How Do You Move A Fish?

[LolaLouie]

I was just wondering the best way to move a fish from a QT to the main tank.

Do you have to bag them and then float etc. like a new fish?

Or do you just net them and put them in the main tank?

Or as my QT is quite small can I just do a water change but put my main tank water in the smaller tank and then put the fish in the main tank?

Thanks

 

[Snooks1!]

I think, it would be best if you bagged and floated the fish. Acclimating them like you would any new fish. ( Gradually dripping more of the tank water into the bag before releasing the fish into the tank )

 

[Mikaila31]

I have always bagged mine, but I only float them for a couple acclimate them for a few minuets. Unless there is a difference between the two tanks.

 

[Snooks1!]

You could just ask them nicely enough, I'm sure they'd move

 

[rdd1952]

I bag mine just to acclimate them temp and pH. The pH in my tanks tend to run a little lower than my q-tank since it hasn't been set up that long. If the pH of the 2 tanks is roughly the same and the temp is the same, you could most likely just plop them into the new one. A lot of people use that method successfully even for new fish.

 

[darkwolf29a]

I wouldn't bag them, but then I have a whole process I go through. LOL

I always grab a big bowl, put the fish in. Wait 20 minutes, then put some of the new water in, take some of the old out. Rinse and repeat for about an hour. Then....I just net and release, unless I can grab the fish with my hand. I prefer to hand transfer over netting, because some fish can get fins caught in the net, and getting them out can kill the fish.

 

[hollyp0p]

because they are only going from QT i same house to main tank, I'm guessing it's safe on this occaision to add the water with the fish in the bag??
Which from now on I'd never do from LFS after bad bacterial experience!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

generally i just net them and put them in the other tank, never once had a problem. unless you've delicate fish or the parameters in your tanks are vastly different then you're generally OK too.

different to getting fish from the lfs where they've generally got different water conditions to yours and fish in shops are usually a bit more stressed than at home just cos of the environment.

 

[LolaLouie]

Ok thanks for the advice, i think maybe i'll just net him then, pH and temp are the same... I'm embarrassed to say i've never moved a fish as I don't normally quarentine (but this fish was from a horrible, dirty tank with lots of dead fish) and any hospitalized fish have died in the QT

 

[darkwolf29a]

because they are only going from QT i same house to main tank, I'm guessing it's safe on this occaision to add the water with the fish in the bag??
Which from now on I'd never do from LFS after bad bacterial experience!

That's threason i did suggest the bag. A good sized bowl is perfect for the purpose, honestly. I have a rubbermaid bowl that we don't cook with any more. That's what I use to do all my acclimations, then I just rinse it out, dry it off...wait for the next one.

 

[rabbut]

When intraducing to QT, I do a drip aclimation, regardless of species. Float for 20min, then stick in a bucket. Drop down airline, and start a syphon. Adjust the flow from the syphon in another bucket, such that it would take it an hour of two to fill the bucket, using airline valves. Then add the line to the bucket with fish in. Leave the bcket to fill, then net the fish into the QT tank.

During QT, I waterchange 10% daily for the first week, then 30% daily for the second week, using water from the main tank for re-fills. This ensures the stats are similar. Whrn ready to move the fish over, I do a quick temporature check, to ensure that the temps in the main and QT tank are within 1 degree of each other. If so, I net and move in the net to the main tank, drop aclimating them. If the temps are different, I adjust the QT tank heater accordingly, and move in 24hours time.

HTH
Rabbut