Adding new fish to your aquarium can be a lot of fun as you get to introduce new friends to the underwater world you've created. Unfortunately, many fish that are transferred to a new aquarium incorrectly end up getting sick or dying. You should prepare the aquarium first before introducing the fish to a new environment.
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Method 1 of 3: Preparing a New Aquarium
Step 1. Wash the gravel, rocks, and aquarium ornaments
After buying a new aquarium and its accessories, you should wash it in warm water. Do not use soap or detergent to wash gravel, stones or aquarium ornaments, just use warm water. This step will remove dirt, bacteria, and toxins.
- You can wash the stones by placing them in a colander. Place the strainer over a plastic basin and rinse the gravel with water. Stir the gravel, drain, and repeat the washing several times until the rinse water looks clear.
- Once all the knick-knacks are clean, you can put them in the aquarium. Make sure the gravel is evenly distributed on the bottom of the aquarium. Place rocks and ornaments in the aquarium as hiding places for the fish to explore.
Step 2. Add room temperature water to the tank until it is one third full
Use a clean bucket to pour water into the aquarium. Place a plate or placemat on top of the pebbles while you pour the water to keep the pebbles from shifting.
- Once the tank is one-third full, you'll need to add a water conditioner or dechlorinator to remove the chlorine in the water. Chlorine can threaten the safety of fish and cause fish to die or experience health problems.
- You will notice the water turning cloudy in the first two to three days. This is due to bacterial growth and will disappear on its own.
Step 3. Install the air pump
You should install an air pump in the tank to make sure the fish are getting enough oxygen. You will need to connect the air hose from the pump to the air duct in the aquarium, for example an aeration stone.
You may need to use a check valve, or a small valve located outside the tank to hold the air hose in. That way, you can place the air pump under the aquarium. The valve also functions to stop or prevent water from pooling in the aquarium if the electricity is turned off
Step 4. Add live or plastic plants
Live plants are great for circulating oxygen in the aquarium, but you can also add plastic plants to hide the fish. You can also use plastic plants to hide equipment in the aquarium that you want to disguise for aesthetic purposes.
Keep the live plants moist until you are ready to plant them in the aquarium by wrapping them in wet newspaper. Plant the roots below the surface of the gravel, with the crown exposed. You can also use an aquatic plant fertilizer to ensure the plants grow well
Step 5. Rotate the water in the aquarium with the water spinner
Rotating the water in the aquarium will help balance the ammonia and nitrite that the fish produce and support the growth of bacteria that will devour harmful chemicals. You should rotate the water in the tank for 4-6 weeks to maintain a healthy biological and chemical balance. Rotating the water before placing your fish in the tank can help ensure that your fish stay happy and healthy in their new environment. You can buy a water spinner for your aquarium at your local pet store or online.
- When you first spin the water in your tank from scratch, you'll notice a buildup of ammonia around the second or third week. Then, there is a buildup of nitrite when the ammonia level drops to zero. After rotating the water for 6 weeks, the ammonia and nitrite levels will drop to zero and you will see a build-up of nitrates. Compared to ammonia and nitrite, nitrate is less toxic. You can control nitrate levels with proper and regular maintenance of the aquarium water.
- If you use a water spinner and see that there is still ammonia or nitrite in the water, it means that the water cycle will need to be continued for some time before you can add the fish. A healthy aquarium should not exhibit the presence of either of these chemicals.
Step 6. Check the water quality
Once you've done the water spin process correctly, you should also test the quality of the water in the aquarium. You can use test kits that you can buy at your local pet store or online.
The aquarium water should also be negative for chlorine content, while the pH of the water should match or be as close as possible to the aquarium water at the pet store where you purchased the fish
Method 2 of 3: Adding Fish to a New Aquarium
Step 1. Bring the fish from the store in a plastic bag
Most pet stores store fish in clear plastic bags filled with water. Make sure you put the fish in a dark place when you bring it home from the store.
Try to bring the fish home as soon as possible as they will need to be put in the tank after being placed in a plastic bag. This will reduce stress levels and help the fish adapt more quickly to the aquarium water. The color of the fish may fade a little during the return journey, but don't worry. These symptoms are normal and the fish's color will return to normal once it is in the tank
Step 2. Turn off the aquarium lights
Dim or turn off the aquarium lights before you introduce new fish. Turning off the lights will create an environment that won't stress the fish. You should also make sure the tank has plenty of plants and rocks to hide new fish. This will help reduce stress on the fish as it adjusts to its new home.
Step 3. Add several fish at once
Adding several fish at once will ensure that the existing fish can get used to the new inhabitants. This also prevents one fish from being intimidated by another because the existing fish will have lots of friends to hang out with. Put the fish in the tank in small groups of 2-4 so you don't make the tank feel suddenly overcrowded.
- Choose fish from the store that look healthy and disease free. You should also keep an eye on the new fish for the first few weeks to make sure there are no signs of illness or stress.
- Some aquarium owners will place the new fish in quarantine for two weeks to ensure it is free of disease and infection. If you have plenty of free time and a spare clean aquarium that you can use as a quarantine place, there's nothing wrong with trying this option. If you see a fish in the quarantine tank getting sick, you can treat it without affecting the other fish or the balance in the new tank.
Step 4. Place the unopened plastic bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes
Let the plastic bag containing the fish float on the surface of the water. This gives the fish a chance to get used to the temperature of the water in the aquarium.
- After 15-20 minutes, open the plastic bag and use a clean scoop to scoop an equal amount of water out of the tank and put it in the plastic bag. Now the amount of water in the bag has doubled; 50% water from the aquarium and 50% water from the pet shop. Make sure you don't mix water from the bag into the tank as this will contaminate the aquarium water.
- Let the plastic bag float in the tank for another 15-20 minutes. You can tie the ends of the bag to prevent the contents from spilling out.
Step 5. Use the net to scoop up the fish in the bag and transfer them to the aquarium
After 15-20 minutes, release the fish in the aquarium. Use a net to catch fish in a plastic bag and place them carefully in the tank.
You should monitor the fish for signs of disease. If there are old fish in the tank, make sure they don't intimidate or annoy the new fish. Over time and with proper aquarium maintenance, all fish will coexist happily
Method 3 of 3: Putting Fish in an Existing Aquarium
Step 1. Prepare the aquarium for quarantine
Quarantining the new fish will ensure that the fish are healthy and not bringing disease into the main tank. Quarantine aquariums should be able to hold at least 20-40 liters of water, with a foam filter that comes from an aquarium containing fish. This ensures the filter contains good bacteria to inhabit the aquarium. Quarantine aquariums must also be equipped with heaters, lights and lids.
If you are an avid aquarium owner, you may have already set up a quarantine tank. You should keep the tank clean and prepare it before buying new fish for a regular aquarium
Step 2. Place the new fish in a quarantine tank for 2-3 weeks
Once the quarantine tank is ready, you can transfer the new fish to the aquarium through an acclimatization process.
- Start by placing an unopened plastic bag in the tank for 15-20 minutes. This will give the fish a chance to get used to the water conditions in the quarantine tank.
- After 15-20 minutes, open the plastic bag and use a clean scoop to scoop an equal amount of water out of the tank and pour it into the plastic bag. Now, the amount of water in the plastic bag has doubled; 50% aquarium water and 50% water from the pet shop. Do not mix water from a plastic bag into the aquarium as this can contaminate the water in the aquarium.
- Let the plastic bag float in the tank for another 15-20 minutes. You can tie the ends of the plastic bags to prevent the contents from spilling out. After 15-20 minutes, use a net to catch the fish and place them in the quarantine tank.
- You should observe the fish in the quarantine tank daily to make sure the fish are not carrying disease or parasites. After 2-3 weeks in the quarantine tank without any problems, the fish are ready to be transferred to the main tank.
Step 3. Perform a 25-30 percent water change
Changing the water allows new fish to get used to the nitrate levels in the water and prevents fish from feeling stressed. This step is especially important if you don't change the water in the main tank on a regular basis.
To replace 25-30 percent of the water, you'll need to remove 25-30 percent of the aquarium water and replace it with chlorine-free water. Then, spin the water several times with the filter to make sure the nitrate balance in the tank is correct
Step 4. Feed the fish in the main aquarium
If there are already fish in the main tank and you want to add new fish to the tank, make sure you feed the fish first. That way, the fish in the main tank won't be aggressive towards the new fish.
Step 5. Rearrange the accessories in the aquarium
Move rocks, plants, and hiding places to new locations. Rearranging the accessories in the tank before adding new fish will distract the old fish and eliminate previously claimed territory. That way, the new fish will occupy the aquarium with equal rights and will not be alienated by the old fish.
Step 6. Familiarize the new fish with the water in the main aquarium
Once your new fish have been quarantined, you'll need to repeat the same acclimatization process for the main tank. This will help the new fish get used to the water in the main tank and make it easier for the fish to enter their new environment.
Place the fish in a bowl or plastic bag filled with water from the quarantine tank. Let the bag float on the surface of the main aquarium water for 15-20 minutes. Then, use a clean scoop to scoop out the water from the main tank and pour it into a plastic bag. The amount of water in the plastic bag has now doubled, which is 50% water from the main aquarium and 50% water from the quarantine aquarium
Step 7. Introduce new fish to the main aquarium
Let the fish sit in the plastic bag for another 15-20 minutes. Then, use a net to catch the fish, remove them from the plastic bag and place them in the main tank.
