Drop In Acclimation

[torch]

I just watched amazing video of Hans acclimating his new shipment of discus using Drop-In method. With water temperatures close to his tank he just cut open plastic bags containing fish, use his hands and transport the fish directly to his tank. No drip method or float method. I am amaze.

Anyone else using drop in method when they get new fish especially shipped? I know reason is that you don't want the fish to be in bag too long.

[Allwin]

FYI from a friend and i prefers drop in rather drip.


Like other animals, fish produce carbon dioxide as they breathe. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in water, an acid is formed, lowering the pH of the water just like in a carbonated beverage. Fish also produce ammonia, which can be very damaging. Ammonia is present in water as NH3 or as NH4+, or as a combination of these forms. The toxic form of ammonia is NH3. The proportion of NH3 versus NH4+ is dependent on pH. The lower the pH, the lower the amount of NH3, and the greater the proportion of the less damaging NH4+. In the wild, freshwater fish naturally experience wide changes in pH.

One of the reasons fish are able to be shipped long distances in closed containers is because the pH in the shipping water drops, making the ammonia non-toxic. The carbon dioxide acts as a tranquilizer. The moment the container is opened, and exposed to the outside air, carbon dioxide escapes, the pH of the water immediately begins to rise, and ammonia becomes deadly. Fish tissue damage will then occur very quickly. NEVER add water from a shipping container into your aquarium, as you do not want all that harmful ammonia in your aquarium. NEVER add water from your aquarium into the shipping container. Acclimate the temperature by floating the container in the aquarium water, and then immediately open the container and release the fish into the aquarium, minimizing the introduction of the container water.

[kris2341]

The drop is only recommended if both temperature and water chemistry is similar, Hans explained to me when I commented on one of his videos is that the reason he does it this way is because his water and the water used in the Stendker facility is close enough in chemistry. The fish are also boxed properly so they stay at appropriate temperatures, within a few degrees of the tank, but he floats them if the temperature difference is too great when the shipment comes in.

But simply put, if it is similar water and similar temperature, go ahead and drop them in. With those two parameters in line, it is the best way to go about fish.

Pretty much when it comes to the discus I get locally now, all i do is ask if they are raised on the tap, if they are, I just float the bag for 15-20 minutes and let them out.

[John_Nicholson]

As long as the tank water is the same or warmer and the ph is higher the drop method is always preferred. Since the waste from the fish will lower the ph that should never be a problem so as long as you are not putting them in cold water it should be fine.

-john

[torch]

ok I will float to equalized temp and then put them in. Ordering 6 discus and they will be shipped from California to NY.

[Rudustin]

I have always done Plop and drop with my newly delivered discus with no problem exactly like what Hans does. He's the one that suggested that I do that. Eliminates the water from the bag, which is soiled by wastes and lack of oxygen going into my qt tanks. Rufus

[DISCUS STU]

The Drop Method is one I've been using for years at this point without any problems. Discus, and most fish, aren't so sensitive that slight changes in water chemistry will affect them that much. Normally I float the bag for about 15-20 minutes, open the bag, drain the water and release the fish into the tank. I haven't dripped them in years.

[MKD]

it works best for me so far.

[jsullins]

I do it that way now to.

[allan]

yes i do it this way ( with all my fish ) it makes sense to get your fish out of poluted water to me not spend hours diluting it

[Discus-Hans]

Funny, few years back people were screaming C R A Z Y when I did this, now everybody is doing it lol lol lol

Now I must say, you can't do this with all Discus but with Stendker's it's okay to do, they can handle it.

Looks like we got an other case of "learn from the best, buy from the rest" here lol lol

Hans

[kris2341]

Sounds like Stendkers are strong in all sorts of water parameters, but like all fish, are weak to ammonia, nitrites, etc.

I guess this means that GOOD discus will do best with a drop, scrawny discus will probably die lol

[Second Hand Pat]

Sounds like Stendkers are strong in all sorts of water parameters, but like all fish, are weak to ammonia, nitrites, etc.

I guess this means that GOOD discus will do best with a drop, scrawny discus will probably die lol

Kris, just for clarity, I think it is best to say that ammonia and nitrites are toxic to all fish.

[aovifo]

The drop is only recommended if both temperature and water chemistry is similar, Hans explained to me when I commented on one of his videos is that the reason he does it this way is because his water and the water used in the Stendker facility is close enough in chemistry. The fish are also boxed properly so they stay at appropriate temperatures, within a few degrees of the tank, but he floats them if the temperature difference is too great when the shipment comes in.

But simply put, if it is similar water and similar temperature, go ahead and drop them in. With those two parameters in line, it is the best way to go about fish.

Pretty much when it comes to the discus I get locally now, all i do is ask if they are raised on the tap, if they are, I just float the bag for 15-20 minutes and let them out.

I think that similarity in water chemistry means PH level and salinity (salt amount). Quick changes in those are not recommended. I'll be glad to learn about other water parameters that it's important to check their similarity

[Skip]

Keep it simple...KISS. drop n plop

Get them out of the filthy dirt water they are in. And in clean tank water.. they travel with heat packs.. so temp is not concern..

[DISCUS STU]

I'm usually dropping the fish into either a 10 or 15 gallon quarantine tank with optimum water conditions, ph not too low, temp. correct etc. Sometime larger fish will go into a 29 gal. It's my understanding that Discus mostly have adverse reactions to ph crashes and being quickly transferred to water that is much lower and acidic than the water they just came from and not the other way around. The 15-20 minutes that the bag floats should equalize the temp.

This having been said, I would think that most transport bags being full of waste and some carbon dioxide would probably be more acidic than my quarantine tank water. I've never had an issue with the drop method adversely affecting my new fish even though when I first started doing this it seemed like a more blunt, less sensitive way to do it.

[torch]

I'm usually dropping the fish into either a 10 or 15 gallon quarantine tank with optimum water conditions, ph not too low, temp. correct etc. Sometime larger fish will go into a 29 gal. It's my understanding that Discus mostly have adverse reactions to ph crashes and being quickly transferred to water that is much lower and acidic than the water they just came from and not the other way around. The 15-20 minutes that the bag floats should equalize the temp.

This having been said, I would think that most transport bags being full of waste and some carbon dioxide would probably be more acidic than my quarantine tank water. I've never had an issue with the drop method adversely affecting my new fish even though when I first started doing this it seemed like a more blunt, less sensitive way to do it.

I will be getting my first shipment of Discus from Kenny. Have not confirm date yet as we are expecting Cold Vortex temperaturs later this week. I am hoping to get fish from him early. This will be my first "Plop and Drop". NYC PH is about 7.0 and I plan to keep my tank temperatures at 82 degrees. Not sure on water hardness for NYC.

I am bit concern with fish shipping around this time of the year and that is why I will floating the fish for about 20 minutes to equalize the temps, then perform the drop method.

[seanyuki]

Great choice getting discus from Kenny.....he ships discus with heat packs inside the box.....just plop and drop to yr new tank.

[torch]

Yep, just got confirmation from Kenny that I can use Plop and drop on his fish. I am all set.

[DISCUS STU]

I will be getting my first shipment of Discus from Kenny. Have not confirm date yet as we are expecting Cold Vortex temperaturs later this week. I am hoping to get fish from him early. This will be my first "Plop and Drop". NYC PH is about 7.0 and I plan to keep my tank temperatures at 82 degrees. Not sure on water hardness for NYC.

I am bit concern with fish shipping around this time of the year and that is why I will floating the fish for about 20 minutes to equalize the temps, then perform the drop method.

You should be fine. Even at much colder times shipments are normally sent with heat packs.

You have a great advantage being in NYC, I'm just across the river in Fort Lee NJ, the water in the city is some of the best in the country if not the world, believe it or not. Great for growing fish and typically with very little added to it in the way of chloramines and other nasty chemicals to neutralize pollutants. By contrast my water here is not so great and needs alot of help to bring it up to snuff.

[torch]

Got my fish today. Float for 30 minutes then drop using my hand. All 6 discus did fine. My tank ph was about 7. Will use this method from now on. I float them immediately upon arrival from Fedex.