Actually Putting New Fish In A Tank

[ellena]

I have looked for info on this (although it might be a while before my tank's ready, but best to be prepared eh? ) and I've only seen mention of a quarantine tank. What if I haven't got one?
Presumably the very first fish I put in can go straight into the tank anyway?
I remember my dad floating new fish in the tank, in the bag the shop put them in, but I can't remember how long for and whether he put any water from the tank into the bag or what?
Sorry if this has been covered, I went through the pinned threads but couldn't find anything

 

[Truck]

you can quarantine fish, and you should but i never have.

this is how I acclimatize:

put fish and water from bag into bucket, stat a siphon with a piece of airline and clamp it so you get 3-4 drips a second, once the bucket is full, put fish in the tank

 

[ellena]

Ah, I see! Might not be able to stretch to a whole bucket (that's half the tank volume!) but sure I could adapt the idea. Thank you
A sort of related Q-how long is it safe to keep the fish in the bags for the drive home? Just thinking how far afield I can go to look for fish.

 

[Truck]

Ah, I see! Might not be able to stretch to a whole bucket (that's half the tank volume!) but sure I could adapt the idea. Thank you
A sort of related Q-how long is it safe to keep the fish in the bags for the drive home? Just thinking how far afield I can go to look for fish.

a few hours if kept warm, just wrap the bags in towels and put them in a dark box

 

[ellena]

Brilliant! Should be able to travel a fair way if necessary then

 

[oliesminis]

i didnt have never used a bucket but i used a jugwhich i half fill with bag water. when its full they should be acclimatized

 

[Truck]

i didnt have never used a bucket but i used a jugwhich i half fill with bag water. when its full they should be acclimatized

depends on the species, and the difference in water stats

 

[P&J]

i didnt have never used a bucket but i used a jugwhich i half fill with bag water. when its full they should be acclimatized

depends on the species, and the difference in water stats

I've heard otherwise on this idea. From what I've been told (there's a huge disclaimer for you!), the only thing to really acclimatize the fish to is the temperature. The idea is that pH and other water-chemistry issues would take days to acclimatize to, so a few hours in a bucket won't really do anything. Any thoughts?

-P

 

[waterdrop]

Brilliant! Should be able to travel a fair way if necessary then

Another helpful thing is to be sure the LFS puts plenty of air in the bag. The bag shouldn't be mostly water or there will not be enough oxygen for a long trip. The movement caused by travel is actually good in the sense that it disturbs the water surface a lot and lets the gas exchange happen.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

The simple answer to one of your questions: if they are the first fish in a tank, there is no reason to bother with a separate tank unless the community tank is huge and you are concerned about disease treatments right away. I would suggest that if you are worried about disease treatments, it is time to find a better fish shop.
My approach to acclimation is simple. I put the fish and their shipping water into a small bucket. Next step is to start a siphon from the new tank using an air line hose. Tie a simple overhand knot in the air line and tighten it enough to get down to a drip instead of a continuous stream of water. After an hour or more, when the bucket is getting full, net the fish into the tank because by then most of the water they are swimming in came from that tank. Pour out the bucket of water and add water to the tank as needed for your miniature water change.

 

[TropicDan]

Although recommended in basically all situations, for freshwater tanks a quarantine tank is really a necessity as it is in saltwater tanks. Mainly meaning extensive reefs, where thousands of dollars have been spent and introducing an infected fish could be devastating. I have never quarantined my freshwater fish, instead I buy from reliable sources, and observe a fish for a while before purchasing. Although this isn't a fool-proof way of not introducing diseases into your system, it has worked for me and I have maintained healthy tanks for a while now. My new/first saltwater tank though, I will definitely be quarantining everything.

As for acclimation:
of course the drip method is the most effective, but again IMHO for freshwater isn't totally necessary.
Simply float the bag for around 10-15 minutes to warm the water, then add small amounts of water from your tank every 5-10 minutes until the bag is full. Empty/dispose of most of the water in the bag, and keep adding increasingly larger amounts of water into the bag. Once you have filled the bag 2-3 times the fish is ready to go in. Get him in a net some how (this is when using a bucket instead of a bag makes things easier) and release him. Try not to get any of the store water in your tank, while not usually a threat, you never know what is in that water, just don't let any in your tank.

Good Luck!

 

[waterdrop]

Get him in a net some how (this is when using a bucket instead of a bag makes things easier) and release him. Try not to get any of the store water in your tank, while not usually a threat, you never know what is in that water, just don't let any in your tank.

Easiest way is to "pour" him into the net as the water is poured from one container to another, say from the plastic bag to a small rigid container, then gently but quickly lower the net into the tank and let him swim free.

Just to add another agreement, this is a good way to minimize the amount of their water that gets into your tank and is mentioned here on the forum every now and then, its a good practice I think.

~~waterdrop~~