How long do you acclimate your new fish?

wow, alot of new ideas. I've just always floated the bag for at least 15 mins, then dumped the water through a small net, catching the critter, (never allowing any of the nasty LFS's water to go in my tank!) and in the fish goes.

There are several LFS here, but none are worthy. Of anything unfortunatley. Theres not one in Jacksonville I've found that will tell the truth, or keep from selling you something they know will not live in your tank!!!

I have to call all around town trying to find something when I need it. I don't like having the store order me anything. Then they want you to pick it up immediately. I like to try and get livestock thats been in the store for atleast a few days.

My point is, my LFS's , from what they've told me, only acclimate their stock for the time it takes to stick the bags in a tank off the delivery truck, take care of the delivery, and in they go to showcase tanks. They don't take near the care the owner of the new critter will!!!!

Scoffer

 

I'm acclimating my first fish as we speak.

I got a pair of clowns (peculia? sp*) (yes I'm a newb).

I'm a nursing student, so I have tons of IV tubing laying around. I just set up an IV line dripping into a jug with as little of the LFS's water as I could keep. Once it's full, I'll take out half, and continue to let the drip go in. I'm on the west coast of FL, so there isn't a huge difference between my tank temp and the temp in my room.

It has been almost an hour, so I'll be putting them in within 20. Wish me luck.

 

I float the bag for 20-30 minutes. Then, every 5 minutes I add about 1/3 cup of tank water to the bag, and do this 3 times for a total of 15 minutes. If the fish is delicate, or known to acclimate poorly, I do the 'adding 1/3 cup of water every 5 minutes' again.

Never had an issue! (knock on wood)

BTW, Matt, do you have any pictures of your turtle on here? I love turtles!

 

I drip for a half hour to an hour to double the volume of water in the bag, then empty half and do it again. Once the dripping is done, I float the fish for a bit w/ lights off, then I dump the water out of the bag into a bucket (fish still in bag), and submerge the bag in my tank, fill it with tank water, and let the fish out.

 

I float the bag for 10-15 minutes. Then open it and clip it to the rim and use a turkey baster to add tank water 3 squirts at a time til the bag is full. If the fish is looking ready to leave the bag I tip the bag out into a bucket, net the fish and put in qt.

 

i use the drip method , slow drip for about 30 mins , then into the tank. never had any problem with my fish after being added. i like to get them into the system as quick as possible

 

Rofl, this thread was dead for about 5 years until today...

Drip acclimate if bought locally. Temp only if the fish was shipped.

 

were you born then?

 

I always drip for a hour + has never failed me

 

LMAO I didn't realize until you brought it up! ;D