Acclimation Guide

Acclimation begins before the doorbell rings. The night before delivery, prepare by rinsing a clean bucket, finding a soft mesh net or specimen cup, and clearing a dim spot near your sump or display where the bucket can sit undisturbed. Confirm that your salinity, temperature, and pH are stable and within your tank’s advertised range. If you run unusually bright lighting, plan to dim it or use a gentle ramp on your controller for the first evening. Lid the tank temporarily if it isn’t already covered, as many new arrivals—especially wrasses and dartfish—are prone to jumping during their first night. If you keep assertive species, set aside an acclimation box or clear colander so the newcomer can eat and breathe without harassment while the tank adjusts to its presence.

When the box arrives, carry it flat to your tank room and open it calmly. Check the bag: if it feels cold, close the flaps while you plan a float; if it is warm, proceed without creating drafts. Do not cut the bag yet. Shipping water often contains ammonia, and its pH usually drifts downward during transit. This lowered pH keeps a larger fraction of ammonia in the less-toxic ammonium form. As soon as the bag is vented, pH rises and free ammonia becomes more irritating to gills. To avoid this, equalize temperature first by floating the unopened bag in your sump or display for fifteen to twenty minutes. This step buys time and reduces stress.

Once temperatures match, move the fish to your prepared bucket. Cut the bag below the knot, pour the fish and bag water into the bucket, and set the bag aside. Begin a gravity drip from your display tank into the bucket using airline tubing with a loose knot or valve to regulate the flow. Without a drip, use a small cup to add tank water every five minutes in quarter- or half-cup increments. The goal is a gentle, steady rhythm that doubles or triples the bucket’s volume over forty-five to sixty minutes. Watch the fish during this period. Normal shipping fatigue looks like hovering, occasional gulps, and resting in corners, while alarming behavior involves corkscrewing or persistent loss of balance. If you notice the latter, send us a quick video for guidance. Avoid chemicals and conditioners; the objective is simply to replace shipping water with clean, oxygen-rich display water.

When acclimation is complete, discard all shipping water. Do not pour any of it into your aquarium. Transfer the fish with a cup or soft net, minimizing time in air, and release it near a cave or sheltered section of rockwork so it can orient itself. Keep lights low for the rest of the day and resist the urge to fuss. If your tank houses boisterous residents, use the acclimation box now. A night or two behind clear walls allows the new arrival to eat and rest safely while others adjust. In tanks with tangs, angels, or established wrasses, placing a mirror on one side pane can diffuse aggression during the first forty-eight hours.

Feeding should be light and obvious on day one: a small portion of familiar mysis, pellets, or the food shown in your proof video. Do not overfeed. Some fish will nibble on the first night, while most settle and eat normally on day two. Signs of success include exploring behavior, cautious observation, or eager feeding without harassment. If established tankmates dominate the food, the acclimation box, dim lighting, or placing nori at the opposite end of the tank can help diffuse pressure.

Invertebrates require the same patience, with extra care for salinity changes. After temperature acclimation, allow thirty to forty-five minutes for shrimp, snails, and crabs, and longer for urchins, cucumbers, and starfish. Monitor temperature in the bucket, as small volumes cool quickly in air-conditioned rooms. When transferring, handle delicately and avoid prolonged air exposure, especially for echinoderms. Never pour shipping water into the tank. Expect many invertebrates to disappear for a day or two; this is normal. If placing feather dusters or similar species, turn off gyres briefly so they can anchor before flow resumes.

After the first night, gradually restore lighting and return to your regular feeding routine. Focus on two indicators: whether the fish is taking food it recognizes and whether it can find places to rest without being chased. If both are true, the most difficult part is over. If anything feels off, send us a video with your basic parameters—temperature, salinity, and ammonia or nitrite levels. We will review and provide precise steps instead of guesswork.

Remember that your fish has already completed our fourteen-day quarantine in copper-treated systems with targeted veterinary support. Your responsibility is not to medicate further, but to lower stress, maintain stable, oxygen-rich water, and let the animal learn your tank’s rhythm. Done well, acclimation feels uneventful, and that quiet smoothness is the true sign of success.