# Major fish exchange



## twocents

I know I am going to hear about over crowding... there is a long story behind the one tank.... 
Bottom line is I want to swap fish between tanks to try and provide a better environment for the two.
My 20 gallon is really over run with plants, water sprite and java moss or fern, not sure which (it started as a 'lawn' I bought from petco). This leaves very little room for the rainbows. Yeah, i could take the plants out which i do from time to time: I cut them back. 
My empire gudgeons, which are more laid back and hide a bit more i think would be perfect for the 20 gallon. Meanwhile I can move these Australian rainbows to the 29 gallon which is more open.
the plan is to catch as many fish at one time out of each tank and acclimate them to the other tank. Any stragglers I can catch and move later. Compatibility isn't much of a problem. 
The question is, standard acclimatization procedures ok in this? Or would I do better just to do this transfer gradually?
Thanks.


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## Flear

instead of trying to acclimate the fish to the new tank, ... it may be simpler to get the tank parameters to match each other.

could mix water between them till you're sure they're sharing enough of each tank water in both tanks, ... if the parameters are drastically different between to the two (or just different enough you're worried about shocking them) to the changes slow, ... a scope from one into the other, back and forth till you're sure (either by what you think, or more reliable, by test kits you have)

after parameters are similar enough swapping fish back and forth will only be the stress of being chased by a net, pulled out of the water into the air *gasp, gasp* then back into water *relief* (either bucket or the other tank, ... whatever works)


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## DeboraBremner

I used to (once in a while) need to swap between two tanks...but the parameters were identical. What is the difference between the two tanks? Did you test the water in both to see if there is any difference?


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## jeaninel

I net fish directly over to other tanks quite often and never had any problem. Of course I make sure temps/ph match but to be honest I haven't checked my kh and gh in quite awhile.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaysee

jeaninel said:


> I net fish directly over to other tanks quite often and never had any problem. Of course I make sure temps/ph match but to be honest I haven't checked my kh and gh in quite awhile.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_



Same here, but I don't check any parameters.


Show tanks 125, 125, 90, 10, 5, 2.5
QTs 2x29, 2x20


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## equatics

I don't have the actual experience with fish-swapping, but I recall it being said that no two tanks have the same water. Also IMO if you don't want to take any chances period you could do the regular water acclimation thing just to make sure without going crazy with it. 

Steven


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## jaysee

The water doesn't have to be the same, just close.


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## equatics

I agree, except for the water hardness. I understand that the difference in pH does not bother tropical freshwater fish as much as a difference in GH (General Hardness), when greater care should be taken. This is what I recall reading here, and I guess I'll be a goat if someone finds the reference and it means something else


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## henningc

I have over 20 tanks and the water is almost identical in each. I move fish like people change socks as I breed in rearing tanks.


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## equatics

That's cool. Sounds like you don't do any acclimation. I think too that small fish (juveniles) are particularly sensitive to changes in the water so you would know it right away.

Re-reading your post, it sounds like the breeding fish are the ones being moved.


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## jaysee

If I am not mistaken, when you breed they are all moved around, including the fry.


I know of a private aquatic retailer that doesn't acclimate her new fish - just dumps them right in.


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## rickey

I don't worry about moving fish around all the tanks are the same. When I receive new fish I'm more worried about getting the fish out of the bag water than acclimating to may water. I have removed fish from the bags and transferred them to cooler of freshwater in the airport parking lot because the shipment was delayed and I wasn't sure the livestock would survive the drive home.

R


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## jaysee

Fish are not nearly as fragile as many people think. Of course there are situations that they just will not fare well with, but for the most part they're pretty tough. I know a lot of people make a huge deal about acclimating. My practices are very lax with regards to acclimation and I have never once lost a fish because of it.


Show tanks 125, 125, 90, 10, 5, 2.5
QTs 2x29, 2x20


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## Flear

i was lax with fish acclimation till i was loosing new fish (every single one), ... i thought i must be a horrible person  took me awhile to get past that and look up what was going on and how to deal with it so it didn't continue happening.

haven't lost a fish since


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## jaysee

What did you find the reason to be why every new fish was dying?


Show tanks 125, 125, 90, 10, 5, 2.5
QTs 2x29, 2x20


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## Flear

ph from the LFS was likely near tap water (they actually do water changes weekly 
ph in my tank was likely 8.5 (i don't have a high ph test kit so i'm guessing as it was clearly off the scale for the regular test kit

so they go from a ph of (guessing) 7, to 8.5 with zero time to acclimate to a change, ... not good, not good at all

from there it was take a small measuring scoop and every few min (not rushing, just a few times an hour) till there was 2x the origeonal water in the bag, ... then with much uncertainty, dumped the fish into the tank, and they survived, ... i was so happy i wasn't killing them anymore.


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## DeboraBremner

One thing I always do when bringing fish home from the lfs is test the bag water for PH as well as nitrate. It gives me a good idea of how long...or quickly to acclimate. I have been shocked to fine nitrates ranging from 40 to 100 from the fish bag. Sometimes the water is so toxic I'm quite anxious to get them out!


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