How To Transfer Existing Livestock Into A New Reef Aquarium?
Do you have a new reef aquarium and are worried about how to transport your livestock over? Bringing the livestock into a new reef aquarium can be quite a demanding task, however, with some patience and a proper plan, the procedure can be easy for you as well as your marine corals and fish or invertebrates.
Transferring of livestock does not simply mean scooping them in a net and releasing them in the new reef tank system. It is a sequence of actions that are properly thought out beforehand to assure that you minimize stress for all.
Challenges with Moving Corals & Fish
It is challenging to transfer any marine ecosystem because of the intricate associations between the marine organisms and their natural habitat. Marine organisms each have their own set of requirements during the transfer. Plus, even the slightest or sudden shift in the water conditions in the aquarium greatly affects species.
Stress factors include:
- pH shifts
- Salinity fluctuations
- Temperature changes
- Manual interference and handling of corals and fish/invertebrates
Pre-Transfer Preparation
The preparation begins with checking that your new aquarium system has been correctly and completely set up for the incoming of new residents. An aquarium that is properly set up minimizes stress, meaning there will be fewer problems later on.
We recommend the following steps:
- Create an outline for the necessary aquarium equipment needed to make the transfer
- Make sure that the new reef tank is entirely cycled, and the water parameters are stable, so that beneficial bacteria settle down in the water naturally
- Before moving the corals, it is crucial to determine if the lighting system provided is correct as poor lighting can cause many issues such as browning or bleaching of corals
- Ensure that the water chemistry of the new reef is met by making use of a high quality aquarium salt mix
- When preparing for the transfer, check that the containers are large enough for all and avoid mixing aggressive species together
- Use a refractometer or a temperature probe/thermometer to monitor salinity and temperature levels
Nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, ammonia and other core parameters are crucial to keep an eye on. You can easily monitor these parameters with an advanced water testing kit.
Adjustment of Water Quality Parameters
The key to a successful transfer is to ensure the water parameters in the newly established aquarium closely match those of your existing aquarium.
Water parameters for reef tanks:
- Salinity: 1.023 – 1.025
- pH: 8.1 – 8.4
- Temperature: 75 – 80 ℉
In addition to parameters above, specific ranges of calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity should also be made a focus to avoid the negative impacts of coral bleaching or growth issues.
Phased Transfer Process
Transferring aquarium inhabitants in phases guarantees your corals and fish/invertebrates are safe as well as giving them time to adjust to their new home.
Moving Corals into a New Aquarium
Coral relocation is one activity that should be handled with care. You want to avoid exposing soft corals to direct light, so during the transfer they require minimal handling and stress. With hard corals, be careful not to break off any parts - this prevents tissue damage that could negatively affect fragging the coral in the future.
Coral placement in a reef aquarium is also essential. We recommend placing the corals in a location with low water flow and low light until they adapt to the new location (just like when acclimating a new coral), and then proceed to the desired place. This ensures there are no sudden changes in water current or overexposure to light.
Moving Fish & Invertebrates into a New Aquarium
Transferring fish and invertebrates is more complicated than it appears, especially if it is your first time! While they are being captured, you must be careful regarding how much stress is being inflicted. We suggest using a fine mesh net or containers made for this specific purpose. Having a clean container prepared to transport the fish/invertebrates with the right temperature helps keep everything as stable as possible while being transported.
If you are unsure how to safely catch your fish, we have an easy guide here!
Biological Considerations & Risk Management
Quarantine
If you are also adding new corals or fish into the new reef aquarium, you should have a specific quarantine tank set up so that you can check for common coral diseases and possible aquarium pests & saltwater hitchhikers. This crucial step will help to reduce the stress and make moving much more stress-free.
When setting up a quarantine tank, ensure that the water parameters and chemistry match the reef tank that they will finally be moving into to reduce the stresses associated with acclimatization.
Monitoring Critical Health Indicators
Most importantly, the condition of your fish, corals, and invertebrates during and after transfer is essential.
Key indicators of stress include:
- Respiratory rates in fish & invertebrates - are they gasping at the surface or do they have labored breathing?
- Physical appearance - are they experiencing color changes or signs of skin issues/lesions?
- Feeding habits - are they eating less than usual?
- Physical behavior - are your corals moving or are your fish/invertebrates hiding?
- Interaction patterns - do you notice signs of aggression or any deviance from social norm?
If you experience any of the above, check your aquarium as something is likely out of sync.
Conclusion
As we dive deeper into the aquarium hobby, there may be a time where you will need to transfer livestock into a new aquarium system, whether that be upgrading from a smaller/nano tank to a larger reef tank or simply moving house. The process of moving corals, fish, and invertebrates into a new home may seem challenging, but if you follow a few simple rules and are prepared, it can be both stress-free and rewarding!
If you need help/advice with marine livestock transfer or aquarium customized solutions contact the Reefco Aquariums team - we are always happy to help wherever you are in your hobbyist journey. Happy reefing!
