It is often stressful when introducing new fish to an aquarium. You want to make sure that the transition is as smooth as possible and that the fish does well in his new environment. There are many different water parameters that can vary from tank to tank. The best way to acclimate a fish to these changes in water chemistry is using the drip acclimation method.
Dripping Fish
Dripping fish is a way to slowly mix the water from the bag with the water from your new tank
- Start off by pouring the water from the bag into a small container. You want to make sure it is small enough for the fish to be completely submerged with the amount of water in the bag, but large enough to allow you to add more water from the tank.
- A heater is also important to maintain proper water temperature. If the water temperature of the bag does not match the water temperature of the tank, the change can shock the fish. You must also be careful that the heater remains entirely submerged and covered. If left uncovered, the fish will often hide against the heater and can burn themself. To prevent this, submerge the heater in a filled water bottle. Then stand the water bottle upright in the container with your new fish. This will keep the fish warm while preventing him from burning himself.
- An air pump is also important. After a while of being bagged, the fish’s oxygen starts to deplete. If left for too long, this can starve the fish of oxygen. But even after a short while, the increased levels of CO2 decreases the pH of the water. Even a small change in pH when acclimating a new fish can be very dangerous. An air pump in the water provides the fish with plenty of oxygen and also slowly raises the pH up to an appropriate level.
Acclimation
Once the container is set up, it is time to start the acclimation.
Using a length of airline tubing, start a siphon and tie a knot in the end until a few drops are coming out a second. You can also use an airline valve to set the drip rate.
- Cover the container and drip the fish for about 2 hours. Some fish may need longer acclimation times, such as seahorses and other sensitive animals. The amount of water should quadruple.
Adding fish to the tank
- When adding the fish into the tank, net or scoop him out and place him in with the lights off.
- Throw the water from the acclimation container away. This helps to ensure that possible pests, parasites, and diseases from the previous system are not introduced into your home aquarium.
- Some fish, such as frogfish and puffer fish, should not be exposed to air, and should therefore be scooped up in a small amount of water and added to the tank.
- Keeping the lights off in the aquarium will help avoid aggression between your new arrival and the established fish in your tank.
If you have questions, please call us at Fauna at (212) 877-2473, and one of our aquarium experts will be happy to help you. Our technicians are all experienced keepers with a professional sense and knowledgeable skill set that care about the tanks they service and the well-being of the animals inside them. At Fauna, we want you to succeed in having the most beautiful tank you can possibly imagine.
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