Two aquatic tools worth their weight in gold! Do you own them both?

[Dania]

Haven’t needed either yet. May pick them up when I also get some pepper Cory cats to join my betta.

 

[hydroskillet]

For my acclimatization box I use a DIY 10.00 beta tank with my mag cleaner to hold it up.

For the fish trap I use Tank Matez. Only thing I could catch a wrasse with.

 

[WVNed]

Vote other - because I do not have a fish trap, neither an acclimation box - but I use my refugium as an acclimation box. Every newcomer I introduce will be in my refugium at least 14 days - sometimes longer. There is a couple of reason for this -

1. There is a lot of living food in the refugium and the transition to frozen dead food will go seamless.
2. It is a rather calm place that will slowly introduce the newcomers for my microbial community. No stress from other fish that already is adapted to my DT
3. The newcomers get the same smell as the old. I have done tests with this and it has not matter if the old fish could see the newcomers during the adaption or not - the important factor seems to be that they swim in nearly exact the same water for a while

From the moment I start with this way of introducing new fish - I have not seen any - I say any - aggression from the old against the newcomers then they been introduced into the DT. Last time was two tiny scooter blennies. No other fish have attacked them after the introduction. An I have som fish that´s know to be real bullies.

I think the acclimation tank is a very good tool if you do not have any refugium or QT. If you QT - IMO - it is important to do WC with help of the DT water rather often a week or two before introduction into the DT.

Sincerely Lasse

Your method doesn't work with tangs. The fish I moved was in a tank on the same sump as the other tank for many months and fed the same food as them from the same cup. It had outgrown the 75 and had to go in the 240.

I moved him right before lights out and fed the tank. I have read about your method and hoped it would work.

There was a big fight. The 3 tangs already in the tank chased the new one out of the rocks and up into a corner. Then the clown tang started really attacking. I netted him again and put him in the box for the night.

I have used the box before and like others said it accomplished nothing. I tried it twice when I added my second large angel. It floats around the top but when you release the fish the aggression starts. They pay no attention to the fish while it floats near the surface.

So this time I forced the aggression to come out by placing the box right on the bottom where the tangs spend most of their time. I did this in the morning. And they fought again but the box prevented any damage. I had placed a large red clay brick on it to sink it. They could not move the box. After a few hours they quit. At noon I moved the box to the right end of the tank and it started again. But not as bad as in the morning and it didn't last nearly as long.

By the end of the day I was able to release it again and everything was peaceful. I wish I had figured this out before it got beat up. I think it will be fine though. Today it is swimming from one end of the tank to the other right beside the 3 other tangs like they are best buddies.

Right now

I made my acclimation box from a cheap Kritter Keeper by drilling some holes in the bottom and gluing foam in the top to make it float. I tied a piece of fishing line so I can anchor it to something while it is floating. It has a little eyelet on the top where I removed the handle.

 

[McPuff]

I own an acclimation box, but only because I made it myself out of extra acrylic. Also had made one out of a clear storage tote and that worked too.

 

[ClownWrangler]

I own an acclimation cereal bowl and and acclimation bucket. I catch fish the old fashioned way with a net and curse words. Damsels are the worst, they curse back.

 

[ArtsyFish]

I bought an acclimation box from Matt at Octto Aquatics and was very happy using it. My Tomini Tang was in it for three days without any negative issues.
Matt constructs a great product.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I have the Octo Aquatics acclimation box. I've only needed it a few times but I was very thankful that I had it each time.

Once I was shipped the wrong pistol shrimp (tiger instead of candy cane). Since it was already quarantined I didn't have a separate tank set up. The arriving shrimp was to go straight into the display. Luckily I was able to keep him safe in the acclimation box until the next day when someone could take him off my hands.

When I've had a fish or invert acting unusual it has given me a good place to keep them safe and allow careful observation.

It has even provided a good spot to put a frag that is being picked at.

Great tool to have.

 

[Colorz]

I have both, in a single item. My fish trap is also an acclimation box.

First off...... I cracked up at your name!! Genius!!!! What kind of combo unit do you have?

 

[ClownWrangler]

For fish that like to hide when chasing them, like damsels, throw in some sections of pvc pipe and chase them around until they hide in one, then put caps on either end and lift it out.

 

[ClownWrangler]

I didn't realize at first the discussion was about an acclimation box to get fish used to each other. I had drip acclimation on my mind. I found for smaller tanks, up to a standard 55 gallon, just placing a divider in the tank that they can see each other through works good. The fish will either establish their own territory, or get used to each other that way. Then you can remove the divider.

 

[ReefGeezer]

1. Do you own a fish trap and acclimation box or just one or the other?
I have a fish trap that doubles as an acclimation box.

2. Do you agree that these are valuable tools to aquarium keepers?
They have some value. Maybe not enough to justify spending a bunch of money on them, but yes, they come in handy.

3. Do you have a story of how one of these items really saved you money?
When trying to find something to control Aiptasia, I added a File Fish. Turned out he didn't care for Aiptasia but he loved Acro polyps! That why the fish trap was built. It took about 5 hours to coax him into it. Then I tried a Butterfly... same results. He was a pig though and I caught him in less than 30 minutes. Don't know how much I saved. I never got rid of the Aptasia. I eventually tore the tank down to move it. But... at least I didn't have to tear it down right away to catch the misbehaving fish.

 

[ReefRondo]

When you need a trap you just need it!

 

[ClownWrangler]

When you need a trap you just need it!

As someone mentioned on another thread, It's easier to just drain all the water out of the tank and pick the fish up off the bottom.

 

[Peter Houde]

I own both. The trap is 110% worthless. Fish will come right to your hands for food or to attack (clowns, of course), but one sight of that trap and they cower far away. They KNOW what its for! After weeks of trying to coax any fish into the trap I found it much easier to either net (some) fish or lift out an entire coral skeleton in which a fish has lodged itself to bed down for the night. Either way, they're easier to catch after they've gone to sleep. My acclimation boxes are not long-term flow-thru boxes, but rather closed boxes pretty much just for temperature and drip acclimation. No way around having those.

 

[kzitzman1]

I don't have either, but I have borrowed both. My LFS is great and I have a tank that is very friendly. If we are looking at getting a fish that may be more aggressive or clash with another fish, they are always willing to let us borrow their acclimation box. When I went from having a biocube to getting a 120 gal tank I had to catch the fish from the biocube but that was done by removing the live rock and having an easy time. There was once when we decided we need to get rid of a Flamehawk and were going to borrow a trap. But my wife suggested using food as he was a total pig. Sure enough, I lowered the net in the tank and we dropped some frozen food above the net and he darted out to get the food and ended up in the net as I swooped it up. But both of these tools can have their times of usefulness.

 

[Jcascioli]

I only use a fish trap. The best investment for a reefer. Really helps to minimize stress on your fish when moving tanks. I recently upgraded from my 32 aio to a 225 display with a 40 sump. Trying to catch my fish with a net was stressing them and myself out like crazy! Once I got the fish trap from BRS I caught all 5 fish within a matter of 2-3 days and transferred them seamlessly.

I do not own an acclimation box yet. Will probably buy one in the future. I recently introduced a yellow tang into my tank where there was an already established PBT and Hippo. The PBT beat the heck out of the yellow tang for about 2 days then backed off once the larger Hippo tang stepped in. An acclimation box could’ve prevented some damage to the yellow tang

 

[ReefRondo]

As someone mentioned on another thread, It's easier to just drain all the water out of the tank and pick the fish up off the bottom.

I guess it depends on how quickly you need the offending fish out. Personally I have good patience and have never failed to catch a fish in a trap after letting them all feed in it for a few weeks.

 

[kzitzman1]

Vote other - because I do not have a fish trap, neither an acclimation box - but I use my refugium as an acclimation box. Every newcomer I introduce will be in my refugium at least 14 days - sometimes longer. There is a couple of reason for this -

1. There is a lot of living food in the refugium and the transition to frozen dead food will go seamless.
2. It is a rather calm place that will slowly introduce the newcomers for my microbial community. No stress from other fish that already is adapted to my DT
3. The newcomers get the same smell as the old. I have done tests with this and it has not matter if the old fish could see the newcomers during the adaption or not - the important factor seems to be that they swim in nearly exact the same water for a while

From the moment I start with this way of introducing new fish - I have not seen any - I say any - aggression from the old against the newcomers then they been introduced into the DT. Last time was two tiny scooter blennies. No other fish have attacked them after the introduction. An I have som fish that´s know to be real bullies.

I think the acclimation tank is a very good tool if you do not have any refugium or QT. If you QT - IMO - it is important to do WC with help of the DT water rather often a week or two before introduction into the DT.

Sincerely Lasse

Those are some great points on reasons to use the refugium. I had never thought of the smell thing. I have never had a sense of smell so the idea a new fish will be better accepted if he smells the same after being in the refugium is interesting.

 

[kzitzman1]

Your method doesn't work with tangs. The fish I moved was in a tank on the same sump as the other tank for many months and fed the same food as them from the same cup. It had outgrown the 75 and had to go in the 240.

I moved him right before lights out and fed the tank. I have read about your method and hoped it would work.

There was a big fight. The 3 tangs already in the tank chased the new one out of the rocks and up into a corner. Then the clown tang started really attacking. I netted him again and put him in the box for the night.

I have used the box before and like others said it accomplished nothing. I tried it twice when I added my second large angel. It floats around the top but when you release the fish the aggression starts. They pay no attention to the fish while it floats near the surface.

So this time I forced the aggression to come out by placing the box right on the bottom where the tangs spend most of their time. I did this in the morning. And they fought again but the box prevented any damage. I had placed a large red clay brick on it to sink it. They could not move the box. After a few hours they quit. At noon I moved the box to the right end of the tank and it started again. But not as bad as in the morning and it didn't last nearly as long.

By the end of the day I was able to release it again and everything was peaceful. I wish I had figured this out before it got beat up. I think it will be fine though. Today it is swimming from one end of the tank to the other right beside the 3 other tangs like they are best buddies.

Right now

I made my acclimation box from a cheap Kritter Keeper by drilling some holes in the bottom and gluing foam in the top to make it float. I tied a piece of fishing line so I can anchor it to something while it is floating. It has a little eyelet on the top where I removed the handle.

I agree with the idea of using the acclimation box and sinking it as well as moving it around. Gives the chance to really test better if the fish will be friendly.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I don't have either one. Fish always add after feeding tank and always lights out.