sera guide - Marine aquariums

8.2 How to introduce and acclimatize the animals 37 Some marine animals must not leave the wa- ter while transferring them to another loca- tion. Even a few seconds of being exposed to air may harm them. Sea urchins, starfish and pufferfish are among these air sensitive animals. Do not add all invertebrates and fish at once. Start with the invertebrates and add the fish afterwards. Make sure these animals are placed in the transport bag under water when purchasing them. Please ask your retailer how the purchased animals must be introduced into the aquari- um. Transfer into another aquarium causes a climate change for the fish and invertebrates. It is usually advisable to proceed as follows: At home, transport bags with the newly pur- chased fish and invertebrates are opened and placed side by side in a bucket. Aquarium water is dripped into the transport bags during the next half hour. An air hose fitted with a clamp are suitable for this pur- pose. By doing so, the animals not only adapt to the “new” water temperature but also to the other water parameters (salt content, pH value, etc.). sera aquatan accelerates the healing process of the mucous membrane if it has been damaged during transport. fully remove algae mechanically with a small brush (e.g. clean toothbrush). It makes sense to carry out a partial water change after- wards, using a hose or the sera gravel washer to remove the water from the aquar- ium along with the algae. When using a magnifier you will be able to discover small crustaceans such as isopods or copepods on the aquarium glass. These are important for every aquarium and its manifold life forms. They have entered the aquarium with the live rock chunks. By and by, further life forms brought in with the live rock will establish. These small organisms make the activation phase, but also the con- tinuing operation of the aquarium an exciting expedition into the world of small creatures. You can then introduce the animals after 2 weeks.