How do you acclimate your fish?

[KOgle]

R - E - S - P - E - C - T (sung like the song)

[missionsix66]

I have always done the scoop(by hand) method.

[Tangster]

I'd rather just help anyone that needs help with a problem with a good solid answer from having made the same mistakes over the yrs myself.. I'm not hear to argue or disrupt.. As for how anyone should do anything ? I offer what I know for free / nada zip nothing ,To some thats all its worth , But I guess its being raised Old school by respectful country people and taught to be respectful in all my dealings with anyone Thats how I built the business that fed and supported my family for close to 40 yrs ..

[matt s]

Can't speak for others Tangster, but I can say for myself that you're assistance has been worth far far more than what I paid for it.

[GeejEx]

Getting back to the drip method... I've been drip acclimating over 30-45 minutes. By the end the water has been replaced 3-4 times over and I pour 'em in. It occured to me that I may still be retaining some Cu or other LFS nastiness in the drip bucket.

The exception to this is the new sebae anen who "footed" himself to the drip bucket. I scooped him out by hand- and he's doing great.
Also obviously corals, who don't "dump" too gracefully!

[ShrimpSkin]

Tangster keep the info coming. I have learned an unbelievable amount from reading your posts.

[bmshehan]

I'm going to try your method with my next fish addition Tangster, sounds good! I always wondered about the drip method for fish, that bag is awfully small! How do you acclimate inverts? Corals??

"Wow," I "think" my blood pressure "rose" and "dropped" 3 times "reading" some of that "crap" on "here!" Never been a "big fan" of "personal attacks"... now a "good ol' debate" is "game" for me, but not "attacks."

Originally Posted by matt s

OK so all of you are talking about this transfer involving water from the LFS, I take it very few if any of you are using a quarantine tank prior to transferring to the display tank?

Originally Posted by KOgle

Good point Matt.

Once I start bring critters home they will definitely go into the new QT tank...

Haven't had anything in it yet but that will change this week.

I don't think I would even trust their water in a QT, IMO. I'm all about not putting anything foreign in my water. I don't even have a QT yet, just my 2 pennies. Maybe one day I'll have enough space and money!

[wildreef]

I only disagree with handling them by hand'.
Is it the wrong way or not ? thats simply one persons opinion and the desire to give safe
information
A persons chances of being injured or injuring the fish increase substancualy when we attempt to handle/touch
them.
Further more most salt water fish / inverts / corals are a far cry from most fresh water species/plants as i'm sure we all agree
upon.

As for me i would prefer to use drip methods over a touching/handling in any way.
( removing water from the holding vessel and adding tank watter to it over a period of time, there by removing the orriginal water from which the fish came home in.)
And i would never suggest dip nets.
If you choose to use hands on the fish thats every ones choice,

OH for any ones curiosity here' if the fish has been treated in copper/etc.
the fish will have it in it's system from injestion any way and a certain amount will make it enevtibly into the tank.
( depending on how long the fish was at the LFS and how long it go's to QT )

But handling methods most assuridly can't be used for all fish can they ? i wouldint think so.
But to clarify as to "not to disprect any one" >
I suppose handling a clown fish is ok to an extent but i wouldint want to try a lion or fairly large tang or eel. ( in fear of it damaging me or it's self ).
But i guess each fish has it's own set of parameters when introducing it to a persons main tank.

And for any one considering "coaxing/easing/helping/touching" some of these fish should really read this >
About.com: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Wound.htm

[Otty]

Originally Posted by Tangster

I simply take my hand and easy like slide it up under the fish and they all always just lay quiet and almost go limp I then with fish in my palm easily lay them into the tanks water.. Then they will slowly swim off and they stay calm and not dive right for the rocks.. They will swim about and just blend in..

I can vouch for that because I seen him do it and was amazed at how calm the fish was after he removed his hand.

[baugherb]

I just think its freakin cool.... Bottom line is it works for him or he wouldn't be saying it did... And I bet it would work for me when I decide to try it.... JMO!!!!!