Ways To Introduce New Fish to Your Existing Aquarium

Acclimating a new fish into an aquarium can be stressful, as it can quickly put a lot of unnecessary pressure on a fish’s immune system and well-being. If you’re struggling to figure out how to acclimate one or multiple fish, here are a few ways to introduce new fish into your existing aquarium.

Float Method

When introducing new fish, one of the most popular and long-standing ways is the float method. This is done by floating the bag with the new fish in the tank water. The water temperature in the bag slowly becomes the same as the tank. You’ll want to pour out about a third of the bag water and refill the amount you poured out with tank water. Once the bag has floated for about 15 minutes, you can pour out half of the bag water and refill it with more tank water. Once the water quality in the bag is the same or similar to the parameters in the tank, your fish is ready to enter your established tank.

Drip Acclimation

The drip acclimation method is a little more complex, as it requires a siphon. You’ll need to place your new fish in a bucket with the water it came in. Tie several knots in the air tubing to control the drip rate; it should flow at a rate of four to five drips per second. Once the water volume has doubled, which will take a while, stop the siphon, remove half the water, and repeat this process. Once the volume in the bucket has doubled, your fish should be properly acclimated and ready to enter the tank.

Drip Versus Float Method

There is much debate surrounding these two methods in terms of which one is better. In truth, both are quite equal as long as you’re measuring the water quality of the bag water and tank water. However, if your fish has been in the bag for quite some time, there is likely a CO2 buildup in the water. This build-up can lower the pH of the water inside the bag, making the ammonia in the water less harmful. In this case, it is easier to use the drip method.

Some fish hobbyists float the bag while setting up their drip acclimation. It all depends on what is easiest for you to do and measure. Understanding the different ways to introduce a new fish to your existing aquarium can help you decide what’s best for you and your fish. Luckily, Fish Tanks Direct has fish aquarium supplies for sale online, so you can buy whatever you need to acclimate your new fish.