interesting info

[Discomafia]

why not to add the water from the bag you bought your fish in, into your aquarium water. Some of you might already know this, but it's all news to me.

http/www.ekkwill.com/acproc.html

 

[ferrikins]

why not to add the water from the bag you bought your fish in, into your aquarium water. Some of you might already know this, but it's all news to me.

http/www.ekkwill.com/acproc.html

realy sounds like you could do more harm doing it there way.

I always opened the bag as soon as I get home and clip it to the side to equalize. I then releace the fish and water, I only net if I have 2 fish in the same bag going into a different tank.

Never had a prob doing this.

 

[Discomafia]

what I mean was

"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 bags is because the pH in the shipping water drops, making the ammonia non-toxic. The carbon dioxide acts as a tranquilizer. The moment the bag 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 bag into your aquarium, as you do not want all that harmful ammonia in your aquarium. NEVER add water from your aquarium into the shipping bag. Acclimate the temperature by floating the bag in the aquarium water, and then immediately open the bag and release the fish into the aquarium, minimizing the introduction of the bag water."

 

[NinjaSmurf]

So don't add the water if it's been in the bag for awhile? Sounds simple enough.

 

[ferrikins]

So don't add the water if it's been in the bag for awhile? Sounds simple enough.

arrr well if thats the case thats the reason why my fish are always fine, cos there never in the bag for more than an hour.

 

[shrimpster97]

hmm. i dont think its that big of a deal, maybe for the shipping water but if you just got it from your LFS then i would think it would be alrite.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

The main reason is the diseases, not the ammonia.

As pointed out in the post above mine, the fish we get in bags are from the lfs, not shipped to us.

As for the acclimitization, it's utterly pointless. It takes days and/or weeks for the fish to adjust to the pH and nitrogen levels in the tank. The only reason you should float the bag is to get the same temperature water in the bag as you have in the tank.

 

[Discomafia]

The only reason you should float the bag is to get the same temperature water in the bag as you have in the tank.

Quite obvious that... It serves no other purpose...

 

[Kittycat]

I don't float the bag in my tank. I just feel that it is too dirty and could introduce bacteria/parasites, etc into my tank. But then, I live in a tropical country, so temperature is not that big a deal...

I came upon an interesting site a while back (can't find it again anymore, if somebody can, please tell me) that actually recommends a slash and net method. When they get them bag, they just slash the bottom, catch the fish in the net, and toss it right into the tank. If I remember correctly, their logic is similar to that in the link above. They just want to get the fish out of the bag ASAP due to the rising pH and amonia. I have tried it with some of my fish, though not necessarily actually slashing the bag.

 

[Teelie]

I had an idea on that, though I usually do it as a secondary precaution against accidental infection of any disease to the tank.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

What I meant was to not waste your efforts adding water from the main tank to the bag.

Slash and net, eh. I say just put the fish in a bucket, net them, and place them in the tank. Whatever works for you.

 

[Synirr]

I've always thought it best not to add bag water to the aquarium for disease control purposes...

 

[Def]

Any disease that's in the water will be in the fish already, so I don't see a difference. Especially if you're using a quarantine tank.