Proper Way To Acclimate Angelfish To Tank

[kingmed]

I bought 3 small around a quarter size angelfish yesterday at the fish store which was about a 45 min. drive from home, when I got them home I let the bag float in the tank for about 20 minutes and then poured the bag into a container and then poured the angels into the net and put them into the tank. This morning I woke up with one dead attached to the suction of my AC 50 FILTER and this morning my wife called at work saying that our 5 yr. old daugher found the other one dead in the sandy bottom. The other one is doing great. My question is what is the proper way to acclimate and to put the angelfish or any other fish at that into the tank without stressing them out any more than they already are when bringing them home. I'm sure I didn't do the right way, or proper way and I do hate that 2 died, so for next time any suggestions and help would be so greatly appreciated.

 

[jb12288]

I bought 3 small around a quarter size angelfish yesterday at the fish store which was about a 45 min. drive from home, when I got them home I let the bag float in the tank for about 20 minutes and then poured the bag into a container and then poured the angels into the net and put them into the tank. This morning I woke up with one dead attached to the suction of my AC 50 FILTER and this morning my wife called at work saying that our 5 yr. old daugher found the other one dead in the sandy bottom. The other one is doing great. My question is what is the proper way to acclimate and to put the angelfish or any other fish at that into the tank without stressing them out any more than they already are when bringing them home. I'm sure I didn't do the right way, or proper way and I do hate that 2 died, so for next time any suggestions and help would be so greatly appreciated.

what I do is leave them in the bag and float them in the tank for a while. then i open the bag up and pour a teaspoon of my tank water in the bag. i do this about three or four times every few minutes and then i net them and put them in the tank.

 

[kingmed]

how do you net them, do you pour them into the net or pour the water in some container? This is where I have a hard time figuring things out cause I don't have a net small enough to go into the plastic bag, that's why I think I'm doing it the wrong way and probably stressing out the fish.

 

[shroob]

how do you net them, do you pour them into the net or pour the water in some container? This is where I have a hard time figuring things out cause I don't have a net small enough to go into the plastic bag, that's why I think I'm doing it the wrong way and probably stressing out the fish.

Some people just use their hands, I don't know how wise this is but my LFS does it and they know what they are doing.

If you are worried about sensative fish, theres the 'drip method' which involves putting the fish in a bucket (or a bag if its big enough) if you pu the fish in a bucket, make sure it has enough water for the angels though, by this I mean don't use tank water or tap water, just the water they came in. Then get an airline tube and create a syphon from the tank into the angels water, but tie a knot in the tubing so that only a drip comes out (should be around 2-4 drips a second). Some people do this until the level of water in the fish container has doubled then they remove half and wait until the water level has doubled again. Over time this is probably the best method for introducing fish, though I havn't used it myself.

http/www.liveaquaria.com/general/general...eral_pagesid=19
Explains it better than I do

 

[jb12288]

when i net them, i usually get my bucket and put my net long ways over it and pour the angles into the net and then transfere them to the tanl.

 

[jaybee]

I usually let the bag float on the tank for a few minutes so that the temperature will be balanced.

for more information about acclimating angelfish: http/angelfishinfo-jaybee.blogspot.com/2010/09/acclimating-new-angelfish.html

 

[Tolak]

Floating the bag is fine for a quar tank. If there is water in the bag there is bound to be water on the bag. This being the case you may as well dump the bag water in if you are floating the bag in a quar tank. If it isn't a quar tank use the previously mentioned drip acclimation method, don't get the bag water or fish near the tank.

You'll want the water volume to double every hour for about 3 hours, giving you 87.5% tank water in the bucket. If the fish look stressed slow the drip, after 3 hours net out an average fish, place them in the tank & observe. If the fish appears to be acting relatively normal considering all the activity net the rest of the fish & put them in the tank, if not drip acclimate for a while longer.

Obviously if the fish came from the shop down the street that has the same tap water as you a quicker drip can be used. If they come from water with unknown parameters better to be safe than sorry.