BL1
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Normally, when I get new inverts I'll float the bag then drip acclimate. Last week I purchased a small CUC from reef cleaners and yesterday I got this e-mail for when they come in
I just wanted to get everyone else's thoughts on this.John @ reefcleaners.com said:Acclimation (All Animals)-
1. Float the bag in your tank to get the snail used to the temperature in your aquarium.
2. Wait 15 minutes.
3. Add contents to tank.
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. Ceriths 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 now ask our customers to use this procedure is because our snails and crabs live intertidally, and can handle drastic 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. Any other method of acclimation voids the Alive Arrival Guarantee. If you are a pro and know how to deal with these issues with ammonia neutralizing drips that may be a good idea for urchins, porcelains and true crabs. (If you are however unsure how to carry out this acclimation procedure please do not practice it with our livestock)