(s) open and add prime to bind ammonia. Depending on amount of water the fish are shipped in I'll either start with a cup, bowl, or 1g cube (if cup or bowl I work up to cube by adding more water during acclimation). If its extremely small amount of water (such as for a single betta fish) I'll leave them in their bag, supported upright in a cup and drip acclimate until they can go into the cup.
For acclimation I take the air line tubing with the valve on one end fully open. I put the other end in the final destination tank and start a siphon then turn the knob to reduce flow to a few drips a second or 1 drip a second and place in cup/bowl/cube/bag. I place a black cloth over the container to keep it dark during acclimation.
Once fish are moved into the cube as it fills I cup out water and put it down the drain. I usually set a timer for 15-20 minute intervals to check to ensure no over flow disasters. As the tank's water level drops fro the acclimation I add more in that is already dechlorinated and close/at tank temp.
I take a minimum 60 minutes to acclimate fish, but can go as long as 2 hours. After drip acclamation I usually bag and float fish for 15-30 minutes to ensure they are at tank temp then carefully let fish loose in the tank without allowing any of the water go with-net typically used (unless its a species that its not safe to net such as catfish and dwarf puffers in which case I pour off most of their bag water in the cube then pour them into the tank with only a little of the acclimation water).
Tank light is kept off during acclimation process and for at least a few hours or the whole day after adding fish.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I normally drip acclimate with a few drop's of PRIME in the acclimation bucket.
I prop the bucket on a piece of wood on a chair next to the tank, and run drip line from tank to the bucket.


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## Tessa (Dec 8, 2015)

I have never gotten shipped fish but this is what I do with store bought fish: open the bag and let it float in the tank; every 5-6 minutes take out some water from the bag and add tank water to the bag (using a turkey baster); after 1 hour I net the fish out and let them loose in the tank. Haven't lost a single fish like this, including otos.


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## bigbadjon (Aug 6, 2015)

I drip acclimate and have for years with no ill effect. Its the method most breeders have told me to use and I would only do differently if specifically told by the shipper.


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