Before the Courier Arrives
Have the destination tank (or a clean quarantine bucket) already running at a stable temperature. Acclimating into an unfinished, cloudy, or still-cycling tank is the fastest way to turn a healthy delivery into a loss.
Turn the room lights down and pause any aggressive tank mates if you must use a shared display tank. New fish need quiet water more than they need an audience.
- ✦Heater and filter already on for at least a few hours
- ✦A clean cup or airline tubing ready for drip acclimation
- ✦Phone charged if you need an unboxing video for DOA claims
Minute 0–15: Rest the Closed Bag
Put the sealed oxygen bag in a shaded spot beside the tank — not on a hot tile floor, not under a window. Let the fish float or rest closed for 10–15 minutes so temperature can start equalizing without a sudden dump.
Do not open the bag yet. Do not squeeze it. Do not poke the fish through the plastic. Stress hormones are already high from travel; extra shock here shows up later as clamped fins or refusal to eat.
Minute 15–45: Equalize Temperature and Chemistry
For most Betta and Guppy deliveries in Cambodia, a careful float plus slow cup exchanges is enough. Open the bag, roll the top down so it floats, and every few minutes add a small cup of tank water into the bag water.
If the bag water smells strongly of ammonia or the fish is gasping at the surface, shorten the water-mix time and move the fish sooner into clean, aerated tank water — long soaks in spent bag water can be worse than a careful transfer.
- ✦Prefer small, repeated mixes over one big pour
- ✦Keep lights dim the whole time
- ✦Never pour shipping water into your main display tank
Minute 45–60: Net Transfer, Then Leave Them Alone
Net the fish into the tank or quarantine vessel. Discard the bag water outdoors or down a drain — never into the aquarium. Then walk away for at least an hour.
No food yet. No rearranging decor. No “welcome party” of tapping the glass. The first meal can wait until the next day unless the seller’s care card says otherwise for a specific species.
DOA Window — Honest Timing
If your order includes a Dead-on-Arrival replacement policy, read the shop terms before you open the bag on camera. Many policies need a continuous unboxing video and a claim within a short window after delivery.
4848 OneShop’s public DOA path is replacement-oriented with proof requirements — film first if the fish looks dead or dying on arrival, then contact support through the documented channel. Guessing and late photos usually fail the claim.
Cambodia-Specific Heat Notes
Afternoon courier delays in Phnom Penh heat are real. If the bag feels hot to the touch, extend the rest phase in a cooler indoor spot before opening, and prioritize aeration after transfer.
Rainy-season humidity does not protect fish from heat in a parked delivery van. Plan to be home for the delivery window when you can — a bag left at a hot gatehouse for hours is outside what any acclimation ritual can fully undo.