Acclimatising my new fish
I have done all my research and am ready to bring my new fish home (My Guide for buying fish). How do I go about introducing my new fish with the greatest degree of success?
In my fish buying process I have tried to minimise the risk of failure but could undo all that good work when introducing the new fish to my little reef. I do not have a quarantine tank so will have to do without. I try to get my LFS to go through a quarantine process for me if possible.
My acclimatisation process is designed to minimise stress for my new fish and to give it the greatest chance of settling into its new home.
In my fish buying process I have tried to minimise the risk of failure but could undo all that good work when introducing the new fish to my little reef. I do not have a quarantine tank so will have to do without. I try to get my LFS to go through a quarantine process for me if possible.
My acclimatisation process is designed to minimise stress for my new fish and to give it the greatest chance of settling into its new home.
Drip Acclimatisation
The first stage of introducing my new fish is a physical acclimatisation process. It is important that the fish can slowly adjust to the basic water parameters in my reef. Temperature, salinity and Ph. My method for doing this is to use a drip acclimatisation method. I open the bag containing the fish and float it in the sump below the main display. Then, using a length of air pipe and a G clamp I set up a syphon from the display tank into the bag. I adjust the G clamp so that approximately one drop per second falls into the fish bag. I generally leave this for about 30 to 40 mins. I think this is long enough for the fish to adjust to the slowly changing parameters in the bag without becoming stressed in the bag. Everything is a matter of balance.
When I consider it time to go to the next step I do one last check on the fish to ensure it has not been injured in transit and is still looking healthy and reasonably relaxed.
If all is good, I slowly empty the water and fish into a large bowl. It is easier to catch the fish in my hand in the bowl rather than a small bag. I use my hand as cup to catch the fish and transfer it into the aquarium rather than a net. A net could snag on fins, gill covers or the fish's mouth and cause an injury.
It is critically important that no water from the bag enters the display. This water could contain medication, such as copper, used by the LFS in their fish only systems. This could cause real issues in reef tank with corals and inverts.
The first stage of introducing my new fish is a physical acclimatisation process. It is important that the fish can slowly adjust to the basic water parameters in my reef. Temperature, salinity and Ph. My method for doing this is to use a drip acclimatisation method. I open the bag containing the fish and float it in the sump below the main display. Then, using a length of air pipe and a G clamp I set up a syphon from the display tank into the bag. I adjust the G clamp so that approximately one drop per second falls into the fish bag. I generally leave this for about 30 to 40 mins. I think this is long enough for the fish to adjust to the slowly changing parameters in the bag without becoming stressed in the bag. Everything is a matter of balance.
When I consider it time to go to the next step I do one last check on the fish to ensure it has not been injured in transit and is still looking healthy and reasonably relaxed.
If all is good, I slowly empty the water and fish into a large bowl. It is easier to catch the fish in my hand in the bowl rather than a small bag. I use my hand as cup to catch the fish and transfer it into the aquarium rather than a net. A net could snag on fins, gill covers or the fish's mouth and cause an injury.
It is critically important that no water from the bag enters the display. This water could contain medication, such as copper, used by the LFS in their fish only systems. This could cause real issues in reef tank with corals and inverts.
Social acclimatisation
Several years ago I read an article by Hunter Hammond, The Acclimation Box, Can this thing really Work?, which totally changed the way I introduce fish into my little reef.
The basic idea of the social acclimatisation box is to allow the existing fish and the newcomer to sort out social issues without any physical conflict. The fish are able to interact with each other without damage. The existing fish community will have established their territories, a social hierarchy within the fish community and they will know what and when I feed them. To drop a new fish into this is a asking for trouble. It may or may not be immediately apparent but stress caused by this process may well lead to long time problems for the fish.
Several years ago I read an article by Hunter Hammond, The Acclimation Box, Can this thing really Work?, which totally changed the way I introduce fish into my little reef.
The basic idea of the social acclimatisation box is to allow the existing fish and the newcomer to sort out social issues without any physical conflict. The fish are able to interact with each other without damage. The existing fish community will have established their territories, a social hierarchy within the fish community and they will know what and when I feed them. To drop a new fish into this is a asking for trouble. It may or may not be immediately apparent but stress caused by this process may well lead to long time problems for the fish.
I put my social acclimatisation box into my reef a couple of days before introducing my new fish. The fish come and check it out, see what is going on and generally, in a short space of time, ignore it. So step one over, the novelty has passed.
After drip acclimatising I transfer my new fish into the box and make sure the lid is secure. I learned to put a pipe in the box so that the fish has somewhere to hide if they wish to.
Because the box has been in place for a couple of days the other fish do not immediately realise there is a new fish in the box. This gives the newcomer time to settle.
One by one the other fish come and check things out. This is generally quite calm and peaceful. It is important at this stage that I watch carefully what is going on. I tend to sit away from the aquarium so the fish are not aware of me and behave naturally.
Over time the process of socialisation begins.
After drip acclimatising I transfer my new fish into the box and make sure the lid is secure. I learned to put a pipe in the box so that the fish has somewhere to hide if they wish to.
Because the box has been in place for a couple of days the other fish do not immediately realise there is a new fish in the box. This gives the newcomer time to settle.
One by one the other fish come and check things out. This is generally quite calm and peaceful. It is important at this stage that I watch carefully what is going on. I tend to sit away from the aquarium so the fish are not aware of me and behave naturally.
Over time the process of socialisation begins.
Different fish react in a different way at this point. The two most interested fish tend to be my Halichoeres wrasse. They are slightly more assertive than the Macropharyngodon wrasse and there is often a period of display and fin flashing.
On one occasion I observed the two bigger Halichoeres wrasse butting into the tank in what I thought was an effort to get at the newcomer. On closer observation I realised I was mistaken, they were after bits of mysis shrimp stuck in the grill of the box!
The first couple of occasions I used the box I kept the fish in for a couple of days as I was still observing some possibly aggressive behaviour but more recent introductions have seemed easier.
When I feel that the fish have sorted themselves out I tip the box at an angle and remove the lid. the newcomer can then come out when they want to. I have learned to leave the box in place for a few hours, generally overnight as some fish have moved in and out of the box over a period of time.
On one occasion I observed the two bigger Halichoeres wrasse butting into the tank in what I thought was an effort to get at the newcomer. On closer observation I realised I was mistaken, they were after bits of mysis shrimp stuck in the grill of the box!
The first couple of occasions I used the box I kept the fish in for a couple of days as I was still observing some possibly aggressive behaviour but more recent introductions have seemed easier.
When I feel that the fish have sorted themselves out I tip the box at an angle and remove the lid. the newcomer can then come out when they want to. I have learned to leave the box in place for a few hours, generally overnight as some fish have moved in and out of the box over a period of time.
When I introduced my lovely Cirrhilabrus solorensis, I left the box in the tank overnight and was surprised to see he had spent the first night sleeping in the PVC tube in the box! He had happily spent the previous few hours swimming around the reef without issue. Security I guess.
One of the very interesting consequences of using the box with my various Macropharyngodon wrasse is the fact that none have hidden in the sand for any period of time after introduction. I am always reading about how newly introduced leopards can spend days hidden in the sand. This had been my experience in the past but not since using the box. They have always been up and active the first morning after introduction. I take this as a sign that they are not stressed. Perhaps they have learned the layout of their new home as well as their place in the social hierarchy. I don't really know but without any doubt the use of the box is a massive success.
Updated 30.10.20
One of the very interesting consequences of using the box with my various Macropharyngodon wrasse is the fact that none have hidden in the sand for any period of time after introduction. I am always reading about how newly introduced leopards can spend days hidden in the sand. This had been my experience in the past but not since using the box. They have always been up and active the first morning after introduction. I take this as a sign that they are not stressed. Perhaps they have learned the layout of their new home as well as their place in the social hierarchy. I don't really know but without any doubt the use of the box is a massive success.
Updated 30.10.20