How to acclimate apistogramma (ordered online)?

[hongyj]

Hi all,

I've ordered 2 pairs of apistogramma quad reds online that are expected to arrive on tuesday. I'm not sure how to acclimate them because I'm scared of losing the fish. They were really expensive and it's my first time ordering online so I'm unsure how to acclimate them properly. I've seen conflicting reports online, some people swear by drip acclimation method and others swear by plop and drop method. I'm not sure which one to use. Since the fish will be stressed from shipping they will be stressed and will have ammonium in the bag that will convert into ammonia upon opening, both methods seem to have an argument for them yet I'm still unsure.

tldr: how should i acclimate apistos that I ordered online?

 

[MacZ]

Both methods are valid depending on the situation:

Always ask the seller for TDS and pH of the water they keep and ship the fish in.

If the TDS of their and your tankwater are more than 100mg/l apart or the pH difference is more than 1.5 pH-points, do drip.

If the differences are less than 50mg/l or less than 0.5 pH-points do plop&drop. Then the water is almost identical in those regards.
Same goes if the fish are obviously stressed and struggling in the unopened bag. Then it's an emergency in which case getting them in clean water is more important than stressless acclimation. In such a case losses have to be expected to a degree, though.

So it boils down to the situation, not a principle really. You should be prepared to do both.
Ideally you want a stressfree acclimation. But not every situation allows for that.

 

[Mike Wise]

Another thought, no fish goes into one of my breeding/community tanks until they have been in a quarantine tank for at least 4-6 weeks.

 

[MacZ]

Another thought, no fish goes into one of my breeding/community tanks until they have been in a quarantine tank for at least 4-6 weeks.

That's a given, isn't it?

 

[hongyj]

That's a given, isn't it?

oh. I have no other fish so I'm just planning on putting them in my 10 gallon. I know 10 gallon is a bit small for cactuiodes but it's densely planted with bacopa, driftwood, java fern and other plants

 

[MacZ]

Wait... 2 pairs in a 10 gallon? Can you cancel the order?!

You can use a tank that size as a breeding tank for one pair, but only if you have the option to remove one of them at any given time. But 2m and 2f in a tank with (presumably) a footprint of 60x30cm... You will end up with at least 1, maybe 2 losses. If you are really out of luck maybe only one. They will likely stress each other out, fights to the death are also possible.
You have clearly underestimated the fishes territorial behaviour.

 

[hongyj]

Wait... 2 pairs in a 10 gallon? Can you cancel the order?!

You can use a tank that size as a breeding tank for one pair, but only if you have the option to remove one of them at any given time. But 2m and 2f in a tank with (presumably) a footprint of 60x30cm... You will end up with at least 1, maybe 2 losses. If you are really out of luck maybe only one. They will likely stress each other out, fights to the death are also possible.
You have clearly underestimated the fishes territorial behaviour.

only one pair in a 10 gallon but im ordering two gallons

 

[MacZ]

only one pair in a 10 gallon but im ordering two gallons

ok. So 2 10 gallons and one pair per tank, right? Doesn't change much in my opinion.

 

[hongyj]

ok. So 2 10 gallons and one pair per tank, right? Doesn't change much in my opinion.

one of the pairs is going in a 20 long and the other is going in a 10 gallon. I think they'll be able to handle the 10 gallon tho.

 

[MacZ]

Well then... good luck with your mutants.
Maybe don't give information that sparsely next time. Makes for an unintentionally a bad impression.

 

[hongyj]

Well then... good luck with your mutants.
Maybe don't give information that sparsely next time. Makes for an unintentionally a bad impression.

haha.. sorry about that. I know you're an active member in this forum. This is my first time posting but I know you hate non wild type apistos. I think I read you saying somewhere that "apistos are so mutated that they don't even look like the wild cactuiodes anymore" or something like that

 

[MacZ]

That's not my point unfortunately.
Even the domestic forms have minimum requirements and a 10 gallon is a disaster waiting to happen. They're still living beings and even though I endorse not breeding or keeping them, those that are there deserve just as good a level of care as a wild caught fish. Within your handful of post you made the impression to not meet that level of care. To stress this: You made the impression.
I'd get another tank or have another existing tank ready asap, so in case you have to separate the fish you immediately can.