Marine saltwater fish

Question
hello.i need a page of answers for a question.would you please help me?what is the best way to release a new fish into a tank?Explain why.
this is a question to my assignment homework.
thankyou. hopefully i will get a answer.


Answer
Hello Antonia,

Well, i am not sure i should be doing your homework for you?!?!

I guess i would start off by saying the process is called 'acclimations'.  which means, getting used to...

If I were to take you, a breathing mammal and try to re locate you into the ocean, I am sure you would appreciate it if i moved you slowly, and got you used to the temperature, and if i was feeding you air, that the air was similar to what you normally breathe, (if you were from higher altitude you would want thinner air, and if a lower altitude thicker air, or if from Los Angeles, then smellier air, etc)

Moving fish and not matching the new surrounding to the current surrounding, would 'shock' and stress' them. And they may or may not take that stress well..


So, with that in mind,  the process of 'ACCLIMATION' is:

1.  Float the container the fish came in, in with the main display tank.  This will help match the temperature of the small container with the larger display tank

2.  Start mixing/blending teh water of the shipping container with the main display tank water.  this needs to be done slowly to avoid shocking the fish.  (if you were from Los Angeles, and used to breathing SMOG, putting you into a pure oxygen environement would shock you and make you ill)

   this process is called, 'DRIP ACCLIMATION', as it references how slowly you should mix the water... 'dripping tank water into the shipping container water, drop at a time.

   It is good to do this slowly, and to allow the tank water to become the larger volume/amount of water.  i.e. if you had a fish in one cup of shipping water, you should drip at least two cups of tank water into the acclimation container.  You should double the amount of water, to dilute / blend the water.


3.  It is also good to plan this addition to your tank to be done when the tank is dark, or quiet.  This will let the new fish/occupant time to hide and not be 'checked out' by everyone else.

4.  some fish in your display tank, may think they are the boss of the tank, and or have the nicest home/cave/hole... They may give the new kid a hard time..  You might want to do a couple things... Add the new fish at night, and maybe re arrange teh rock work in your tank, to make everyone look for a  new home/hole/cave, and no one will be the boss...

5.  It is a good idea to let the fish time to get used to his new home.  they may not eat well at first, and a variety of foods should be tried, but dont over feed the tank..

Anyways, these are the major points to consider when adding new tank mates to an existing tank.

I hope this helps.

please let me know what grade I got.

Thanks


bill