Clean-up crew acclimation introduction?

salajander · 03/04/2014, 03:36 PM

Finally have a clean-up crew (the usual assortment of snails, crabs, and a couple of shrimp) ordered for my 55g that's just finished cycling.

What's the current thought on acclimation and introduction into the display?

JackandJill · 03/04/2014, 03:47 PM

I test the bag water for salinity (with a refractometer optimally) and compare it to my tank. I then drip acclimate any invert for a maximum of 30 minutes and adjust the flow rate of the drip to what I think will adjust the water they came in's salinity to the same as the display tank in that time period.
So if there is a very small difference I do a slow drip, if there is a large difference, a faster one.

salajander · 03/04/2014, 03:49 PM

That's what I had thought.

Then net them out? I'm not sure how I'd net a snail, though. How do you get snails into the tank?

JackandJill · 03/04/2014, 03:51 PM

I pick them up by the shell which allows me to delicately place them on a rock/sand.

EDIT: For non-hermit crabs and shrimp, a net can sometimes be a problem when they attempt to defend against the net and get their claws stuck in it. You could try using a tupperware to catch them in, strain out the water, and then release them.

03/04/2014, 03:36 PM	#1
salajander Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 343	Clean-up crew acclimation introduction? Finally have a clean-up crew (the usual assortment of snails, crabs, and a couple of shrimp) ordered for my 55g that's just finished cycling. What's the current thought on acclimation and introduction into the display?

03/04/2014, 03:47 PM	#2
JackandJill Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 249	I test the bag water for salinity (with a refractometer optimally) and compare it to my tank. I then drip acclimate any invert for a maximum of 30 minutes and adjust the flow rate of the drip to what I think will adjust the water they came in's salinity to the same as the display tank in that time period. So if there is a very small difference I do a slow drip, if there is a large difference, a faster one.

03/04/2014, 03:49 PM	#3
salajander Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 343	That's what I had thought. Then net them out? I'm not sure how I'd net a snail, though. How do you get snails into the tank?

03/04/2014, 03:51 PM	#4
JackandJill Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 249	I pick them up by the shell which allows me to delicately place them on a rock/sand. EDIT: For non-hermit crabs and shrimp, a net can sometimes be a problem when they attempt to defend against the net and get their claws stuck in it. You could try using a tupperware to catch them in, strain out the water, and then release them.