how do you acclimate your fish? drip or float or both?

I feel the same way... My LFS can get almost anything in stock if I ask for it. At least I have a chance to see the fish in their store before bringing it home to my tank.

 

Float fish for at least 10-15min

 

I usually drip anything for 10-15 min depending... for things like cuc just float them...

 

No one is going to like what I do...o well.

I float everything (except hermits and snails) for 15 minutes then throw them in my tank. I haven't lost a creature yet.

 

Wish we all had that option; I live in a remote town in the mountains of Idaho... Nearest fish store is a three hour drive if weather conditions are perfect.

 

IME of 6 years of freshwater and a few months of saltwater, I've always gotten better quality fish and inverts (from shrimp to corals to snails) going online, and I've gotten them cheaper too. I've only really used one of the larger sites that I know and trust pretty well at this point, though, so YMMV with smaller and less-known sites.

Also, I always drip.

 

I float them for 10-15 minutes with the light off, don't know that it matters but i figure i wouldn't want a MH right in my face, so neither do the fish.

 

I if I do acclimate it has to be a rare or expensive fish But I put them in a small bucket and mix in 1/2 new tank water with store water then allow them to clam down and never use a net I simply slowly slid my wet hand up under the fish and lay it in the tank very slowly then they just kind of hang out front rather then shoot for the rocks . Nets cause skin abrasions and problems with added stress .. Keep the little bucket covered and dark also relieves stress and they will lay clam and quiet on the sides of the pale. This way you never add or allow any of the stors water to enter your tank . I have sold and ordered fish on line a million times never anymore issues then going to a LFS .

 

I float for 20-30 minutes, and then put in a small amount of my tank water every 5 minutes, usually for a total of 15 minutes. If it is a more sensitive fish, then I'll add water every 5 minutes for 30 minutes total. Then I leave the lights off for 2-3 hours, depending how stressed the fish seem and whether or not they are being bullied.

 

These are all interesting replies... I've drip acclimated everything I've put in my tank (time depending on creature), becuase that is what I've always been told by my LFS.

Is it really not necessary for fish? Inverts, I assume it is needed.