acclimation/ Quarantine Tank

[knewby]

Sorry I'm new to discus and this site so please forgive me if this has already been anwsered. How do I acclimate my discus. How, how long and what about the Ph difference?Also do i absolutely need a quarantine tank? I'm on a tight budget.

[Carol_Roberts]

Discus from the same or lower pH can most likely go directly in the tank. Discus from higher pH should have your tank pH raised close to the level they are used to. What pH are they coming from and what is your pH?

Does it make economic sense to quarantine? Only you can anser that. How much does a quarantine tank cost? How expensive are medications to treat sick discus? How much did you pay for the discus you have now? Would it be cheaper to replace your current discus if the new discus bring in parasites, virus or bacterial infections that kill your existing discus?

[Abercrombie6202]

Acclimate: i use 2 different methods.
1. I have a 5 gallon bucket, have it filled up with the discus and there water, then every 20 minutes take a cup out of bucket and dump it into the toilet, sink, etc... then add a cup of the aquarium water. for about 60-80 minutes

2. I have a 2.5 gallon acrylic tank i fill that up with some of there waterand the discus, then i have a UV bag that drips the water from the aquarium into the 2.5 gallon tank. I wait till theres about 75-90% of the aquarium water in the 2.5 gallon then add the discus to the tank.

Do Not Put any of the water from the bucket/tank into thye aquarium!!

Quarantine: Quarantine new fish (if the tank your going to be putting them in already has discus) But if there the first fish to go into the tank, then theres no point of quarantining. But if you have to quarantine your fish in 20 high+ tank, depends on how many fish you have. Use an ordinary sponge filter, try to keep the lights low in the quaranting tank, and maybe add some plastic plants for some shelter. Do this for about 4-6 weeks!!

The point of quaranting is to make sure no new fish have a disease that could spread to your fish that are established in the tank at the moment.