# Sticky  Acclimating a new fish



## SNAKEBITE

*Acclimating Your Piranha*:

The first thing you'll need to do is turn off your aquarium light, this will calm the fish's soon-to-be tankmates, and they'll be less likely to intimidate the new arrival(if keeping _Pygocentrus_). It will also serve to calm your new fish, thus reducing the stress.

Next, you'll need to "float" your fish. This involves placing the plastic bag containing your fish in the tank it will eventually live in. Float your fish for about 15 or 20 minutes. This is important as it allows the water temperature in the bag to gradually adjust to that of the tank. This method prevents your fish from experiencing any temperature shock when introduced into the tank.

After your fish has floated for that length of time, you'll then need to "drip" it. Dripping involves adding small amounts of the aquarium water to the bag until about half of the water in the bag is from your aquarium. This allows the pH and GH of the water in the bag to gradually adjust to that in the tank. This method also has the purpose of reducing the stress your fish will experience upon introduction. If the fish has been shipped, my method for floating is the same, but dripping is a bit different. Typically, they'll come drugged with Hypno or Bag Buddies. I feel its important to flush as much of this sedative out of their system as possible before putting them with other fish. I unfortunately learned the hard way: a drugged fish is a sleepy fish and becomes an easy target of predation or aggression. What I do then(after floating the bag), is cut the bag and gently release the fish and its water into a bucket. I will then "drip" the fish in this bucket. Using a bucket allows me to add much more water from the aquarium than the bag would allow.

Whatever you do, do *NOT* add the water from the bag to the aquarium, especially if the fish was drugged. These waters can damage your biological filtration. Furthermore, you don't want the ammonia-polluted water this fish has been sitting in because you don't know what viruses or bacteria its previous tank may have had. Gently net the fish out of the bag and then release the fish into the tank.

I would discourage you from feeding your fish(s) that first day. Rarely few new fish(_Serrasalmus_) eat right away. It usually takes a day or two (or even longer) before they feel comfortable enough to resume eating. Don't be alarmed if they don't eat the next day, unless you see white, stringy feces. Ime Piranhas can survive for weeks without eating. Reduce the amount you feed them at first and gradually bring it back to its original quantity.

When receiving a new fish be patient with them, they can be very skittish at first but give them some time to get use to there surroundings. GOODLUCK


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## skubasteve!

/sticky. Great post Snakebite. We need much more stickies/posts like this on subjects that get brought up every week/day. That way we can just copy and paste that into there thread and send them on their way. IMO it would be much easier than using the "search" function which doesn't always find what your looking for. Once again great post sir.


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## wundwasser

great post


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## Coldfire

Good post! I like the "how" and "why".


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## Lifer374

Great post Snakebite.

Just to add....Dripping is done by syphoning the "aquarium water" into the fish's "travel water" using air tubing with a drip valve at the end. Opening the valve to allow somewhere around one or two drips per second.


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## LFSuperfly144

Nice post!


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## itstheiceman

definitely very informational, good job


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## RAZOR_TOOTH

Great post Snake....
Alot of people still dont realize the importance of the acclimation process..

R.T.


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## SNAKEBITE

RAZOR_TOOTH said:


> Great post Snake....
> Alot of people still dont realize the importance of the acclimation process..
> 
> R.T.


I agree, this is the *PROPER* way of acclimating a new fish


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## ICEE

Sorry to say but big rhombs dont come in bag


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## SERRAPYGO

coutl said:


> Sorry to say but big rhombs dont come in bag


Who's talking about big rhoms? This is good, general information.

I wouldn't mind seeing "Part 2" on this. Introducing new pygos to an established pack. Alot of people use different methods. I have a favorite method myself. Whaddya think?


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## SNAKEBITE

share with us serrapygo...love to hear about your method, myself and others can possible learn from this


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## ICEE

I was talking about big rhombs


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## JAWZ99

ya pretty good method and u shold use the calmin salts


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## SNAKEBITE

JAWZ99 said:


> ya pretty good method and u shold use the calmin salts


calmin salts?


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## ICEE

SNAKEBITE said:


> ya pretty good method and u shold use the calmin salts


calmin salts?
[/quote]

I think he just means salt


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## SNAKEBITE

well back on topic

members please read this before acclimating a new fish, it will help alot


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## chokoboy

SNAKEBITE said:


> *Acclimating Your Piranha*:
> 
> The first thing you'll need to do is turn off your aquarium light, this will calm the fish's soon-to-be tankmates, and they'll be less likely to intimidate the new arrival(if keeping _Pygocentrus_). It will also serve to calm your new fish, thus reducing the stress.
> 
> Next, you'll need to "float" your fish. This involves placing the plastic bag containing your fish in the tank it will eventually live in. Float your fish for about 15 or 20 minutes. This is important as it allows the water temperature in the bag to gradually adjust to that of the tank. This method prevents your fish from experiencing any temperature shock when introduced into the tank.
> 
> After your fish has floated for that length of time, you'll then need to "drip" it. Dripping involves adding small amounts of the aquarium water to the bag until about half of the water in the bag is from your aquarium. This allows the pH and GH of the water in the bag to gradually adjust to that in the tank. This method also has the purpose of reducing the stress your fish will experience upon introduction. If the fish has been shipped, my method for floating is the same, but dripping is a bit different. Typically, they'll come drugged with Hypno or Bag Buddies. I feel its important to flush as much of this sedative out of their system as possible before putting them with other fish. I unfortunately learned the hard way: a drugged fish is a sleepy fish and becomes an easy target of predation or aggression. What I do then(after floating the bag), is cut the bag and gently release the fish and its water into a bucket. I will then "drip" the fish in this bucket. Using a bucket allows me to add much more water from the aquarium than the bag would allow.
> 
> Whatever you do, do *NOT* add the water from the bag to the aquarium, especially if the fish was drugged. These waters can damage your biological filtration. Furthermore, you don't want the ammonia-polluted water this fish has been sitting in because you don't know what viruses or bacteria its previous tank may have had. Gently net the fish out of the bag and then release the fish into the tank.
> 
> I would discourage you from feeding your fish(s) that first day. Rarely few new fish(_Serrasalmus_) eat right away. It usually takes a day or two (or even longer) before they feel comfortable enough to resume eating. Don't be alarmed if they don't eat the next day, unless you see white, stringy feces. Ime Piranhas can survive for weeks without eating. Reduce the amount you feed them at first and gradually bring it back to its original quantity.
> 
> When receiving a new fish be patient with them, they can be very skittish at first but give them some time to get use to there surroundings. GOODLUCK


Thanks for a great post, very usefull when im getting my new ternetzi's shipped over from the states to europe


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## Adriane King

Great post, I have been been doing a lot of research on getting a Piranha, this post will be very helpful.


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## KevinB

Very Nice Post


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## Ja'eh

Sneakbite's system is definately one of the best systems I have read about.


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## BanditBrother

Awesome post!!!!!! Take it u can use the same method in a bow for larger orders???


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## His Majesty

excellent post


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## chicos

His Majesty said:


> excellent post


this is not true.. i have 3 red belly and i add one red belly.. i follow the step to float the new fish i leave it for 10 minutes when i return to check the new red belly.. its already dead i found 4 holes inside the plastic and my piranha dont have any belly.. this is not applicable to piranha.. maybe if you have goldfish or koi..


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## lcujol

Thnx for the info snakebite


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## Bionic6

SNAKEBITE said:


> *Acclimating Your Piranha*:
> 
> The first thing you'll need to do is turn off your aquarium light, this will calm the fish's soon-to-be tankmates, and they'll be less likely to intimidate the new arrival(if keeping _Pygocentrus_). It will also serve to calm your new fish, thus reducing the stress.
> 
> Next, you'll need to "float" your fish. This involves placing the plastic bag containing your fish in the tank it will eventually live in. Float your fish for about 15 or 20 minutes. This is important as it allows the water temperature in the bag to gradually adjust to that of the tank. This method prevents your fish from experiencing any temperature shock when introduced into the tank.
> 
> After your fish has floated for that length of time, you'll then need to "drip" it. Dripping involves adding small amounts of the aquarium water to the bag until about half of the water in the bag is from your aquarium. This allows the pH and GH of the water in the bag to gradually adjust to that in the tank. This method also has the purpose of reducing the stress your fish will experience upon introduction. If the fish has been shipped, my method for floating is the same, but dripping is a bit different. Typically, they'll come drugged with Hypno or Bag Buddies. I feel its important to flush as much of this sedative out of their system as possible before putting them with other fish. I unfortunately learned the hard way: a drugged fish is a sleepy fish and becomes an easy target of predation or aggression. What I do then(after floating the bag), is cut the bag and gently release the fish and its water into a bucket. I will then "drip" the fish in this bucket. Using a bucket allows me to add much more water from the aquarium than the bag would allow.
> 
> Whatever you do, do *NOT* add the water from the bag to the aquarium, especially if the fish was drugged. These waters can damage your biological filtration. Furthermore, you don't want the ammonia-polluted water this fish has been sitting in because you don't know what viruses or bacteria its previous tank may have had. Gently net the fish out of the bag and then release the fish into the tank.
> 
> I would discourage you from feeding your fish(s) that first day. Rarely few new fish(_Serrasalmus_) eat right away. It usually takes a day or two (or even longer) before they feel comfortable enough to resume eating. Don't be alarmed if they don't eat the next day, unless you see white, stringy feces. Ime Piranhas can survive for weeks without eating. Reduce the amount you feed them at first and gradually bring it back to its original quantity.
> 
> When receiving a new fish be patient with them, they can be very skittish at first but give them some time to get use to there surroundings. GOODLUCK


This was some Really good information...cause i surely was thinkging bout taking my 2inch Red back to the store when i added him to a family of 4. Then again the previous onwer only had him by himself so YES he was very skittish when i got him. know he is doing just fine still dosent eat Half as much as the others though..


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## Bacon Of Time

Very good to know information, i plan to upgrade to a bigger tank eventualy and wish to add fish when i do so great info!!


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## tsk26

i have an 7 inch red belly in a 40 gallon tank which is very agressive. i know its small but its all i had room for for now. i also have a 4 inch red belly in a seperate starter tank. i was wondering if i add the smaller one to the bigger tank if it would cause any problems. if anyone has any suggestions on adding the new fish please let meknow


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## Red Sox Fanatic

tsk26 said:


> i have an 7 inch red belly in a 40 gallon tank which is very agressive. i know its small but its all i had room for for now. i also have a 4 inch red belly in a seperate starter tank. i was wondering if i add the smaller one to the bigger tank if it would cause any problems. if anyone has any suggestions on adding the new fish please let meknow


Dont do it unless you get a bigger tank and more fish.


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## Hemi_Man

Think I'm a lil to late. Guy at the aquarium shop didn't tell me not to add there water and had me buy 20 small guppies.......


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## canadianforever

i have 3 rbp's in one tank and one in another i was taking care of for a friend and ended up buying it they are 6" long can someone tell me how i would introduce him with my other 3? in a 65 gal?


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## Da' Manster!

Edit: my bad


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## Steven M

I have one 2.5" red in a 20 long, I have a 75 that I will be moving it into shortly! I am in the process of a diy filter/sump and a diy co2 reactor. They're curing and I will be putting the tank together in a couple of short months!

My red received a little snack today, half of a shrimp and 4 neons. I threw a few snails in there and 1 went poof, aka eaten.


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