Home > Pets > Fish

How To Introduce New Fish Into A Fish Tank

Subject to Terms, Conditions & Disclaimer  |  Viewing problems?  |  Report problem
Check out the Pet Hall Of Fame!
Related
This film will show you how to set up an aquarium for tropical fish. It will show you how to add gravel, water, plants and equipment to the aquarium or tropical fish tank.
Set Up A Tropical Fish Tank
Views: 42,686
This film will show you the basics of keeping your fish tank clean and healthy, including cleaning the aquarium filter and the gravel.
Clean And Maintain A Fish Tank
Views: 35,479
This film will show you how to select fish for a coldwater temperate aquarium. It will help you decide which types to choose and how many to keep in your tank. Learn the correct procedure for choosing fish for a coldwater fish tank.
Choose Fish For A Coldwater Fish Tank
Views: 47,105
This film will show you the basics of how to take care of a goldfish, including goldfish feeding, tank maintenance and goldfish illness.
Look After A Goldfish
Views: 27,651
This film will show you how to select fish for a tropical aquarium. It will help you decide which types to choose and how many to keep in your tank.
Choose Fish For A Tropical Fish Tank
Views: 23,718
This film will show you how to set up an aquarium for coldwater or temperate fish, such as goldfish. It will show you how to add gravel, water, plants and equipment to your new aquarium.
Set Up A Coldwater Fish Tank
Views: 16,693
How to care for Piranhas: Piranhas are a carnivorous fish from South America, which have a fearsome reputation. This film will show you the basics of looking after pet piranhas if you wish to keep them as pets.
Care For Piranhas
Views: 16,599
Want to know how to keep Angel Fish as a pet? These beautiful tropical fish are quite easy to look after, and are a favourite with aquarium owners. Watch our guide to keeping Angel Fish.
Care For Angel Fish
Views: 906
A short film giving you a top tip from Colin Agness from Woodford Aquatics helping you  to decide how many fish to get for you fish tank.
Fishkeeping Top Tip: How Many Fish?
Views: 12,980
Setting Up Your Aquarium
Setting Up Your Aquarium
Views: 3,334
Tags:  
Fish (28)
Downloads: IPod IPod PSP PSP Mobile Cell Mobile/Cell 

Bookmark with:
Delicious Delicious Digg Digg Reddit Reddit Facebook Facebook Stumble Upon Stumble Upon

Print these details

How To Introduce New Fish Into A Fish Tank

This film will show you how to add a fish to a new aquarium, as well as add a fish to an existing aquarium.


Step 1:

You will need

  • A fish tank
  • aquarium bacteria
  • and a fish

Step 2:

Prepare

The key to adding fish to an aquarium is to go through each stage slowly and gently, so that the fish don't have any sudden shocks. If you are adding fish to a new aquarium, set up the aquarium and allow it to settle for 2-3 days before adding your first fish. To see how to set up a new aquarium, watch VideoJug's films http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-choose-fish-for-a-coldwater-fish-tank or http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-set-up-a-tropical-fish-tank
Resist the temptation to immediately fill up the new aquarium with lots of fish. Just add one of two fish each week, so that the ecosystem in your tank can develop gradually. Your retailer will supply your fish in a plastic bag, which you should transport home with great care. Before putting the fish into the tank, switch the tank light off, as the fish will be calmer in the dark.

Step 3:

Float

Float your new fish inside its bag in the tank water for about 15 minutes. This will allow the temperature of the water inside the bag to adjust to the tank temperature, so the fish can become accustomed to it.

Step 4:

Bacteria

If the fish is being added to a new aquarium, this is a good time to add live bacteria to the water. Bacteria are essential for the health of your fish, as they process the fish's waste and prevent the water from becoming toxic. Aquarium bacteria come in liquid form, which can simply be poured into the tank. If the aquarium has been established for a while, then it will already have bacteria in it.

Step 5:

Release

After adding bacteria and floating the fish in the bag for 15 minutes, the fish can be released into the water. First pour some water from the tank into the bag, so the fish can adjust to the chemistry of the tank water. After a few minutes, gently open the bag and turn it upside down so that the fish can swim out into the tank. Leave the fish in darkness for another 10 minutes or so, and then switch the light on.
Your fish are now ready to adapt to, and enjoy, their new home.

Print these details

Also known as:
  • How Do I Introduce New Fish Into A Fish Tank

Suggest other titles for this film
Email a friend Email a friend
Add to favorites Add to favorites
Rate this Film:
Click stars to rate this film
Views: 20904
44 ratings

Subscribe to RSS feed Comments:

Order by: 
Vote for Vote against Report this
Anonymous  (6 days ago)

but i only have a small fish tank and do i have to have a light?

Vote for Vote against Report this
1 out of 1 person found this comment helpful Anonymous  (45 days ago)

This video leaves out a LOT of key information. You cannot just add fish to a brand new aquarium. The nitrogen cycle must take place before there is enough beneficial bacteria in the filter to support the amount of fish waste that will be produced. This can take up to 6 weeks. Fish added before the aquarium is 'cycled' will quickly fall ill and die as they are poisoned by their own ammonia.

Vote for Vote against Report this
1 out of 1 person found this comment helpful Anonymous  (58 days ago)

I'm a little fishy!!

Vote for Vote against Report this
seatrak  (124 days ago)

sound advice,well given.Thanks Seatrak

Vote for Vote against Report this
2 out of 3 people found this comment helpful ryudo_masamune  (177 days ago)

meh :-/

Vote for Vote against Report this
2 out of 3 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (271 days ago)

why has my water gone merky so soon

Vote for Vote against Report this
2 out of 3 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (285 days ago)

i like fish espescially my 2 black moors!

Vote for Vote against Report this
1 out of 8 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (285 days ago)

i dont really believe in bactiria in the filter i used to wash my tanks filter with tap water before i saw these videos and it did no harm

Vote for Vote against Report this
4 out of 4 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (285 days ago)

i think it is quite a useful video

Vote for Vote against Report this
2 out of 3 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (307 days ago)

This comment is great advice.

Vote for Vote against Report this
0 out of 2 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (309 days ago)

one of my yellow commets has a very dark belly, can anyone tell me what it means.

Vote for Vote against Report this
1 out of 3 people found this comment helpful QuAcK  (317 days ago)

CoLl MaN ItS PrEtTy CoLl

Vote for Vote against Report this
4 out of 5 people found this comment helpful pandaking  (382 days ago)

This guide I find missleading, and in my experience as a fish keeper not a very good way of adding new fish to a tank. Firstly, you need to add small amounts of your aquarium water to the bag which contains the fish. You should add 1/4 of a normal drinking glass (filled with you tank water) to the bag every 3-4mins. Every so often, pour away some of the bag water down the sink or something, so as the bag does not become too full. After about 45mins-1hr of doing this you can add the fish to the tank. When you do so however DO NOT add the bag water to your tank. Use a net to take the fish out the bag and put them in your aquarium (the bag water could contain lots of nasties which you don't want in your fish tank). I would also wait more than 10 mins before turning on the light again. At least 1 hour really. As for these other comments: I agree - fishless cycling is in my opinion the only way to do it, but bacteria DO come in bottles. I have well researched all the available bottled bacteria, and THEY DO WORK (some however more than others). They should however be used to speed up a fishless cycle, not to allow you to add fish straight away. I have found tetra's "safe start" to be very effective - allowing the cycle to complete within a few days. There are many other alternatives however.

Vote for Vote against Report this
1 out of 3 people found this comment helpful dead_rose  (420 days ago)

Bacteria DO NOT come in bottles, they can only come from the ambient bacteria in the water, and the tank should be "cycled" before any fish are added. By cycling the tank you are allowing the bacteria to grow and to take up the harmful ammonia that the fish produce. The ammonia will be turned into nitrite, and then nitrates by the filter bacteria. This is then diluted by regular, small water changes. Please research the Fishless cycle before even thinking about putting fish in the aquarium. The fish also need longer then a few minuates to ajust to the new pH of the tank. Each time the pH jumps up, say from 6 to 7, it is a hundered fold increase, which is extremely hard for the fish to ajust to in such a short amount of time. The bag should have small amounts of water added over a 20 minuate period to allow the fish to ajust to the new pH. This also applies to other things in the water, such as phosphates and nitrates. The water from the shop should also never be added, as it will be laden with ammonia, and will also have many paracites in it, that could harm any existing fish.

Vote for Vote against Report this
0 out of 4 people found this comment helpful Anonymous  (420 days ago)

there is no such thing as aquarium bacteria, its a gimmick. and you should NEVER pour shipping water into your fish tank.

Previous 1 2 Next
Page 1 of 2
 
Add your comment Add your comment in the box:
Please keep your comments relevant and respect other users.
Ask me to sign up or log in (so my username appears next to my comment)
Submit

All Related Content:

You are in:  Pets > Fish
Pets:
Birds
Dogs
Horses
Reptiles
Cats
Fish
Pet Hall Of Fame
Unusual Animals
Creepy Crawlies
General Pet Care Advice
Rabbits, Hamsters & More
All Channels:
Beauty & Style
Health
Modern Manners
Self-Help
Cars
Jobs & Careers
Money & Wealth
Sports & Fitness
DIY & Home
Legal
Parenting
Technology
Education
Leisure & Hobbies
Pets
Travel
Environment
Love & Sex
Real Estate
Food & Drink
Made By You
Safety & Survival
Home
  • Most Viewed in Pets

    • 1
      Care For Bearded Dragons
    • 2
      Care For Leopard Geckos
    • 3
      Care For Terrapins
    • 4
      Care For Corn Snakes
    • 5
      Care For Baby Corn Snakes
    • 6
      Care For Giant African Land Snails
    • 7
      Care For Emperor Scorpions
    • 8
      Choose Fish For A Coldwater Fish Tank
    • 9
      Care For Baby Tortoises
    • 10
      Set Up A Tropical Fish Tank
  • Other Stuff

    • 1
      Surf A Wave In One Day
    • 2
      Pitch A Pop-Up Tent
    • 3
      Why Does The Earth Have Seasons?
    • 4
      Juggle 3 Balls
    • 5
      Make Chocolate Brownies
    • 6
      Brush Your Dogs Teeth
    • 7
      Knit An iPod Cover
    • 8
      Do A Wheelie
    • 9
      Animals In Space
    • 10
      Give A Homie Handshake
 
Discussion Forums
Start a Discussion   
 
About the forums   
Recent Discussions
  • 1
    Help Please,How Many Guppy,Molly Sized Fish Can I Keep In My 30ltr Biorb, I've Been Told 10, And Tol 18 hours ago    5 Responses
  • 2
    Does My Male Siamese Fighting Fish Need Company? 1 day ago    9 Responses
  • 3
    What Cold Water Fish Would You Recommend For A Thirty Five Liter Tank? 3 days ago    3 Responses
  • 4
    I Just Bought 2 Corydora Catfish Yesterday ,The Leopard Ones (Corydora Sterbai) Advice And Tips 4 days ago    0 Response
  • 5
    Why Are My Butterfly Peco Fish Dying? 5 days ago    3 Responses
Made by You
Fish Part II
Fish Part II
Made By: Mitch Wilder
Rating:
Views: 1,357
Fish, Part I
Fish, Part I
Made By: Mitch Wilder
Rating:
Views: 4,172
Popular Tags
Cat Behaviour & Training Creepy Crawlies Dog Behavior & Training Dog Food Dog Fun! Fish Getting A Cat Getting A Dog Horses Looking After Your Cat Looking After Your Dog Pet Hall Of Fame Rabbits, Hamsters & More Reptiles Unusual Animals
VideoJug
Help | About Us | Widgets | Advertise | Corporate video production | Terms & Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Copyright © 2006-2008 VideoJug Corporation Limited
home
Edition: US
My Jug | Upload | Login | Sign Up!
Home  |  Discussions  |  Help
Food & Drink Love & Sex Beauty & Style Sports & Fitness   Health   Leisure & Hobbies Technology DIY & Home   Pets   Parenting Made By You
 More
  • Cars
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Jobs & Careers
  • Legal
  • Modern Manners
  • Money & Wealth
  • Real Estate
  • Safety & Survival
  • Self-Help
  • Travel