andyg Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 I tried to introduce a Rubberlips to my 30G planted tank. Used the usual procedure to acclimatize the fish ( 20min temp adjusment, add tank water(1 cup) wait 30min, add more tank water wait another 30, add another cup of tank water and waited 1Hr. Transfered him to the tank, swimming around, exploring, no problems. This was at around 8Pm. Next morning 6 Am dead pleco. I thought that maybe he was sick so returned him to the lfs and picked up a new one. Same procedures except that this time I added one more cup of water and waited an extra hour before placing him in the tank. This was at 1 Am. Next morning 6:30 Am dead pleco Tank stats: 2 3" SAE, 3 Palaetus Corys. All happy and healthy. PH 7.6, NO3 20ppm, PO4 <5ppm, amonia 0, nitrite .01 (tank is still cycling) no CO2. This tank has high flow rate ( 30 G cube with Fluval 404 w/spaybar.) so lack of current is not an issue. I know I should have quarantined them but, my QT filter has been offline for about 1 week and I did'nt want to take a chance of an anerobic(SP ?) reaction. Anyone know what may have caused it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rahim101 Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Helpful Hints For Unpacking Your Fish Order:Float bags until temperature is equal in the bag and the tank. Do Not Trickle Water Into The Bag! This will change the Ph and cause the nitrate and or ammonia levels to rise and become toxic to the fish, possibly poisoning them right in the bag! Open the bag and pour fish through a net and then place them in the clean tank. Do not put the packing water into the clean tank, discard the packing water. Shipped fish are stressed and weak, do not put win an established tank with larger and or more aggressive tank mates . Quote can be found at: http://www.cichlidlovers.com/shipping.htm This is the methode I have been using for years and have never had a loss!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rahim101 Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 My understanding is that the PH drops due to waste produce by the fish while they are in the bags. Once the PH gets somewhere below 7 I believe that it gradually enters a bound state where it is not harmful. Once water is added to the existing water (you adding tank water in your home to the bag) the PH goes back up. As the PH increases the ammonia levels increase as it unbinds and becomes toxic again. This is especially dangerous if it happens rather quickly. Hence, just float fish without opening the bags to adjust temp and then pour them out of the bags into a net and then into a quaratine tank. Also, why would you want to take many hours using a drip method to take fish from a low ph enviroment that they have not been in for a long time, nor thrive in, to bring the PH back to what they were (should have been) a day before (assuming overnight shipping)? The reasoning behind the above posted methode as quoted from a post in cichlid-forum.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Rahim's comments are right on the money. I'd be far more concerned about not qt'ing the fish, than worrying about acclimatizing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyg Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Thanks for the replies, comments and suggestion. I picked up a small common pleco and 3 corys today. Let the water temp adjust than transfered them to the QT. Hopefully they'll make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birger Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 I am assuming it was a Chaetostoma species. What was the temp. of the tank they were going into,they are actually more of a cool water fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyg Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 temp was at 26C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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