Shipping Rates & Policy
Acclimation
• Prepare your fish quarantine/fish holding system for acclimation. If using a fish quarantine system (HIGHLY recommended), the water chemistry and parameters in the quarantine system should match your holding system as closely as possible. Make sure that the water volume in the system you are using is low enough that it won’t overflow once bags are floated in the tanks.
• Turn off or dim the lights in the room. Red lights can be used to illuminate.
• Equalize the temperature in the shipping bags with your quarantine/holding system by floating the bags in the water. DO NOT CUT THE BAGS OPEN YET. Float the bags for at least 10-15 minutes. If your bags feel excessively warm or cold when you receive them, float them for up to 30 minutes or until the bag temperatures measure close to your tank temperature.
• Cut the bags open below the metal clips. Do not allow the water inside the bags to escape into your system.
• If using acclimation buckets/tubs, pour the fish in their shipping water into the tubs. If you have mutually aggressive species (angels, basslets, etc), make sure that you have a way to keep them separated. Pour out excess water so that the tub is about ¼ full (the water is just over the top of the fish).
• VERY IMPORTANT – add an ammonia reducing agent like Amquel or Chloramx to either the tubs or into each bag. Ammonia is relatively non-toxic in its ionic form (ammonium) at lower pH. As soon as the pH rises the ammonia changes to toxic ammonia. For this reason it is 100% essential to get rid of as much ammonia as possible prior to any further acclimation steps. FAILURE TO EXERCISE THIS IMPORTANT STEP CAN CAUSE SEVERE AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO YOUR MARINE ANIMALS, VERY OFTEN RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE OR DELAYED DEATH. PLEASE CHECK THE AMMONIA REDUCING PRODUCT YOU SELECT FOR SAFETY WITH INVERTEBRATES AND CORALS BEFORE USING IT ON THOSE ANIMALS.
• Add a gentle supply of air to each tub via an airstone.
a) If using tubs, start a SLOW drip of your fish quarantine/fish holding system water. SLOWER IS BETTER!
b) If using the shipping bags add about a cup of system water to each bag.
• As soon as the tubs are almost full, pour out the water to waste so that the tubs are 1/2 full
• For bags, repeat step #b. every 5 minutes until the bags are full. Do not allow the water inside the bags to escape into your system. When the bags are full, empty half the contents of each bag to waste.
•Allow the tubs to fill again with drip water.
• Add about 1 cup of your system water each bag every five minutes until the bags are full again.
• At this point the pH, specific gravity, and temperature in the tubs/bags should match that of your system. The ammonia should also be minimal or zero.
• Carefully net the fish inside the tubs and dip them in a tub/bucket containing a prepared commercial fish dip. Choose a dip that has broad spectrum medicating properties and, preferably a stress coat. Follow the manufacturer’s directions on the dip bottle carefully – do not expose your fish to the dip for longer than is advised as some dips can be dangerous to fish health after long exposure. NEVER USE ANY FISH DIP ON INVERTEBRATES OR CORALS UNLESS IT IS SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDED FOR THAT USE BY THE MANUFACTURER.
• Carefully net the fish from the bags and dip in the same way.
• Remove the fish from the dip tub into your fish quarantine system. If you do not have access to a quarantine system (HIGHLY recommended) place the fish into your fish holding system.
• Discard the shipping bags and any water left in them or in the acclimation tubs.
• Keep the lights in the room off/dimmed for at least the first 12 hours after acclimation. Again, red light can be used.
• Replenish any water you removed from your acclimation/holding system before you floated the bags.
Just as it is important to match fish with similar dispositions it is also important to acclimate fish properly. Acclimation is the process of gradually introducing a fish to its new surroundings and tank mates. It is much more than simply dripping the tank’s water into the bag over fifteen minutes. A new fish has to overcome three things when introduced into a new tank:
The fish is usually stressed from capture and shipping before being placed in its permanent new home.It has to acclimate to its new home and food.Lastly it needs to fend off the aggression of the previous residents to the tank.
For these reasons the initial two weeks after a fish is purchased is usually the time frame when they are at greatest risk. A newly purchased fish should not be simply dumped into the display tank, but it should be gradually acclimated to its new home in a separate tank to reduce the risk of it introducing a disease. This quarantine period also allows it to become accustomed to feeding in a captive system and also become accustomed to new water conditions. For these reasons one of three general philosophies of acclimating a new fish should be employed:
In the best case a quarantine tank should be utilized to acclimate the fish as well as get it accustomed to eating. There are many articles dealing with quarantine tanks so we won't deal with them here. Also, since less than 2% of all fish keepers have quarantine tanks they are not how most people will be able to deal with this problem. In the case of a tank with a sump, the sump can be used as the initial home for the newly acquired fish. If a sump is available, it should be secured so that the pump intake is screened to make sure that the fish is not drawn into the pump intake and killed. The fish should be acclimated to the new water per the directions below. The fish should be kept in the sump for approximately two weeks at which time the next phase of acclimation should be conducted.This next phase is what those of you who do not have a sump in place should do. In this phase a holding container is placed in the tank and the fish is placed in it. For this purpose a large (two gallons in size) clear plastic box is attached to the inside of the tank. Lots of holes are drilled in the bottom and sides of the box so that the tank's water can flow freely into the box. In addition the output from a powerhead can be directed to flow into the box so that there is constant new water flowing through the box. If a sump is unavailable the fish should follow the initial acclimation process outlined below and then placed in this box. This clear box allows the new fish to view its new surroundings and tank mates and in addition it allows the tank's residents to view their new tank mate. The clear box will also encourage any fish with aggressive tendencies to show them by charging the fish in the box. At first the fish in the box will cower when approached by the tank's residents. A lot of aggressive displaying will occur as well as mock aggression. However the clear box will prevent any damage from being done and over time (usually two to four days) the frequency and intensity of these attacks will diminish. By seeing which fish continue to attack you can also note where future attacks may come from. The fish should be kept in the box until no attacks occur, this may take from anywhere from 2 to 10 days. However even after this period of time attacks may continue. If after this time attacks are still occurring, even if infrequently, a next step needs to be taken.This step entails removing the aggressive individual or individuals and placing them in the box, while at the same time releasing the new individual into the tank. This step is necessary because the tank's older residents have established territories and know the tank's hiding places and if a new fish is introduced while they are still present the new fish will be at a distinct disadvantage which usually results in the new fish either getting killed outright or being harassed to such an extent that it never eats and eventually dies.
There are several things that can be done to reduce this aggression once the tank's older residents are re-released back into the tank. The coral or other landscaping materials can be rearranged in order to make the old fish establish a new territory. In addition, if the fish attempts to attack the newcomer even when it has been placed in the box then several new fish should be added to the tank before this older fish is released back into the tank. By adding more than one fish the aggressive tendencies of the older fish will be more spread out and thus each fish should be able to tolerate it. More than one fish needs to be introduced whenever you are adding a fish to a tank that already has a member of that same species, as fish are generally most aggressive when confronted with new members of their own species particularly damselfish, tangs and dwarf angelfish. In addition, they are also aggressive to members of their own genus as well as fish that are physically similar in terms of coloration or physical shape or fish, which have a similar diet.
As mentioned above once you have set up a tank properly most fish are hardy and will do fine. Proper acclimation is as crucial as proper selection, as doing both properly will help to avoid problems with aggression, disease and nutrition.
• Prepare your coral holding system for acclimation.
• Float the bags containing your new animals in your coral system. If you are floating a few bags make sure that you drain some water from the system to prevent overflowing when the bags are introduced. You can keep the drained water in a bucket/s so that it can be used to refill the system once the acclimation is complete. DO NOT CUT THE BAGS OPEN YET. Float the bags for at least 10-15 minutes. If your bags feel excessively warm or cold when you receive them float them for up to 30 minutes or until the bag temperatures feel close to your system temperature.
• Cut the bags open below the metal clips. Do not allow the water inside the bag to escape into your system.
• Place the corals/clams in acclimation tubs. Make sure the water level in the tubs is at about ¼ full.
• If using the plastic shipping bags (not recommended), leave them floating in the water making sure that the shipping water does not mix with the system water.
DO NOT ADD AMMONIA REDUCING CHEMICALS UNLESS THE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICALLY INDICATES THAT IT IS SAFE FOR USE WITH CORALS AND CLAMS.
a) If using tubs, start a SLOW drip of your coral holding system water. SLOWER IS BETTER!
b) If using the shipping bags add about a cup of system water to each bag.
• As soon as the tubs are almost full, pour out the water to waste so that the tubs are 1/2 full again.
For bags, repeat step #b. every 5 minutes until the bags are full. Do not allow the water inside the bags to escape into your system. When the bags are full, empty half the contents of each bag to waste.
• Allow the tubs to fill again with drip water.
Add about 1 cup of your system water to each bag every five minutes until the bags are full again.
• At this point the pH, specific gravity, and temperature in the tubs/bags should match that of your system. The ammonia should also be minimal or zero.
• Carefully remove the coral or clam from the tubs/bags making sure not to let the bag water escape into your coral system. You may need to empty some of the bag water before you reach into each bag to remove the animals. Be extremely careful when handling live corals not to touch the delicate flesh of the animals. TRY to handle the corals only by their hard skeletons whenever possible.
• Place your new clams or corals in safe places in your system. You should not place newly introduced specimens too close to other well established aggressive species as they will sting their new “competitors”. Check on compatibility issues to see where your new clam or coral should be placed in its new home. Remember that many aggressive coral species extend their “sweeper” tentacles mainly at night, so what may seem to be a peaceful environment during the day and right after acclimation may not be once the lights are turned off.
• Discard the shipping bags and any water left in them.
• Replenish the water you removed from your system before you floated the bags.
Helpful Tips
1. Always try to acclimate all new specimens even if they appear to be dead. This is especially true for fish which can appear to be dead under conditions of depressed pH. Often these animals will “revive” as the pH is increased during acclimation.
2. Always turn off your aquarium lighting and dim the room lights before, during, and after acclimation. While this is not that important for corals it is highly recommended for most animals.
3. Never expose sponges and gorgonians (sea fans) to open air. This is the only case where you will have to introduce some of the bag water into your aquarium. KEEP THESE SPECIES UNDER WATER AT ALL TIMES.
4. Do not be too anxious to admire your new arrivals. Allow them to adjust to their new environment before you expose them to bright lights and activity.
Prepare your invert holding system for acclimation.
Float the bags containing your new animals in your invert system. If you are floating a few bags make sure that you drain some water from the system to prevent overflowing when the bags are introduced. You can keep the drained water in a bucket/s so that it can be used to refill the system once the acclimation is complete. DO NOT CUT THE BAGS OPEN YET. Float the bags for at least 10-15 minutes. If your bags feel excessively warm or cold when you receive them float them for up to 30 minutes or until the bag temperatures measure close to your system temperature.
Cut the bags open below the metal clips. Do not allow the water inside the bag to escape into your system.
Place the inverts in acclimation tubs together with their shipping water. Make sure the water level in the tubs is at about ¼ full.
If using the plastic shipping bags (not recommended), leave them floating in the water making sure that the shipping water does not mix with the system water.
DO NOT ADD AMMONIA REDUCING CHEMICALS UNLESS THE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICALLY INDICATES THAT IT IS SAFE FOR USE WITH INVERTS.
a) If using tubs, start a SLOW drip of your invert holding system water. SLOWER IS BETTER!
b) If using the shipping bags add about 1 cup of system water to each bag.
As soon as the tubs are almost full, pour out the water to waste so that the tubs are 1/2 full again.
For bags, repeat step b. every 5 minutes until the bags are full. Do not allow the water inside the bags to escape into your system. When the bags are full, empty half the contents of each bag to waste.
Allow the tubs to fill again with drip water. Add about 1 cup of your system water to each bag every five minutes until the bags are full again.
At this point the pH, specific gravity, and temperature in the tubs/bags should match that of your system. The ammonia should also be minimal or zero.
Carefully remove the inverts from the bags/tubs making sure not to let the bag/tub water escape into your system and place the animals into your holding system. You may need to empty some of the bag water before you reach into the bags to remove the animals or you can “pour” the animals into a net held over your waste bucket/drain. Be extremely careful when handling certain inverts as many can have toxic stings or bites.
Discard the shipping bags and any water left in them or in the tubs.
Replenish the water you removed from your system during the acclimation process.
Keep the lights off/dimmed for at least the first 12 hours after acclimation
Compatibility
Very careful attention must be paid to the placement of corals in the reef tank visa vis coral compatibility. Many corals are extremely aggressive hunter/feeders and can inflict severe damage on non-compatible tank mates if not properly separated from them.
Depending on the species and particular circumstances, corals may employ one or more of the following aggressive mechanisms:
Rapidly overgrowing neighboring invertebrates—i.e., actually growing directly onto the neighboring colony or extending over it and preventing it from receiving life-sustaining lightStinging neighbors with nematocyst-laden tentaclesExtruding digestive organs (called mesenterial filaments) and essentially digesting the tissues of adjacent coralsExuding toxic chemicals (e.g., terpenoids) into the water to kill neighboring corals or impede their growth
What can you do to counteract these hostile tactics?
Research your corals thoroughly before you buy them - A little modestresearch on the characteristics of different corals will reveal all kinds of vital information regarding their relative aggressiveness/noxiousness. For example,Sarcophyton leather corals are notoriously toxic and various Euphylliacorals are known to produce long, stinging “sweeper” tentacles. Such details must be taken into account when choosing which species to combine and how to situate them in your tank.Space your corals out properly - When placing specimens, allow more room between them than you think they’ll eventually need. If the tank looks sparse initially, that’s okay. It’s better to have a smaller number of specimens with plenty of room to stay clear of each other’s tentacles than to have a larger number growing on top of one another and in a state of constant warfare.Isolate rapid-spreading corals - Corals/polyps that form encrusting mats and grow rapidly outward onto adjacent substrates, such as green star polyps and certain zoanthids, may need to be isolated to a single, separate rock—an island, if you will—to keep their growth in check and prevent them from irritating or overgrowing cnidarian neighbors.Maximize water movement - Brisk, turbulent water movement, which is beneficial in many reef-aquarium settings anyway, will help prevent toxic chemical compounds from concentrating around any particular specimen. Keep in mind, however, that not all sessile invertebrates appreciate a high level of current. Some, such as Discosomamushroom polyps prefer very low levels of water movement.Employ a protein skimmer, chemical filtrants, and copious water changes - Vigorous protein skimmingand chemical filtration with activated carbon will help remove/adsorb the byproducts of coral chemical warfare. And, of course, you can add the removal/dilution of these toxins to the many virtues of regular partial water changes.
The rule of thumb here is that if your coral has tentacles, chances are it is one of these aggressive species (including, but not limited to Catalaphyllia sp., Galaxea sp., Euphyllia sp., Goniopora sp., Heliofungia sp. Fungia, sp, etc.), however, many “fleshy” LPS corals like Trachyphyllia sp. and Lobophyllia sp. can also extend feeding tentacles and sting their neighbors. Anemones are also obviously aggressive “stingers” and should be placed sufficiently far from corals so that their tentacles cannot inflict damage.
Although mushrooms and polyps are relatively harmless, there are some species that can be semi-aggressive to their neighbors. Same thing applies to “softies”, some of which can secrete toxic chemical compounds from their tissues.
Take a good amount of time to research the species you want in your aquarium to see how aggressive they are! Separate all aggressive species sufficiently from their neighbors. It won’t be difficult to see if they are far enough away because if they are not you will soon notice necrotic (dead) spots on the “victims” in the areas closest to the “stingers”. Also, make sure to re-evaluate the separation as your corals grow and encroach upon each other.
A little precaution and some constant attention will yield invaluable results and allow you to maintain and enjoy a successful reef aquarium for years to come.
For anyone starting a new marine aquarium the first question is what are good beginner fish. Fortunately, there are a lot of marine fish that are relatively easy to keep when several guidelines are followed. First the fish selected should be healthy and feeding when they are added to the tank. Second they should be acclimated slowly and carefully, preferably by first adding them to a quarantine tank before they are added to the display tank. Lastly, they should be matched in terms of size and temperament with the other fish with which they are going to be housed. Good beginner fish are often thought to be those that can tolerate poor water conditions or wide variations in a tank’s conditions, which are often the hallmark of a new tank. There are fish that fall into this category, but over the long term they are usually too aggressive to be kept in the confines of a small tank with other fish. It is far better to set up a tank properly using the latest and best methodology and then adding fish of similar dispositions.
As mentioned above one of the critical aspects of putting a group of fish together is to choose fish of similar size and temperaments. Fish can be grouped into three general categories: docile, aggressive and predatory and they should be kept with fish of similar dispositions. These can then also be expanded further to include size. When selecting fish to start in a tank they should be matched for both size and disposition. It is not however a hard and fast rule, as it is possible to mix fish with one type of disposition with those from another if care is taken. The size consideration is just as critical in that if a large or even moderately sized fish from the predatory group is mixed with a small fish from the docile or even the aggressive group, the smaller fish will usually end up as food.
Some of the fish in the docile group would include small sized clownfish, firefish, gobies, cardinalfish, assessors, marine betas, flasher wrasses and blennies. Aggressive fish would include angelfish, tangs, rabbitfish, hawkfish, hogfish, most wrasses and dottybacks. Predators would include groupers, lionfish, triggerfish, snappers, and moray eels. There are exceptions within every group usually based on size such as the orchid dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani) would probably fall in the docile group due to its small size, while the Tomato or Maroon Clownfish would probably be considered in the aggressive group. So these groupings should be more of a guideline rather than the only way to do things. Also there are variations within the species itself. There have been reports of blennies that have attacked and killed anything put in their tanks as well as angelfish that have harassed and killed groupers.
THE FISHES
Damselfishes (Pomacentridae) These are generally considered the best beginner’s fish as they are hardy, inexpensive and colorful. Unfortunately they are highly territorial and very aggressive. In small or medium tanks they will claim the entire tank as their own and harass any fish that enter their domain. For these reasons they may not be the best choice for small beginner’s tanks, although they do quite well in larger tanks when they are housed with other aggressive fish. Exceptions to this are the Yellowtail blue damsel and the Green chromis both of which can be considered on the docile end of the scale and can be housed in schools.
Anemonefish (Amphiprion) The clownfish and especially the percula clown are the fish that get more people interested in the hobby than any other. They are best kept alone or in known male-female pairs. They can be kept with or without an anemone and they should housed only one pair to a tank. Most are docile to moderately aggressive, with the exceptions being the larger types, which can be very aggressive especially if an anemone is present. Prone to Brooklynella infections and parasitic worms they should be quarantined before being placed in a display tank.
Gobies (Gobiidae) The gobies are a very diverse group with the largest number of species of any fish group. They inhabit virtually every niche of the reef from the spines of a sea urchin to the tentacles of some jellyfish. They are a small bottom-oriented group that displays little aggression except toward other similar looking relatives. They require adequate hiding places and good water quality.
Blennies (Blennidae) Blennies usually sit on aquarium décor and can be aggressive to other small bottom dwelling fish. Most feed by grazing algae from the rocks and stay fairly small. Only one should be kept in a tank, as they can be aggressive towards other blennies.
Firefish These small elongated fish are good for a passive community. They are extremely hardy, colorful and eat most small meaty foods. They are prone to jumping from the tank, so their tank should be covered. They also have a tendency to fight with members of their own species and with other gobies and firefish if inadequate hiding places and cover are not provided.
Dwarf Angelfish (Centropyge) The dwarf angelfish are generally small colorful individuals that do well when housed singly in a tank. They can also be kept as pairs if they can be sexed or obtained as pairs but they may fight to the death if two males are housed together. They should be fed a diet high in plant material and they do better if some algae is present in their tank.
Cardinalfish (Apogonidae) Moe than 170 species, many of which are nocturnal. They are extremely hardy and non-aggressive although they will swallow anything that fits in their mouth. They need caves and other hiding places in order to thrive. Should be fed small plankton like foods.
Angelfish (Pomacanthidae) The angelfish group includes some of the most stunning of all marine fish. Unfortunately most of the species are suitable only for the more experienced fishkeeper. Do best when acquired small and allowed to acclimate to their new surroundings gradually. Need a diet high in plant material to which some sponge is added for some species. Most of the species require larger tanks as they grow large and can become quite aggressive.
Marine Bettas and Assessors (Plesiopsidae) Both species are extremely disease resistant and not aggressive. Good choices for the passive aquaria although the betta may eat crustaceans including cleaner shrimp. They are extremely cryptic so hiding places are essential for their well-being. Marine Bettas also consume bristleworms so they also offer this benefit.
Dottybacks (Pseudochromidae) Hardy and often very colorful these elongate fish can also be very aggressive. One specimen per tank unless it’s very large and plenty of hiding places can be provided. They are prone to color loss unless a varied high quality diet is provided. Commercial propagation of many of these species is now being achieved with their being some diminution of the aggressive qualities a result.
Wrasses (Labridae) This is a very diverse family (over 600 species) with the large members being very aggressive. The larger fish will eat their smaller tankmates so care should be taken when choosing tankmates. For passive community tanks flasher (Paracheilinus) and fairy (Cirrhilabrus) wrasses make good tankmates as long as their need for almost constant feeding with plankton is met.
Surgeonfish (Acanthuridae) These flatly compressed fish contain some of the most frequently kept fish. They require large tanks with lots of swimming space and can be aggressive to other members of their species if their tank is not large enough. They require lots of plant material in their diet and are prone to lateral line disease if their dietary requirements are not met. The also have a very thin mucous coat on their body so they are prone to ick and other parasitic infections after shipping so they should be quarantined before being placed in their final home.
Rabbitfish (Siganidae) Similar in shape to the surgeonfish these fish have poisonous hollow dorsal spines, which they use for protection. They can deliver a painful sting if they are touched. They require lots of swimming space and are herbivores like the surgeonfish. They can be housed in groups or schools in large tanks.
Lionfish (Scorpaenidae) These fish are predatory, but are rarely aggressive to each other. The dorsal spines are venomous and while their stings are rarely fatal they can be quite painful and require medical attention. They should be fed only once or twice per week with chunks of white fleshed fish once they have been weaned from live food. Otherwise they have a tendency to develop fatty livers and die.
Groupers (Serenade) Most are very hardy and some species are aggressive to large tankmates. They will eat or attempt to eat fish that are up to ¾ of their length so care should be taken when selecting tankmates. They are not overly active and spend much of their time sitting in a cave or hiding place so this should be taken into consideration when selecting tankmates. They also grow quite rapidly from the small individuals that are usually available so they can rapidly outgrow most tanks.
Triggerfish (Balistidae) These fish are popular due to their striking colors, interesting behaviors and their resilience to poor water quality and disease. Their dispositions vary from combative to compliant. They are in general one of the more aggressive and territorial fish so they should almost always be the last fish introduced into a tank. They will eat almost anything and will do so with vigor so they should not be housed with any passive non-aggressive feeders.