Best method to transfer fish with minimum stress and trauma? (e.g. net or something else)

[Kilman805]

Does anyone have a favorite type of net or other method to transfer new fish into your tank?

I'm ordering some fish from @Dr. Reef and their salinity acclimatization guide suggests pouring the fish into a bucket with their transport water after temperature acclimating them. Then doing a couple 50% water exchanges with your tank water over 30-45 minutes to acclimate them to higher salinity. Then it states "then simply scoop all the fish and release them into the tank" and that's where I'm not sure of the best method.

I've used a typical pet store fish net in the past and it always seems traumatic. The fish can get caught up and snagged in the netting.

Anyone have a better method or just a better net? I've been considering a small plastic colander/strainer because of its smoother surface.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I use my hands for smaller fish. If you don’t want to use your hands, then keep the fish in the bag and acclimate it in the bag, then empty all the water from the bag and then slide the fish into the tank out of the bag

 

[rhitee93]

I use small clear disposable Solo cups to scoop them out of the transition water.

 

[MagicPenny]

I think the best argument I've ever heard against the slow water acclimation idea is: If you find someone lying on the floor passed out from carbon monoxide, you don't slowly move them to fresh air. That and fish stores never do it. You can handle much more gently with your hands than any device, as long as they are clean and free of lotion or anything.

 

[Kilman805]

I think the best argument I've ever heard against the slow water acclimation idea is: If you find someone lying on the floor passed out from carbon monoxide, you don't slowly move them to fresh air. That and fish stores never do it. You can handle much more gently with your hands than any device, as long as they are clean and free of lotion or anything.

Yeah, they do note that if the shipment is delayed to just skip the salinity acclimation. There are lots of opinions on the subject, but I'll follow their recommendations so there are no questions if any die and I need to request support under their 3-day guarantee.

 

[naterealbig]

Yep, hands are the best. Get a pack of nitrile gloves from Amazon. I also use small translucent paint cups from the hardware store. Come is 3 sizes from 2-pint to gallon.

Bucket fast-'drip'(stream) method works fine. I've done this with all my Dr. Reef fish. Of course if a fish came in that looked like it was dying, I'd just putt it in the water (lights off).

 

[BristleWormHater]

Always use my bare hands, unless I'm trying to get a fish out of the tank, then I use a net.

 

[zheka757]

Yeah, they do note that if the shipment is delayed to just skip the salinity acclimation. There are lots of opinions on the subject, but I'll follow their recommendations so there are no questions if any die and I need to request support under their 3-day guarantee.

salinity aclimation should absolutely be done, I have killed healthy fish before from not knowing salinity levels. I had online order with fish in 1.017 and I placed is in 1.025 all 3 fish died with in 20 minutes.
Or at least prepared by adjusting salinity level in your quarantine tank before fish even arives. Ask the vendor what salinity in the bag in advance

 

[Dav2996]

Keep them in a dark place it helps them acclimate so turn down lighting for a day. Keep stable PH. Add garlic to food to encourage eating.

 

[naterealbig]

salinity aclimation should absolutely be done, I have killed healthy fish before from not knowing salinity levels.

True, but the length of acclimation is important to note here (and while shipped fish commonly come in at lower salinity levels, I have never seen a recommendation for acclimation beyond a few minutes).

I had online order with fish in 1.017 and I placed is in 1.025 all 3 fish died with in 20 minutes.

Did the fish come from a system of 1.017 s.g. or did they come from ~ 1.025 and were just shipped in the 1.017 water? I think the distinction makes some difference. I recently had two pairs of Regal Angels sent to me (one pair 1 week ago, and the other pair 2 weeks ago. Different vendors). Both pairs came in shipping water below 1.010. All four fish are eating and healthy, placed directly (after ~ 45 min bucket acclimation) into water w/ 1.0265 s.g.

Or at least prepared by adjusting salinity level in your quarantine tank before fish even arives.

But not everyone has a QT tank, and folks with inverts cannot drop the s.g. of their display to the lower levels. So, the only thing left to do is follow the vendor's suggestion ('stream' acclimate for 30-40 minutes and release).

Ask the vendor what salinity in the bag in advance

This is only helpful if the customer has a system they are able to lower the s.g. in.

Best practice is to adjust s.g. over a period of days (for lo-to-hi s.g.; hi-to-lo is relatively inconsequential), provided the hobbyist has a system they can dedicate to this process. I suppose a 5 gallon bucket acclimation (over a period of days) could work as well, although the additional stress placed on the fish and the small volume of water it's being kept in should be carefully considered. Otherwise, a quick bucket acclimation is the only option.

 

[BryanM]

I distrust others water, so after I'm done acclimating fish, that goes in to a contained that my net fits in, and I net them and put them in my tank.

 

[keithw283]

I distrust others water, so after I'm done acclimating fish, that goes in to a contained that my net fits in, and I net them and put them in my tank.

Yeah I have never mixed transfer water with my tank. Whether it’s QT or display. If it’s not from one of my systems, it’s not going in my tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

One can make a bucket of water that matches the salinity and temp of the incoming salt water, and immediately put the fish into it.

Then one can acclimate that water as needed without any concern about ammonia in it stressing a fish during acclimation.

 

[naterealbig]

fish stores never do it.

True for the most part. Also, it's worth noting that many/most retailers keep s.g. very low to help manage disease/pathogens, so salinity-related acclimation stress is negligible.

 

[MagicPenny]

True for the most part. Also, it's worth noting that many/most retailers keep s.g. very low to help manage disease/pathogens, so salinity-related acclimation stress is negligible.

Right - I should not have made such a generalization. I agree not all cases warrant the float and dump approach. It is also worth noting that the carbon dioxide in a shipping bag can lower ph, and that can protect the fish from the ammonia also in the bag, but when the bag is opened that ph swing can make the ammonia toxic

 

[zheka757]

True, but the length of acclimation is important to note here (and while shipped fish commonly come in at lower salinity levels, I have never seen a recommendation for acclimation beyond a few minutes).


Did the fish come from a system of 1.017 s.g. or did they come from ~ 1.025 and were just shipped in the 1.017 water? I think the distinction makes some difference. I recently had two pairs of Regal Angels sent to me (one pair 1 week ago, and the other pair 2 weeks ago. Different vendors). Both pairs came in shipping water below 1.010. All four fish are eating and healthy, placed directly (after ~ 45 min bucket acclimation) into water w/ 1.0265 s.g.


But not everyone has a QT tank, and folks with inverts cannot drop the s.g. of their display to the lower levels. So, the only thing left to do is follow the vendor's suggestion ('stream' acclimate for 30-40 minutes and release).


This is only helpful if the customer has a system they are able to lower the s.g. in.

Best practice is to adjust s.g. over a period of days (for lo-to-hi s.g.; hi-to-lo is relatively inconsequential), provided the hobbyist has a system they can dedicate to this process. I suppose a 5 gallon bucket acclimation (over a period of days) could work as well, although the additional stress placed on the fish and the small volume of water it's being kept in should be carefully considered. Otherwise, a quick bucket acclimation is the only option.

salinity and temperature in my opinion is most important to acclimate fish! if you willing to risk putting expensive (regal angels) fish through such a drastic salinity swing from 1.010 to 1.026 in less then 1 hour time.... that a heck of a stress for a fish! that's a risk I'm not willing to take.
last time I got my fish I knew that I was going to come in salinity of 1.017 I set my quarantine tank to that lvl, Before I got the fish shipped, and with fish in quarantine tank, doing water changes in quarantine tank I eventually increased salinity to my display tanks salinity. but it took me probably a week to match salinity.
pretty much like Andy mentioned in post #13, only I do it to quarantine tank.
and for people who not quarantining their fish are just asking for trouble down the road! I'm not willing to risk $5000 worth of fish in my tank by introducing unknown health of new fish.

 

[naterealbig]

salinity and temperature in my opinion is most important to acclimate fish! if you willing to risk putting expensive (regal angels) fish through such a drastic salinity swing from 1.010 to 1.026 in less then 1 hour time.... that a heck of a stress for a fish! that's a risk I'm not willing to take.

Sure, but this was the recommendation direct from the vendor, who very likely knows more about fish than I (or any of us) do. I don't know if it matters or not, but the vendor mentioned the fish is kept in a system at 1.025 and was only shipped in the low salinity. Perhaps the 10 hours of transit time is not long enough for the fish to completely osmoregulate.

last time I got my fish I knew that I was going to come in salinity of 1.017 I set my quarantine tank to that lvl, Before I got the fish shipped, and with fish in quarantine tank, doing water changes in quarantine tank I eventually increased salinity to my display tanks salinity. but it took me probably a week to match salinity.

Again, most here for whatever reason do not have dedicated systems for this.

for people who not quarantining their fish are just asking for trouble down the road! I'm not willing to risk $5000 worth of fish in my tank by introducing unknown health of new fish.

Ya me neither....

I do it to quarantine tank.
and for people who not quarantining their fish are just asking for trouble down the road! I'm not willing to risk $5000 worth of fish in my tank by introducing unknown health of new fish.

In my case (and likely many others) the fish I mentioned were purchased from reputable vendors who fully quarantine the fish before they are shipped (on purpose).

You don't need a QT to keep quarantined fish.