Acclimating New Additions to CO2

[ShadowMac]

What is the best way to acclimate new fish to CO2? How do you do it and why?

I've wondered, after a proper quarantine period in a location without CO2 how do you adjust your fish to a CO2 tank?

Do you put them in there with CO2 running on day one or do you "start over" building it up to the proper levels over a period of time?

Other methods?

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

I quarantine my new fish in a NON C02 tank for several weeks.

When transferring to the C02 enriched tank, I add them when C02 is off, say first thing in the am (my c02 comes on at 3:30 pm).

This way you can see how they react simply to the new tank.... I also tend to hang around that day after the c02 is on to observe.. Since my bubble rate is fairly low and I have lots of 02 I have less of an issue...

If your inject large amounts of c02, you MAY want to reduce a bit for the initial intro and a day...then go back..

Or, add additional 02.....

I have not had an issue with this approach so far.....but all my evidence is anecdotal...

 

[Jeremy1]

It's best to add them when the lights are off and when the CO2 has been off for at least 5 hrs. This will be less stressful on them and more likley to survive.

 

[nipat]

Hi, I do the same thing as Jeremy1 and Gerry mentioned.

Sometime I had to put critters in the tank while CO2 was running,
the result didn't look good. No dying but harsh for them.

 

[ShadowMac]

Thanks everyone.

I plan to introduce the fish at night after CO2 has been off for a bit and leave me airstone running while they acclimate to CO2. I will probably do a half day of light and CO2 then extend it since I do inject quite a bit.

I've often wondered....long distance runners sometimes train at high elevations where there is less O2. This increases their red blood cell counts and hemoglobin for improved intake of O2. Could fish go through an adjustment phase with CO2 where there body adapts somewhat to the higher levels of CO2 since higher levels of CO2 inhibit hemoglobins ability to bind O2? More hemoglobin via more red blood cells to adjust for the inhibitory effect higher CO2 concentrations can have on the number of O2 molecules hemoglobin is capable of binding at high CO2 levels.

This is why you exhale CO2, intravenous space has a high level of CO2 from respirating cells, so O2 is released and CO2 is bound. It is the opposite at lung/gill tissues, higher levels of O2 and lower levels of CO2; so CO2 is released and O2 is bound.