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Marine fish readily adjust to a rapid drop in salinity without any ill effects.
So you don't have to do it as slowly as raising.
It is the raising of salinity that must be done slowly.
Monitor the pH daily as this parameter has a tendency to fall in diluted saltwater.
An adequate oxygen level to provide energy is the top priority crucial to survival and recovery. A sufficient oxygen supply and allowing the fish to swim will reduce stress and help them to remove toxins from the body.
A swing in pH from 7.0 or so (maybe lower) to the pH of natural sea water (about 8.3) in just a few hours is highly stressful. Even a small change in pH, if it is rapid, can cause severe acidosis in fish leading to death.
Rapid temperature swings are also stressful contributing to blood chemistry changes and inhibited immune function.
Slowly adjust the pH no more than .3 per day (example: pH of 7.7 adjusted to 8.0) and the water temperature a couple degrees Fahrenheit each day.
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