Acclimation

[Sashimi]

What are the different methods for acclimating fish? I have only found info on the drip method. When acclimating new fish in the same manner as the video link below, is it really ok to let store water mix with your aquarium water? I understand that the store water is diluted (about 25% is store water) following the videos method, but shouldn't we be worried about introducing a parasite/illness into the aquarium?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZt8VN6Ysg4&feature=related&noredirect=1]How to Acclimate New Fish & Invertebrates | DrsFosterSmith.com - YouTube[/ame]

 

[wontonflip]

Drip method is proven to be the best method, because of the way it gradually matches the bag water's parameters to your tank, thereby putting less shock to an already shocked fish/invert.

When I finish acclimating, I scoop out the fish with my hand or net and put the fish in. One of the reasons you don't want to mix store water and your water is because of the risk that they medicated their tanks w/ copper. Copper will kill all of your inverts, and it's very difficult to get copper out of your tank since it leaches into the tank's seams.

Actually, his drip is too fast for my taste. Mine is half that speed :) But I've never lost a fish using this method.

 

[joshlegs]

if you don't have a drip tube, you can add like a half cup of tank water to the store bag every 20 or 30 minutes or so, till you've about doubled the volume of water. That's how I've been doing it, although drip acclimation really is the best way.

 

[Sashimi]

I didn't think about copper. If I acclimate the fish and put it in a QT for a few weeks, is it necessary to acclimate againwhen moving the fish to the DT?

 

[wontonflip]

Wouldn't hurt to acclimate. I don't qt so wouldn't know lol But if you used the same change-out water for the qt as you do the dt, I don't think they would have different parameters.

 

[little_fish]

You should acclimate from the QT to your DT. Just because the tanks are in the same house doesnt meant they have the same water conditions.