Fish Acclimatisation

[chris489]

What's the best way acclimate fish into a new tank?

 

[lost02]

Watch "Acclimation using the Drip Method" on YouTube
Acclimation using the Drip Method: http://youtu.be/Yl1uxBp8XjE

 

[Intricateart]

Definitely the drip method.

 

[lost02]

You could also float the bag the fish came in.( in your tank for 20 mins). Then open the bag and add a little bit of water every ten mins for at least 40 mins. then move the fish to your tank and discard the water you mixed to acclimate. Do not put any water from the bag in your tank.

 

[YodaHart]

That's exactly what I do. I usually wait until there is double the water then put the fish in the tank. You may want to consider a quarantine tank too.

 

[mcarroll]

That video is way too long and I don't think he's acclimated that many fish before.

In the usual case where there's nothing wrong with the fish or the water in the bag - for example, when you go to the pet store and bring home about any mainstream fish in a bag - you can very safely remove the fish from the bag water and add him to your tank.

If you have reason to suspect the health of the water or fish - maybe you buy sight-unseen online - then it could be worth a 10 minute drip acclimation.

This means put the fish and the bag water in a bucket or something - ideally where the bucket can be floating in tank water. Use a piece of airline to creat a slow drip from your tank to your bucket. After about 10 minutes, remove the fish from the water and put him in the tank.

Any more time than this is unnecessarily going to stress the fish by having him in a tiny container with increasing ammonia levels...and there's very little upside to longer times.

-Matt