Acclimating fish after long shipping transit

[icemountain]

What is the best method out there to acclimate a fish that is nearly 95% dead already in the bag after a 30+ transit time from overseas? I have been unsuccessful at reviving the last 2 that came in that dead, unfortunately, and would like to know if there are any best practices out there in terms of acclimation when it has come to this stage. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

What is the best method out there to acclimate a fish that is nearly 95% dead already in the bag after a 30+ transit time from overseas? I have been unsuccessful at reviving the last 2 that came in that dead, unfortunately, and would like to know if there are any best practices out there in terms of acclimation when it has come to this stage. Thanks in advance!

Elliot at Marine Collectors wrote a detailed article about how to deal with fish being shipped.
https://www.marinecollectors.com/blogs/aquarium-articles/how-to-properly-add-fish-to-your-aquarium

 

[icemountain]

Elliot at Marine Collectors wrote a detailed article about how to deal with fish being shipped.
https://www.marinecollectors.com/blogs/aquarium-articles/how-to-properly-add-fish-to-your-aquarium

I read that. It seems that the ratio is just directed at acclimation in general and not for those long transit acclimation where the fish the is nearly dead.

 

[DaJMasta]

Methylene blue can help for ammonia damaged gills on first arrival - it's the first stage in BlueLife's Safety Stop and is generally not a negative.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/methylene-blue.257467/
I am no expert here, but in the past, making sure the acclimation bucket gets a reasonable amount of air (not so much that it pushes a fish around if it can't stay upright), a small heater (I use those 5W always on types), and a few drops of an ammonia detoxifier have been helpful for me in the past for a several hours long but reasonably fast drip drip acclimation. Had a couple fish come in not being able to keep upright who ended up making it - not 100% by any means and I'm not a vet, but I feel like it's better practice than a lot of acclimation recommendations.

Keeping stress to a minimum (including bright lights or active bucketmates) at least helps not make it worse, but my approach has been that the ammonia and oxygen issues must be dealt with immediately, whereas the temperature and water quality issues should be dealt with slowly to minimize additional stress.

 

[icemountain]

Methylene blue can help for ammonia damaged gills on first arrival - it's the first stage in BlueLife's Safety Stop and is generally not a negative.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/methylene-blue.257467/
I am no expert here, but in the past, making sure the acclimation bucket gets a reasonable amount of air (not so much that it pushes a fish around if it can't stay upright), a small heater (I use those 5W always on types), and a few drops of an ammonia detoxifier have been helpful for me in the past for a several hours long but reasonably fast drip drip acclimation. Had a couple fish come in not being able to keep upright who ended up making it - not 100% by any means and I'm not a vet, but I feel like it's better practice than a lot of acclimation recommendations.

Keeping stress to a minimum (including bright lights or active bucketmates) at least helps not make it worse, but my approach has been that the ammonia and oxygen issues must be dealt with immediately, whereas the temperature and water quality issues should be dealt with slowly to minimize additional stress.

I do use MB and nitro. Do you recommend taking the fish out of the bag water immediately and putting it into fresh clean water of the same salinity in those instances where the fish is not upright and looks nearly dead?

 

[DaJMasta]

What I've done is all the bag water into a bucket, put in air and heater, start the drip (several drips a second, removing water when the volume is doubled), and then the ammonia neutralizer (I've been using Prime.) I only recently got the methylene blue and it's not yet part of my procedure, but when using Safety Stop, I did the water/temperature acclimation and then the two baths afterwards. If you see heavy breathing, maybe methylene blue as a first step is a better choice.

What's nitro?

 

[icemountain]

What I've done is all the bag water into a bucket, put in air and heater, start the drip (several drips a second, removing water when the volume is doubled), and then the ammonia neutralizer (I've been using Prime.) I only recently got the methylene blue and it's not yet part of my procedure, but when using Safety Stop, I did the water/temperature acclimation and then the two baths afterwards. If you see heavy breathing, maybe methylene blue as a first step is a better choice.

What's nitro?

Nitro is nitrofurazone. I read that it helps with acclimating new fish alter long shipping. Safety stop has nitrofurazone in it I think.

Thanks for your input! I can try that way out next time. I always thought time is important when dealing with a fish in that situation so getting it out of the bag water into clean water is a priority.

 

[gbroadbridge]

What is the best method out there to acclimate a fish that is nearly 95% dead already in the bag after a 30+ transit time from overseas? I have been unsuccessful at reviving the last 2 that came in that dead, unfortunately, and would like to know if there are any best practices out there in terms of acclimation when it has come to this stage. Thanks in advance!

The best practice is to match temperature without opening the bag, and then to get them into fresh water which has matching salinity. Discard the bag water.

You can then QT and raise salinity over several days, if necessary with medications for disease.

FYI, Prime has been proven time over that it does nothing to detoxify Ammonia so skip that part.

 

[icemountain]

The best practice is to match temperature without opening the bag, and then to get them into fresh water which has matching salinity. Discard the bag water.

You can then QT and raise salinity over several days, if necessary with medications for disease.

FYI, Prime has been proven time over that it does nothing to detoxify Ammonia so skip that part.

How would you temp acclimate a bag that has about 35lbs of water? Very hard to pick that up that toss it in the tank for temp acclimation.

Also, I did not know that about prime. I have been using it for exactly that for the longest time. What ammonia detoxifier works?

 

[gbroadbridge]

What ammonia detoxifier works?

Water changes :)

 

[DaJMasta]

Nitro is nitrofurazone. I read that it helps with acclimating new fish alter long shipping. Safety stop has nitrofurazone in it I think.

Thanks for your input! I can try that way out next time. I always thought time is important when dealing with a fish in that situation so getting it out of the bag water into clean water is a priority.

Nitrofurazone is an antibiotic, I don't think it plays a role in acclimation unless the fish already has a bacterial infection (and a couple hours of acclimation without shouldn't mean life or death if you need to run the treatment after acclimation.)

A previous thread from someone more knowledgeable than I: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nitrofurazone-powder-for-qt.957399/post-10921832

 

[Tcook]

How would you temp acclimate a bag that has about 35lbs of water? Very hard to pick that up that toss it in the tank for temp acclimation.

You can create a water bath with a heater and a tupperware bin. The bag doesn’t need to sit in your tank or sump.

 

[AviR]

I would be very careful using an airstone in the water that the fish was shipped in and leaving it in for an extended period of time. Ammonia in the water is non toxic until the ph rises when the bags opened and especially when used with an air stone. I would temperature match the bag, then salinity match to the shipping water a new bucket of water. Transfer in and prepare a fast drip to match salinity.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I would check temp and salinity of the bag, make water to match it and move them to that water ASAP with an air stone and a very weak heater to bring the temp up slowly, assuming the temp is low.

35lb of water after a long transit will just raise in PH and make the ammonia present more toxic. Keep it in that bag until you have water ready to accept the fish imidiately into it, then go from there.

I haven't used methylene blue for marine fish yet, but I would definitely try it in a situation as you describe.

The worst thing would be exposing air to the water the fish is shipped in, and almost worse would be moving it into a different salinity.

Temp I would match, but if the volume is 4 gallons, I would instead of float, match the receiving water.


Edit: from my time here reading all the posts about fish aclimation. And my own experience, the important factors are: 1 ditch the shipping water 2 same salinity 3 temp match 4 ph is important, but in situation of prolonged water tight seal bag, the PH will be low anyway, don't worry about it.

Def go into QT, even if you don't do any of the methods, giving it matching salinity for a day or 2 seems to be paramount to reduce stress and give an opportunity for recovery.

 

[icemountain]

I would check temp and salinity of the bag, make water to match it and move them to that water ASAP with an air stone and a very weak heater to bring the temp up slowly, assuming the temp is low.

35lb of water after a long transit will just raise in PH and make the ammonia present more toxic. Keep it in that bag until you have water ready to accept the fish imidiately into it, then go from there.

I haven't used methylene blue for marine fish yet, but I would definitely try it in a situation as you describe.

The worst thing would be exposing air to the water the fish is shipped in, and almost worse would be moving it into a different salinity.

Temp I would match, but if the volume is 4 gallons, I would instead of float, match the receiving water.


Edit: from my time here reading all the posts about fish aclimation. And my own experience, the important factors are: 1 ditch the shipping water 2 same salinity 3 temp match 4 ph is important, but in situation of prolonged water tight seal bag, the PH will be low anyway, don't worry about it.

Def go into QT, even if you don't do any of the methods, giving it matching salinity for a day or 2 seems to be paramount to reduce stress and give an opportunity for recovery.

Thank you! I will do this next time. How long would you say is a good time to leave the fish in the clean water while acclimating? Would it be until it's swimming up right and then just toss is into the QT tank for further acclimation?

 

[LPS Bum]

Nitro is nitrofurazone. I read that it helps with acclimating new fish alter long shipping. Safety stop has nitrofurazone in it I think.

Thanks for your input! I can try that way out next time. I always thought time is important when dealing with a fish in that situation so getting it out of the bag water into clean water is a priority.

Safety Stop is one part Formalin and one part Methylene Blue.

The first bath is in Formalin, and the second bath is in Methylene Blue.

 

[icemountain]

Safety Stop is one part Formalin and one part Methylene Blue.

The first bath is in Formalin, and the second bath is in Methylene Blue.

Thanks for the clarification. I have formaldehyde 37% that I use but I try not to use any harsh treatments on fish during the first day or 2 after arrival.

 

[LPS Bum]

Thanks for the clarification. I have formaldehyde 37% that I use but I try not to use any harsh treatments on fish during the first day or 2 after arrival.

I would say in general that's a good plan, but it depends upon where you're getting your fish from. For me, I buy quarantined or at least conditioned fish online, and put them straight into my QT tank for 30 days. Most times I treat with copper power about a week after I get them (once they've settled and started eating).

If I don't treat with copper, after 30 days in QT I run the fish through a Safety Stop bath before transferring them to either my reef or my FOWLR. I find that to be a pretty good protocol.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Thank you! I will do this next time. How long would you say is a good time to leave the fish in the clean water while acclimating? Would it be until it's swimming up right and then just toss is into the QT tank for further acclimation?

if you get your QT matched you can go straight from the bag into qt

if your QT is already running at your proffered temp and the bag comes in different, I would get a weak heater in a bucket, and once the temp of the water the fish is in matches your QT move it then. If the salinity of your QT is different, I would get the QT salinity matched or within .002SG or .3PPT, this difference can be drip acclimated to correct from bucket to QT.

Idealy, match QT and go straight in there, if you are doing baths, then just use the buckets for the duration of the baths.

I have had fish in buckets for a few hours with a heater aeration while drip acclimating. If the bucket is stable, and the fish isn't in shipping water, it should be fine for as long as you like.

 

[vetteguy53081]

What is the best method out there to acclimate a fish that is nearly 95% dead already in the bag after a 30+ transit time from overseas? I have been unsuccessful at reviving the last 2 that came in that dead, unfortunately, and would like to know if there are any best practices out there in terms of acclimation when it has come to this stage. Thanks in advance!

This typically applies to drop shipped fish. They must get a water exchange when they reach next origin. Ammonia has ability to become toxic in the bag in many cases