New Fish AcclimationUpdated 10 months ago

Newly acquired fish are susceptible to rapid changes in salinity, pH, temperature and ammonia. They need to be acclimated to existing aquarium conditions to reduce stress from shipping, handling, and any other water parameter changes that occur during transport. A quarantine tank is strongly recommended to observe fish before placing them in the main display aquarium.

 These are a few steps to ensure that your new fish acclimates to their new home as stress free as possible.

• When first receiving your fish, visually inspect the fish and condition of transport bag for the following. 

1. Water clarity and color. (Water should be clear with no haze or discoloration).
2. Inspect the fish; The fish should be free of any blemishes such as raised scales or torn fins. In the event that there are concerns with the fish please be sure to photograph, record, document, and please promptly email WWC customer service at [email protected]

• Float the bag in the aquarium for at least 30 minutes to regulate the temperature between the bag water and aquarium.
• Open the bag and test the salinity and pH. Remember you are trying to match the parameters between new fish water and existing aquarium; it's good to have a starting point of reference.
• Place fish in a clean container of appropriate size with a lid. The use of an air stone is recommended during the acclimation process to help oxygenate the water and raise pH. If acclimating several new fish, please be mindful of compatibility and size. Multiple containers may need to be used.
• Start a drip acclimation from the aquarium to the container housing the fish. A length of airline hose with a control valve works best. A drip rate of 4-6 drops per second should be done for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove half of the water and repeat the drip process for 30 more minutes. This process cannot be rushed! (Remember to check the temperature in the container. Several factors can affect water temperature during acclimation, such as too slow of a drip rate, placement of container and air flow.)  
• Before placing fish into the aquarium, test the water parameters in the acclimation container (pH and salinity). They should match closely to the display or quarantine aquarium. If not, continue acclimating until they are very close or match. 
• pH stable aquarium water will gradually raise the low level pH water that the fish has been in as a result of its transit from our facility. 
• Turn off your aquarium lights for 24 hours. This will help reduce stress from acclimation and help subside any aggression from existing tank mates. Remove new fish from the acclimation container with a net or specimen container (specimen container recommended) and place into the aquarium. Discard all water used in the process.
• We at WWC Fish Direct cannot stress enough the importance of a quarantine/isolation aquarium. This simple setup can most importantly save the life of your new fish and the lives of their future tank mates. Not to mention countless dollars wasted and unnecessary stress on you and your aquarium.