acclimate new fish (bag has ammonia blockers)

ajtomase · Jan 6, 2022

I'll be getting the first clownfish for my tank from someone who is quarantining them for me and they informed me they ship their fish in water between 1.024-1.026 and has ammonia blockers in the bag. I know that when I open the bag, the increase of oxygen will raise the pH which will also raise the toxicity of the ammonia, and I'm not sure how to best acclimate the fish before going into my tank. Thoughts?

Malcontent · Jan 6, 2022

It takes ~24 hours for the pH to increase once you open the bag.

nereefpat · Jan 6, 2022

ajtomase said:
I'll be getting the first clownfish for my tank from someone who is quarantining them for me and they informed me they ship their fish in water between 1.024-1.026 and has ammonia blockers in the bag. I know that when I open the bag, the increase of oxygen will raise the pH which will also raise the toxicity of the ammonia, and I'm not sure how to best acclimate the fish before going into my tank. Thoughts?

If your tank is close to that salinity, just float for temperature and then release.

Sean_B · Jan 6, 2022

I have yet to perform this procedure myself, but have been reading up in preparation for a while now.

Float unopened bag in DT water for 20-30 minutes for temperature acclimation.

As long as the salinity is within 1 point, your fish can then be released into the DT

your incoming fish sounds like it is in ideal salinity, requiring only temperature acclimation.

Dave1993 · Jan 7, 2022

my lfs water is 1.017 mine is 1.024 i float then release never had problems not 1 fish died

i cant think · Jan 8, 2022

Dave1993 said:
my lfs water is 1.017 mine is 1.024 i float then release never had problems not 1 fish died

This is risky to do but yes fish can withstand Salinity changes better than coral and inverts but if it’s a truly sensitive fish (I.E. Tilefish, Tang, Anampses Wrasse) they won’t like it and may be stressed out from it. I haven’t lost a fish from float and drop but that’s because my LFS runs their tank water at .030 and run their selling water at that aswell so it has thrown my water right up in salinity.