How to Acclimate Your Fish to Your Aquarium - Drip Method

Saltwater fish can be sensitive to rapid changes in water conditions, so it's important to be extremely careful when acclimating new fish to your aquarium. The most popular method is floating the plastic bag with your new fish in your aquarium for several minutes, then releasing the fish and the water from the bag into your tank. However, this exposes the current aquarium inhabitants to the pet store's water. An alternate way is the drip method, which takes two to three hours but provides a safer way to introduce new fish into your aquarium.

Things You'll Need

  • Airline tubing
  • Bucket or pitcher (3 to 5 gallons)
  • Fish net
  • Vegetable clip with suction cup
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set a bucket or pitcher on the floor beside your aquarium. This container should be big enough for your new fish, but not so big that your fish won't be able to swim in it with only the water from its plastic bag.

    • 2

      Carefully empty your plastic bag and fish into the bucket. You may need to tilt the bucket so the water is deep enough for your fish to swim in.

    • 3

      Cut a length of airline tubing long enough to reach comfortably from the tank to the bucket, plus a few extra feet. Tie two or three loose knots into the airline tubing so you can control the flow of the water. Lower one side of the tubing into your aquarium and clip it to the side of the aquarium so the end stays submerged.

    • 4

      Lightly suck on the opposite end of the tubing until the aquarium water reaches past the top of the tank. Do not let any of the water get into your mouth.

    • 5

      Lower the other end of the tubing into the bucket with your new fish. Adjust the knots until you have a slow but steady drip from the aquarium into the bucket. The flow should be about four drips per second.

    • 6

      Wait until the water in the bucket has doubled. Remove about half of the water. Let the drip continue until it has doubled again. After about two hours, your fish should be properly acclimated.

    • 7

      Use a net to scoop up your new fish and place it into the aquarium. Submerge the net in the water and allow the fish to swim out. Do not pour the water from the bucket into the aquarium, as this could still contaminate your aquarium with water from the pet store.