# Fish on the way.



## vinniemabuna (Dec 25, 2004)

Hi everyone, can you help, :-? I have 2 adult size angels being shipped to me, 2-3 days , In the past with angels -discus I would do the drip method of aclimating them to my tank. I know with africans its float the bags and dump them in because of the low PH in the shipping bags and High PH in my tank, the slow drip would cause the amonia to rise and stress the fish..  The breeder said to put them in a bucket , add some tank water and over 3 hours add water every 30 minutes or sooner. :x What should I do float them and put them in, or drip themover 2-3 hours ? :-?


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## edburress (Jun 9, 2007)

If they are adults, I would use a bucket. Get them out of the bag asap and into a bucket with a few inches of water (just enough to cover their back) and every 8-10 minutes pour some tank water in. At least get the water 50/50. IME angels are very hardy and shouldn't need an acclimation over 30-40 minutes. If they happen to be P. altum, then acclimating them slightly longer wouldn't hurt, but with P. scalare it shouldn't be a problem.


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## vinniemabuna (Dec 25, 2004)

Hi , thanks for the reply, the thing I left out is that my PH is about 7.6 and 2-3 day shipping is low, so is that OK , will dripping themor just adding some water every 10 minutes make the amonia go way up ? :-? Will floating them and putting them in shock them with the big PH difference ?


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *vinniemabuna*,

The amonia build up occurs in the bag. The longer fish are left in the bag, the higher the amonia build up in the bag.

As *edburress* said, add them to a bucket and every 10 minutes/30 minutes (it's up to you), add some tank water. The more tank water you add, the more you dilute any amonia build up.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I usually add an airstone to the bucket when I acclimate fish this way...Not a really powerful one, just enough to lightly move the water.

Kim


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Find out what the pH difference is between the water you're getting the fish from and your own water by either testing the water straight out of the bag on arrival or asking the vendor.

Often times SA's will arrive in cold, sedated condition and it can be beneficial to dump them straight into the tank after a 15 minute acclimation period.

Get back to us with the pH difference and I'll try to offer advice from there.


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## vinniemabuna (Dec 25, 2004)

Hi all, I received the 2 adult angels today, I added some water from my tank and every 10 minutes took a large cup of water and added it to the bucket, the fish of course were add with their bag water.Atre an hour I added them to my tank and now they look a little stressed but thats expected. I have had africans for a long while and forgotÂ how to acclimate more deliate fish. What confused me was with africans the breeder told me to floatem and dumpem in which was good for them, they said the dripping method would raise the amonia in the bucket and stress the fis out more, but now remember always dripping discus-angels ect... :lol:


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Glad to hear it worked out Vinnie!

I'm sort of stumped on why the african breeder said that using a drip method on africans would cause the ammonia in the bucket to rise?

Perhaps I'm missing something?


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

illy-d said:


> Glad to hear it worked out Vinnie!
> 
> I'm sort of stumped on why the african breeder said that using a drip method on africans would cause the ammonia in the bucket to rise?
> 
> Perhaps I'm missing something?


Me too, on all accounts.

Hope your angels live a long and happy life.

As for the breeder of african cichlids. I don't get it. Surely fish in a bucket over a short term, 1 - 2 hours, don't produce that much waste to outstrip the dilution rate cuased by adding more tank water.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

DeadFishFloating said:


> illy-d said:
> 
> 
> > Glad to hear it worked out Vinnie!
> ...


Me three!

Glad all is well with your new fish!

Kim


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