Loaches Online Forum

what is "TDS"? sorry... i don't know what it is...

okey.. if i get this right..

1. i put prime on the bag as soon as i open it (one bag per bucket)
2. check water chemistry
3. acclimate them
4. put air stone bubbles


did i miss something...


i really appreciate the help.

TDS is Total Dissolved Solids.
All the stuff in the water, whether it affects the water chemistry or not. It relates to the osmotic balance of the fish: Moving the fish from water with high TDS to water with low TDS is generally harder on the fish than going the other way. A small increase in the TDS is usually handled better than a drop.
If you do not have a TDS meter, then checking the KH adn GH will give you a little info. Making sure the Quarantine tanks match the KH and GH of the water in the bag is a good general guide. If the KH adnGH are way off, then you KNOW the TDS is not going to match, either.

If you regularly handle large quantities of fish, get a meter.

i have some test strips.. i think it can measure it. but i will try to research more on the TSD meter. would you suggest me putting them in one big q-tank? yes i bring a lot of loaches. but clown loaches for some reason has always been a challenge.

rkc772 wrote:
okey.. if i get this right..

1. i put prime on the bag as soon as i open it (one bag per bucket)
2. check water chemistry
3. acclimate them
4. put air stone bubbles


did i miss something...

The sequence is wrong...

1. Save small amount of tank water (before adding prime)
2. Put a couple of drops of prime into the bag.
3. Open one bag into bucket.
4. Put in air stone, and a pinch of salt.
5. Decrease the amount of light (cover the bucket)
6. Start your drip procedure.
7. Test saved bag water.

Also: just how long to you acclimate for? Perhaps you need to slow down the dripper, make sure that it takes at least an hour to exchange the water.

Strip tests are not reliable. TDS meter is a great tool to estimate the duration of the acclimation process.

yes i bring a lot of loaches

Hmm...where are you located, if this is not a secret?

In addition to Prime, it would help to acclimate them in darkness. I turn off all the lights and use a flashlight when I open clown loach shipping boxes. I try not to point any light at the fish bags.

A few caves would help also. I put a short length of 3" pvc pipe in the fish bucket when I'm drip acclimating them. I let them adjust to lighting very slowly.

i am in california.

i learn through reputable forums and read books about the fish i bring in. to make sure i am not doing something wrong.

i would say i am lucky that they don't get ick (knock on wood)...

but i am killing them at the same time.. my 2nd shipment came in perfect... all were alive but the next one was just terrible.. which i was hoping not.

i drip them with airline tubings. with tons of bags to open i am not sure if i drip them for an hour.. maybe 30 min at most for each bag.. the bag has less than 1 gal of water.