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Issues with Yellow Labs

Laxison

Members
So for the last couple of meetings I have been trying to pick up some yellow labs to add color to my tanks. I do my usual routine of acclimating them to my tanks by leaving them in their bags in the tanks for a couple of hours so that they get used to the water temperature and then add them to the tank (just the fish - I dont add the water that they came in to the tank). I will also slowly add some tank water to the bags so that the fish can get used to the water that they are about to live in.

My water parameters are all in line to where they should be (ammonia levels, nitrites and nitrates) but my labs dont ever seem to make it. They arent getting beat up by the other fish but they simply seem to kick it a few days into being in the tank.

How else do you guys add your new stock to existing tanks? Any suggestions of what else I can do? Thank you!
 

Lively

Members
I basically do the same thing, but I normally put them in a quarantine tank for about a month.
 

UNCLERUCKUS

"THE ALL POWERFUL Q !!
IVE HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE AND WHAT I DID WAS ADD PRIME TO MY TANK BEFORE I LEAVE THEN SLOWLY ACCLIMATE THEM IN THE BAG BEFORE RELEASE. THIS SEEMED TO WORK FOR ME. IT COULD BE THE WATER ALSO LIKE PHIL SUGGESTS. GOOD LUCK WITH IT. HAVE YOU TRIED A SMALL QT TANK AS A TESTER TO RULE OUT OTHER VARIABLES.
 
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Spine

Members
We have had several people speak on the subject at CCA. I think they all agreed on, just let the fish adjust to the temperature and then just dump them in,especially if the have been shipped or in the bag for a long time.
 

Jumbie

Members
I usually let my fish float for a few minutes and then I add them to the tank. Hans really explained the process well to me the last time I was at his place.
 

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
I like to add at least 2-3 fish at a time to my big tank, after a heavy feeding and some slight decor rearrangement and only with the lights out.

Some of my fish are real a-holes when it comes to newbies and this gives them the best fighting chance.

**Oh yeah, I also put the fish bag in a plastic grocery bag while floating so that the other fish don't have too much of a chance to fixate on them before they get released.
 
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TheWire

Members
I normally let the bag sit in the tank water for like 15-20min. The I just net the fish out and dump in it
So for the last couple of meetings I have been trying to pick up some yellow labs to add color to my tanks. I do my usual routine of acclimating them to my tanks by leaving them in their bags in the tanks for a couple of hours so that they get used to the water temperature and then add them to the tank (just the fish - I dont add the water that they came in to the tank). I will also slowly add some tank water to the bags so that the fish can get used to the water that they are about to live in.

My water parameters are all in line to where they should be (ammonia levels, nitrites and nitrates) but my labs dont ever seem to make it. They arent getting beat up by the other fish but they simply seem to kick it a few days into being in the tank.

How else do you guys add your new stock to existing tanks? Any suggestions of what else I can do? Thank you!

Posted via mobile.capitalcichlids.org
 

SubMariner

Master Jedi & Past VP
Allison, I know this may sound a little extreme, but I never let any bag touch my water...PERIOD. You never know what is on that bag and I'm talking about chemicals or whatever.:wacko:

I basically open the bag into a bucket and let the fish out. I either use a net or my hand to place them in the tank. :D

Oh, I forgot to tell you, I typically get them out of the bag immediately because the water there in is already full of their feces and ammonia because there stressing out. So I get them out like NOW! Forget Acclimating them, get the out!

I haven't lost a fish yet and I have over 33 Tanks and over 500 Africans. Now, the question is the health of the water and the quality of the breed because I promise you, if I sold you some of my Labs they would be just fine. Sorry to hear about your Labs Laxison :(

Good Luck,


RM

 

Laxison

Members
I'll check the Ph and temp tonight when I get home. Interesting suggestions about the grocery bag and simply getting the fish out of their transport bags ASAP!

I'll post the ph and temp readings shortly and thank you all for the suggestions provided up to this point!!
 

YSS

Members
How is your water quality? I had this happen when I wasn't taking good care of my tanks many years ago. My existing fish were used to the bad water, but the new fish weren't able to adjust and they would die.
 

longstocking

Members
How is your water quality? I had this happen when I wasn't taking good care of my tanks many years ago. My existing fish were used to the bad water, but the new fish weren't able to adjust and they would die.


My thinking as well....

If they are ok for a few days then die... your nitratres might be through the roof.
 

Lively

Members
My water parameters are all in line to where they should be (ammonia levels, nitrites and nitrates) but my labs dont ever seem to make it. They arent getting beat up by the other fish but they simply seem to kick it a few days into being in the tank.

Check your test kit - I've had those litmus strips go bad on me and chemicals will stop working well if they get too old.
 

danger_chicken

Swim Fishy Swim!
Check your test kit - I've had those litmus strips go bad on me and chemicals will stop working well if they get too old.
I had a fish with a white spot on his dorsel fin. I thought it was just a nick from hitting something but it didn't improve over a month. Someone said they had that before and they called it a "fish tumor" and it was caused by high nitrates. I didn't believe that was my problem considering my water change schedule and test results. Then I found out the last 4 numbers on the bottle was it's manufactor date and my test kit was 3 years old when I bought it over a year ago. I bought a new kit and WOW! I had a nitrate problem. Lowered the nitrates and the tumor was gone in 4-6 weeks.

Posts the results of all your tests not just "in range" or "acceptable".
 

Laxison

Members
Yep, I do water changes weekly but I aologize because I have not been able to post the levels as of yet. It probably is a nitrate problem and I'm looking to put nitrazorb in my filters to see if that does the trick!
 

Lively

Members
Just another thought here - check your tap water. If you are doing weekly water changes you shouldn't be getting high nitrates unless your tanks are overstocked for the filtration.
 
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