How to Add New Fish to Your Fish Tank or Aquarium

When adding fish, live plants or other elements to your fish tank it is extremely important that you following a good acclimatization process. Any changes within the aquarium will affect the delicate water chemistry which needs to be kept stable to ensure the health of your fish.

Adding Fish to Your Tank

To prevent the balance of chemicals in your tank from spiking and causing fatalities in your new fish; it is recommended that you only add a few new fish at a time to your tank. The capacity of your tank will be determined by its size; the type of fish that you want to keep; and the amount of live plants that you may have in your fish tank. Our fish experts are on hand to help determine how many and when you can introduce them to your tank.

Acclimatisation Procedures

When introducing new fish to your tank, you will need to allow the fish to slowly acclimatise to its new environment. By following these simple steps you will be helping your fish to settle into their new home.

1. Turn off the lights in your fish tank
2. Open the bag containing your fish and remove 25% of the water. Pour this water down the drain.
3. Replace the water removed from the bag with an equal amount of water from that which is in your tank.
4. Close the bag and place it into the tank so that it floats on top of the water
5. Every 10 minutes for the next hour, remove a cup full of water from the bag, and replace it with an equal amount of water from the tank.
6. After an hour, use a fish net to carefully transfer your fish from the bag into your tank. Be careful not to allow the water from the bag to enter the tank.
7. Once the fish have been safely transferred into your tank, dispose of the water in the bag by pouring it down the drain.