Adding New Fish

[Viperboy]

So it was time today and i went to the LFS and picked out 5 good zebra danios and took em home. Let em float in the tank a while and added some of my water to it after a bit ... then when it came time to put the fish in i could not for the life of me figure how to put them in without getting the water in and i didnt wanna use my net yet cause i dont think im good enough yet and didnt want to hurt them ... am i just stupid or how do you do it? ... i eventually just poured em out into my tank along with the fish store water ... is this bad?
TIA

Ray

 

[shawmutt]

It's not desirable to use the water from another fish tank, but I'm sure it will be fine. I have a small plastic fish bowl I use to acclimate fish, and I also use the "drip method" that mostly salt-water hobbyists use. I dump the fish in the bowl, and then run an air line from the tank to the bowl. I tie a knot in the line so that only a drip or two per second goes into the bowl. Once the volume of the water is about doubled, I net the fish into the tank.

 

[zenkatydid]

after acclimatising, i pour the water and fish from the bag into a net over the sink or a bucket. then just drop the net into the tank to release the fish.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I net them out of the bag. If we are acclimating an African Cichlid James uses his hands.

 

[SCFatz]

after acclimatising, i pour the water and fish from the bag into a net over the sink or a bucket. then just drop the net into the tank to release the fish.

Same here.

Fatz

 

[Andyvette]

after acclimatising, i pour the water and fish from the bag into a net over the sink or a bucket. then just drop the net into the tank to release the fish.

me too.

Untie the top, twist the top of the bag. Tip it upside down while holding the bottom of the bag, and the base of the handle of net with your left hand, and then put your right hand on the twisted top. Slowly let all the water out, with the fish, and then immediately go take the net and allow it to sit in the tank for a few seconds, then you can release them.

 

[Viperboy]

Thanks these seems like a good method and i did not think of it ... ill try it when i go to get either my cories this weekend or a pleco since im starting to see some algae

Ray

 

[Andyvette]

Thanks these seems like a good method and i did not think of it ... ill try it when i go to get either my cories this weekend or a pleco since im starting to see some algae

Ray

As I am sure you know (but probably typed it so it might have read different), cories do not eat algae. Remember that your pleco will also be too big for a 29 gallon, so better options are either a couple of snails (maybe ones that dont reproduce), algae eating shrimp, or some ottos.

HTH,
Andy

 

[Viperboy]

yes i know cories dont i guess i just typed it odd .... but i was under the impression that only common plecos got to 18" and that some stayed around 4 to 6" ... am i wrong?

Ray

 

[Peregrine]

I just pour the LFS water in there. Make sure no snails are traveling with, first.
Never had problems in 8+ years.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Yes, some plecos do stay relatively small. You will be fine with a BN pleco or a similar dwarf pleco for your 29 gal tank.

 

[chotie]

I just pour the LFS water in there. Make sure no snails are traveling with, first.
Never had problems in 8+ years.

very lucky indeed. personally i would never risk pouring the LFS water in because of the possiblity that something nasty can be introduced into my tank.

 

[Jchillin]

Two methods I've used:

1. Pouring water and fish from bag directly into net over sink or large bowl.
2. Grabbing large fish out with bare hands (pleco's tend to suck on the bag making it hard and stressful to remove them).

Part of the acclimating process is to try to equal your tank water temp and ph to that of the water in the bag. Once this is done, you need not keep the bag water, since the fish did go potty in it possibly more than once on the trip home. Plus, you will more than likely transfer whatever parasite that was free floating in the water into your tank.

It is better to toss all the water.

 

[DeFeKt]

very lucky indeed. personally i would never risk pouring the LFS water in because of the possiblity that something nasty can be introduced into my tank.

if your putting your fish in your main tank from a shop that had nasties, not putting the water in isn't going to stop the nasties from getting transfered through with the fish is it now.
I use a peg to hang the bag in the tank and slowly replace 1/2 a cup or so of tank water for the same from the bag every 10-15mins or so depending on the rarity and "importance" (for lack of better word) of the fish.
I must say this might be irrelivent to this arguement as all my fish for the 100gal come straight from reputable breeders in my area, who care greatly for the quality and health of ALL their fish, and not a fish shop.
In all reality if the shop has nasties the fish should be quarantined, but that isn't possible all the time is it.

Matt

 

[Mazdaman]

i net them directly from the bag. I agree that the "nasties" will be on the fish as much as in the water. All the more reason for a QT.

 

[lovemybarbs]

I usually dump what I can in a bowl and dump the little bit of water and the fish into the tank. I've never had problems.

 

[Viperboy]

I figured as much on the pleco that i could put in a BN or a ruber .... thanks all for the advice on adding new fish im not sure if im ready to go grabing plecos with my bare hand but maybe ill try someday

Ray

 

[kaz]

why cant you just poor the fish and water into your tank? a 100g tank that small bag of water is less than 32oz of water this is nothing.

 

[trotty]

NO ONE has mentioned that you should never net PLECO'S, the barbs on the fins can get caught very easily and can cause alot of stress when trying to release them. Ive learnt the hard way and nearly lost a pleco because of this.

IME ive never had bad water from a fish shop. You can always see the condition of the shop tanks and if in doub't you shouldn't buy fish from that store period!

 

[DeFeKt]

personally i do, after the water temp and perametres have equalised.