I read recently that when acclimating fish and inverts at the same time, it's important that you never mix the water from the fish bags with the water from the invert bags. You're always supposed to acclimate them seperately. i realize that hermit crabs need more time to get used to temp. changes....is that the only reason?? Just curious as to if anybody knew exactly why.
Acclimation - fish vs. inverts
- Thread starter fireFISH
- Start date
Hmm...I've never heard this. Many inverts DO require a slower acclimation. However if you're acclimating correctly with a drip line, it's fine for both inverts and fish. Inverts like starfish, and anemones really shouldn't be exposed to air, which fish, crabs, snails will tolerate fine as long as it's quick, but I try not to expose them either just because it's an added stress.fireFISH said:I read recently that when acclimating fish and inverts at the same time, it's important that you never mix the water from the fish bags with the water from the invert bags. You're always supposed to acclimate them seperately. i realize that hermit crabs need more time to get used to temp. changes....is that the only reason?? Just curious as to if anybody knew exactly why.
I CAN think of a reason not to acclimate them together, but it isn't due to the fish/inverts native requirements it has to do with how some LFS operate. Some LFS preventatively treat their fish-only systems with medications that contain copper to keep ich and other parsites down.
If you ever go in a LFS and they seem to have all their fish in one bank of tanks, and there aren't any inverts or corals in with them, they may be doing this. If so, I'd then acclimate them in seperate buckets. (I actually use several dollar store plastic pitchers for acclimation.)
If on the other hand you're in the store and they have fish and corals/inverts in the same tanks, then I wouldn't worry about it, and just acclimate them together.
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mikeguerrero
Active Member
I've read about the drip line, and think it is very time consuming but it's the best practice for stress free environment. I would like to event some way to float a bag in some type of plastic floating device that can allow aquarium water to enter with the bag but bag water not to escape the plastic container.
Then once it has acclicamted the items is moved into the tank through some type of trap door, that has zero amounts of bag water, sort of like chambers into the last is equal to the aquarium water.
This type of system would allow you to do other stuff while it waits and does the work for you, or majority of it for you.
I hate waiting and pulling the bag out, etc, you know....
Mike
Then once it has acclicamted the items is moved into the tank through some type of trap door, that has zero amounts of bag water, sort of like chambers into the last is equal to the aquarium water.
This type of system would allow you to do other stuff while it waits and does the work for you, or majority of it for you.
I hate waiting and pulling the bag out, etc, you know....
Mike
One other thing...If you're acclimating fish that you got out of an fish-only system, that you think might be medicated. Put as little of that water in your tank as you can manage. I usually dump 1/2-3/4 of the LFS water out immediately. I leave just enough water so the fish can swim. Then I slowly drip-acclimate. Once I'm done I pour off the water until there's just barely enough water in the bottom of the pitcher as it's tilted to one side to keep the fish covered. Then I put the fish in. The possiblity of getting any real amount of medication in the tank water with your new fish is minimal, but I try to reduce it as far as I can.
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