Summary of Acclimation: drip or dump?
- How long do fish need to acclimate?
- How do I acclimate my fish?
- How long should a fish tank sit before putting fish in it?
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AI Overview
AI Overview
To acclimate fish, use the Floating Method (float bag for temp, then slowly add tank water to bag over 30-60 mins before netting fish into tank, discarding bag water) or the quicker “Plop and Drop” (float bag for temp, net fish into tank, discard bag water) for hardier fish, ensuring lights are off to reduce stress. The more gradual Drip Method (using airline tubing to slowly add tank water to a separate bucket with the fish) is best for sensitive saltwater species or invertebrates, as it slowly adjusts pH and salinity. Always discard the shipping water to avoid introducing pathogens or ammonia spikes into your tank.
Method 1: Floating & Water Addition (Recommended for most Freshwater)
Turn Off Lights: Dim or turn off your aquarium lights to minimize stress.
Float the Bag: Place the sealed bag in the tank for 15-20 minutes to equalize temperature.
Add Water: Open the bag, roll down the sides, and add about 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag; wait 10-15 minutes.
Repeat: Add another 1/2 cup of tank water every 10-15 minutes (repeat 3-4 times) until the bag volume roughly doubles.
Release: Gently net the fish from the bag into the tank, ensuring you do not pour the bag water into your aquarium.
Method 2: Plop & Drop (For Hardy Fish)
Temperature Acclimate: Float the sealed bag for 15-20 minutes as above.
Transfer Fish: Turn off lights, open the bag, use a net to catch the fish, and place them directly into the tank.
Discard Water: Throw away the shipping water.
This video demonstrates the “Plop and Drop” method for acclimating fish:
52s
Cichlid Bros
YouTube · Nov 8, 2025
Method 3: Drip Acclimation (For Sensitive Saltwater/Inverts)
Set Up: Place fish in a clean bucket, float the bag in the bucket, and set up an airline tube drip line from the tank to the bucket (use a knot to slow flow).
Drip: Let the water drip slowly (2-4 drips per second) for an hour or more, adjusting flow and removing some water from the bucket as needed.
Release: Gently net the fish into the tank (again, discard bucket water).
This video shows how to set up and perform a drip acclimation:
55s
Dmm
YouTube · Oct 10, 2016
Key Tips
Turn off lights: during acclimation to reduce stress.
Never add shipping water: to your tank; it contains waste and can have dangerous pH swings when opened.
Never rush: the process; patience prevents stress and illness.
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The challenge is to mitigate ammonia produced during shipping. Fish will produce enough ammonia during shipping to be lethal if not handled correctly. The reason why fish don’t die, while being in transit, is because while the fish are producing ammonia, they are also producing CO2. CO2 lowers the pH of the shipping water enough and low enough that ammonia is no longer toxic. This is why we don’t worry too much with ammonia in freshwater tanks. It is not toxic. So, when the pH drops, ammonia is no longer toxic so the fish are fine.
The problem is when you open the bag and let the CO2 out. As soon as the pH rises, the ammonia will become toxic and either kill the fish out right or damage their gills to the point of irreparable damage and the fish dies 3 weeks later of no apparent reason.
To avoid ammonia poison, you need to either lock the ammonia with prime, as soon as you open the bag, or scoop the fish out and put them in fresh saltwater that is at the same temperature as the fish come with. Salinity can be, up or down, 1 ppt with no problem. You can then drip acclimate with your system water for as long, or short, as you want to.
Drip acclimation without mitigating ammonia is a death sentence. My preference, and the only method I use, is to match temperature and salinity and scoop them out of the shipping water and into new saltwater as soon as possible.