Discus Acclimating

[beadgal05]

I'm getting my discus tomorrow and have no clue how to properly acclimate them? Any help would be appreciated! I don't have a quarinteen tank only the one they will be living in. Thanks

[devonpond]

It sounds like you're obtaining your discus from a single source and will place them in a cycled tank without existing fish. Thus you do have a quarantine tank!

For acclimation, some people drip water from the new tank into a holding bucket.

I prefer the plop and drop method myself. I release the fish and the bag water into a small 2.5 gallon bucket. I check to see that the temperature of the bucket water and the tank water is pretty close. Then I net the fish and release them into their new tank.

The idea is to get them out of the shipping water as soon as possible. Then I turn the lights off, and leave them alone until the next day. No feeding until the next day.

If your tank is in a living space, where lights can't be turned off, I'd place some cardboard around the outside of the tank to dim the tank lighting as much as possible.

[Kindredspirit]

I don't have a quarinteen tank only the one they will be living in. Thanks

Are there other discus/fish in "the one they will be living in".....?

[beadgal05]

They will be the only fish in the tank

[KJoFan]

I wouldn't implement the "plop and drop" method if the pH of your water is alot different than the source water (try to find out what the water params are of the source water). You will probably also get a pH drop when you open the bag. I don't plop and drop mine because generally they're coming from a pH around 6 and mine is 8.2. Too big of a shock IMO.

[AADiscus]

I use the drop and plop method. Also find out what the seller was feeding them so that you can still accommodate them and also introduce them to the feeds you might be feeding.

[Sterno]

i prefer to slowly aclimate my fish

[Apistomaster]

I wouldn't implement the "plop and drop" method if the pH of your water is alot different than the source water (try to find out what the water params are of the source water). You will probably also get a pH drop when you open the bag. I don't plop and drop mine because generally they're coming from a pH around 6 and mine is 8.2. Too big of a shock IMO.

Actually the pH drops in the shipping bag which helps protect them from ammonia. When the bag is opened, CO2 leaves and the pH will rise and as the pH rises the high ammonia levels become more toxic.
That is why matching the temperature and then using the "plop and drop" technique is better. This especially applies to discus that have been shipped and spent 24 or more hours bagged.

If they are coming home from your local fish shop or local breeder 30 minutes away the the drip method won't hurt. But if they have been shipped it is far better to get them out of that water ASAP.
I doubt anyone in the business uses the drip method on shipped fish; they know better.

[OriTeper]

what if the fish is going from very soft and acidic to very hard and higher ph water, would you still recommend the plop and drop method?

[BSW]

I'm a little leery of "Drop & Plop" with Discus, because of PH & temp. change mainly. However if they have been in shipping bags for a while, they do need to come out as soon as possible. But you don't want to shock or stress them any further. I fill a rubbermaid tub with water of the correct temp. place all the bags into it upright. and open them. I use a few drops of ammo lock in each bag to neutralize the ammonia, and pour (equal to the contents of the bag) about 1/4 of the new tank water in each bag. Wait 10 to 15 minutes and pour another 1/4 of the new tank water. Be sure to keep them warm enough during this process. 10 to 15 minutes and pour another 1/4. After at least 30 min. I put them into their new tank, and keep the lights off for a day. And I do not feed until the next day either.
Just my method, but I'm sure many methods work.
B

[Kindredspirit]

That is a good method, B. ~ I have used it as well and I am not a patient person, make no mistake about that:o

But ~

I think if they have been in the bags a long time, it is best to get them out, hence, drop and plop:D

[BSW]

I'm pretty lucky here, UtahDiscus.com is right down the street from me, and I don't have to ship Discus at all ! But I have shipped many Angelfish, and use that method. I agree drop & plop is necessary sometimes, it can be the lesser of two evils. With Discus though I'd sure do a Ph on the bag water and a Ph on the tank, just to know what kind of a change I was looking at. I'd also try to get them up to temp before dropping. But they really are pretty tough fish, if they are healthy from the start, they can take alot.
I do believe it's best to get them out of the bags ASAP though.
B

[Apistomaster]

If you know ahead of time what the pH and hardness the discus are already used to then why not prepare your water to match that ahead of time? The pH of the shipping water will not be indicative of what is was before they were packed for shipping.

[Graham]

I agree with Larry here..especially if the tank is bare to start with...drop the temp and the pH down to closer to what the shipping bag is....drop and plop.