Apisogramma shipment from Peru

[koty]

My friend is receiving a large shipment of apistrogramma species from Iquitos, Peru. My question is what is the best protocol to be used when getting them out of the bags and into the acclimation aquariums.
I am not referring to treatment for parasites or diseases but to the problem that the water parameters in the bags are virtually unknown: the pH declines from the original value due to accumulation of CO2 and nitrates are also abundant. I was told for instance that opening the bags cause a rapid pH increase due to escape of co2 further leading to many deaths as the nitrous compounds become more toxic.
I thought that I'll use a syringe to sample the water
and then adjust the pH of peat treated R/O water using phosphoric acid
Does this sounds reasonable???
Thanks in advance

 

[awholley]

This has a section on receiving fish. It might be useful to you.

http://library.kcc.hawaii.edu/external/ctsa/publications/shipping/shipping.htm

 

[koty]

This has a section on receiving fish. It might be useful to you.

http://library.kcc.hawaii.edu/external/ctsa/publications/shipping/shipping.htm

Thanks a lot!!! That's exactly what I needed
Koty

 

[fishfarm]

I get in 1,000 wilds at a time, Pour them thru a net and plop them into the tank. Have the tank ready with pH around 6-6.5. They need the fresh water more than anything else. If the supplier puts them all in the same bag then you'll have a huge ammonia build up and dead fish, Need to get the rest out ASAP. My Peruivian supplier bags each fish individually and we lose very few and the fish are not nearly as stressed. I don't buy from anyone who will not ship to me this way. The 100 fish in one bag just suxs. Ken

 

[koty]

I get in 1,000 wilds at a time, Pour them thru a net and plop them into the tank. Have the tank ready with pH around 6-6.5. They need the fresh water more than anything else. If the supplier puts them all in the same bag then you'll have a huge ammonia build up and dead fish, Need to get the rest out ASAP. My Peruivian supplier bags each fish individually and we lose very few and the fish are not nearly as stressed. I don't buy from anyone who will not ship to me this way. The 100 fish in one bag just suxs. Ken

Thanks,
Indeed he gets the Apistos in seperate bags. I told him to prepare R/O with pH of 6-6.5 suplumented with peat extract (water boiled with peat). We have some very acidic peat from eastern Europe (pH 3.5)