New to group. Advice please

[MaryO]

Hi new to this forum. Thank you for allowing me to join
I have a male and female super red cockatoo apistogramma being shipped to me. Arriving Tuesday. I have lots of fish and tanks, but this is the first time having one shipped directly to me. Are there any specific things that I should add to my regular drip acclimation. Is there something I need to do the moment I receive them? I don't want to mess this up. I'm so excited and want them to have a smooth transition. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. And sorry for asking for advice day one. I promise I will pay it forward in the group

 

[anewbie]

I'm a believer that drip acclimination is bad and i will set the unopen bag in the aquarium for 15 to 30 minutes and then open the bag - poor the water down the drain and plop the fish in - however there are other ways to mess up such as having a bad layout for the aquarium or very hard water with fishes that require soft water as well as having the temp set to 62f when it should be 78f or putting them in an uncycled aquarium.

[i don't literally poor the water down the drain - i actually pour it through a net into a pail after all i dont' want my brand new fish to sneak out and go down the drain.]

 

[cdr63corv]

I'm a plop and drop guy myself. Ordered a lot of discus, cory catfish, angelfish and a few plecos online with no problems. Never any apistogrammas though. Good luck and congratulations on your new purchase.

 

[MaryO]

I'm a believer that drip acclimination is bad and i will set the unopen bag in the aquarium for 15 to 30 minutes and then open the bag - poor the water down the drain and plop the fish in - however there are other ways to mess up such as having a bad layout for the aquarium or very hard water with fishes that require soft water as well as having the temp set to 62f when it should be 78f or putting them in an uncycled aquarium.

[i don't literally poor the water down the drain - i actually pour it through a net into a pail after all i dont' want my brand new fish to sneak out and go down the drain.]

Thank you

 

[MaryO]

I'm a plop and drop guy myself. Ordered a lot of discus, cory catfish, angelfish and a few plecos online with no problems. Never any apistogrammas though. Good luck and congratulations on your new purchase.

Thank you

 

[MacZ]

I'm prepared for everything but the typical scenario for me: If the EC and pH in the bag and the tank are widely different I do drip, if not I move the fish directly. As the stores here usually keep fish in tap (while I use 100% RO) and the EC difference is usually in the 3 digit range, while the pH difference is often over 3 full points. plop and drop is not an option for me. Lost too many fish that way.

But as for the fish you are expecting: Domestic colour bred A. cacatuoides are typically kept in tap and so there shouldn't be much difference and it should be completely safe to move them directly.

 

[MaryO]

I'm prepared for everything but the typical scenario for me: If the EC and pH in the bag and the tank are widely different I do drip, if not I move the fish directly. As the stores here usually keep fish in tap (while I use 100% RO) and the EC difference is usually in the 3 digit range, while the pH difference is often over 3 full points. plop and drop is not an option for me. Lost too many fish that way.

But as for the fish you are expecting: Domestic colour bred A. cacatuoides are typically kept in tap and so there shouldn't be much difference and it should be completely safe to move them directly.

Thank you