Acclimation 

 

All Animals at this Time:

1. Float the bag in your tank to get the animals used to the temperature in your aquarium.

2. Wait 15 minutes.

3. Add animals to the tank, discard shipping water and any towels used in the packaging.

4. DO NOT DRIP ACCLIMATE.

It is normal if many of the shipping bags have little water, and a wet paper towel. They were shipped that way purposefully.

Important: Snails may go through shock during shipping, and be closed when they arrive. You should give them plenty of time to come out of their shells and move around before deciding they didn't make the trip. Snails may go dormant for up to 3 days.

You may find this to be different than the acclimation procedure you are used to carrying out. The reason we ask our customers to use this procedure is because our snails and crabs live intertidally, and can handle swings in ph/salinity without a problem. However, what they can't handle is toxic levels of ammonia. During the shipping process, ammonia levels in the shipping bags build, while the ph level goes down. As the ph goes down the toxicity of ammonia also goes down. However, when your tank water with normal ph is introduced to the shipping bags, and the ph rises, so does the toxicity of the ammonia, and you will be poisoning the livestock. Please don't do this and certainly never let livestock sit out in buckets with shipping water exposed to fresh air for a long period of time, we know of no surer way to kill your new arrivals. Any other method of acclimation voids the Alive Arrival Guarantee. It is an easy method of acclimation and it works fine, please follow it.

Many orders will contain empty hermit shells for hermits to move into free of charge, like those containing our quick crews with hermits. They will be similar in shape to snails we sell, please check for dry bags of empty shells before you add items to your tank, and check to see if the claim you have is really just empty hermit shells. 

Macro Algae and Mangrove Acclimation

1. Float the bag in your tank to get the macro used to the temperature in your aquarium.

2. Wait 15 minutes.

3. Add macroalgae and mangroves to your tank, discard any water.

Macroalgae and mangroves should be slowly acclimatd to light too if possible, you can do this by shading them, or keeping them towards the edges of the light fixture for the first few days.

Comments (9)

  • If you have any questions about this procedure please ask them below.

    Reply

  • Guest (marc)

    Im setting up a new tank, currently its only cured live rock for about 3 weeks. Want to add CUC but dont have much algae yet. SHould I wait until I have more algae to purchase? Do I need to feed them or do they live on the algae?

    Reply

  • You should have a fair amount of algae before adding the crew

    Reply

  • Guest (AC)

    Are shrimp acclimated the same way?

    Reply

  • Yes, same acclimation

    Reply

  • My bag of mangroves was open. Do they come dry? How do you plant them?

    Reply

  • Guest (Bernard)

    Received my package about 20 minutes ago and just added the cleaners to my tank. I could not be happier with the quality. Very pleased. I know this was a section for questions but I just wanted to say thanks for being a great supplier.

    Reply

  • Thank you! Glad things went well.

    Reply

  • Guest (Troy)

    on e temperature acclimated by floating, can you strain the snails through a net over a bucket to avoid getting shipped water into the DT? or do you recommend that they stay completely wet and never exposed to air the whole time? I know this applies to starfish and shrimp... just never heard this about snails.

    Reply
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Click here for answers to ordering problems, shipping rates and times, and more.

Orders placed today will ship Tuesday, May 21st. Later dates available by request.

Use the code "5off" to receive $5 off any purchase made today over $30. (Rock orders excluded)

By Default, our packages will ship "Deliver to Customer or Door". If you would like the signature requirement expressly waived, please let us know by leaving a note in the comments field, found immediately before the "Confirm Order" button during checkout. In any event, always keep an eye out for the package on delivery day. Packages are often left in mailboxes, even when they should be brought to the door. Please do not let it sit outside for hours or days if there are live animals inside. Thank you! 

 Items marked with a * cannot be shipped via Priority Mail.

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