How to Acclimate Your Fish to a New Aquarium
Use this method unless you know the place you got it from uses best practices, especially if you have a saltwater tank., Always keep a small 10-20 gallon, low or no light tank, treated with copper or other typical treatments., Put all new fish into...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use this method unless you know the place you got it from uses best practices
The problem is the disease or parasites are in the water and on the fish.
Even if you transfer the fish without the water into your tank, the fish can still carry parasites and disease.
Without putting the fish into quarantine you really have no idea what you are introducing into your tank.
Unless you treat the fish first, or know for sure the store has, you are risking your entire tank.
There are reputable dealers who "self quarantine" their fish.
They have a medically treated tank which the keep the fish in for 1-3 weeks before putting them into the display tanks for sale.
If you know for sure that is who you are buying from, then the methods suggested below are safe.
Net the fish after it's acclimated to the tank water temp.
Some stores keep their fish in treated water (copper or other types of treatments).
This is good, but if you put that water into your tank, and it's a reef invertebrate tank, you can lose all your inverts.
Some stores just dump all their fish into one common system.
Their strategy is the fish will only be in their store a short time and not long enough to show symptoms or die before it's sold.
If it does, they just dispose of it or offer the customer a partial or full refund.
So once you dump it into your tank it's game over.
Some of these are discounters that 'churn and burn' their inventory.
They don't care about the fish, it's just stock to them.
For freshwater tanks, it's not a problem.
Float the bags and dump the fish is fine.
If it's a freshwater tank you probably have had medication in the tank already. -
Step 2: especially if you have a saltwater tank.
Keep a few cleaner wrasses in there, maybe a 4-6" pipe or something where the fish can feel safe. , After 7-30 days of no symptoms, drain some of the water into a bucket (1 gallon is fine) and you net the fish into the bucket.
The time frame depends on the life cycle of parasites and the temperature of the water.
Higher temperatures mean a shorter life cycle and less time in the quarantine tank. , After you have doubled the water (now 2 gallons) net the fish and put them in the main tank.
Keep a floating thermometer in the bucket to make sure you're within one degree of tank water.
Sometimes a heater is needed, but usually not. -
Step 3: Always keep a small 10-20 gallon
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Step 4: low or no light tank
-
Step 5: treated with copper or other typical treatments.
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Step 6: Put all new fish into this tank.
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Step 7: Take the bucket and add 2 cups of water from the main take to the bucket about every 5 minutes.
Detailed Guide
The problem is the disease or parasites are in the water and on the fish.
Even if you transfer the fish without the water into your tank, the fish can still carry parasites and disease.
Without putting the fish into quarantine you really have no idea what you are introducing into your tank.
Unless you treat the fish first, or know for sure the store has, you are risking your entire tank.
There are reputable dealers who "self quarantine" their fish.
They have a medically treated tank which the keep the fish in for 1-3 weeks before putting them into the display tanks for sale.
If you know for sure that is who you are buying from, then the methods suggested below are safe.
Net the fish after it's acclimated to the tank water temp.
Some stores keep their fish in treated water (copper or other types of treatments).
This is good, but if you put that water into your tank, and it's a reef invertebrate tank, you can lose all your inverts.
Some stores just dump all their fish into one common system.
Their strategy is the fish will only be in their store a short time and not long enough to show symptoms or die before it's sold.
If it does, they just dispose of it or offer the customer a partial or full refund.
So once you dump it into your tank it's game over.
Some of these are discounters that 'churn and burn' their inventory.
They don't care about the fish, it's just stock to them.
For freshwater tanks, it's not a problem.
Float the bags and dump the fish is fine.
If it's a freshwater tank you probably have had medication in the tank already.
Keep a few cleaner wrasses in there, maybe a 4-6" pipe or something where the fish can feel safe. , After 7-30 days of no symptoms, drain some of the water into a bucket (1 gallon is fine) and you net the fish into the bucket.
The time frame depends on the life cycle of parasites and the temperature of the water.
Higher temperatures mean a shorter life cycle and less time in the quarantine tank. , After you have doubled the water (now 2 gallons) net the fish and put them in the main tank.
Keep a floating thermometer in the bucket to make sure you're within one degree of tank water.
Sometimes a heater is needed, but usually not.
About the Author
Adam Chapman
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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