Q&A for How to Add Fish to a New Tank

You shouldn't add a fish to a new tank right away, as it will need time to acclimate to the water. Instead, keep your fish in its bag and float it in the tank water for 15-30 minutes.

75-80 degrees is the recommended temperature for most tropical fish.

Give him at least 12 hours after getting him, then you can start feeding him. Make sure you have the right food and you aren't giving him too much.

It could be ammonia burn. Check your tanks ammonia levels at a fish supply store or with a DIY kit. You can always try quarantining the fish, or ask a vet.

Yes, do a little research on disinfecting the items first so you don't contaminate the environment.

All bettas have an organ called the labyrinth, which means unlike other fish, they breath air. They also build their bubble nests at the surface. You will often see them taking gulps of air from the surface. They like hiding under floating leaves on or near the surface, not hanging around tank plants unless those plants touch the surface. They are not active swimmers, preferring to move slowly from here to there, and side to side; they are not an up and down sort of fish, and do not enjoy deep tanks. You neglected to say if you had an air supply to the new tank -- many bettas are put off by air/bubbles/filtration that causes a lot of agitation of the surface water, which could also explain the issue.

Goldfish like 55-65 degrees and angles like 72-80 degrees. They cannot be kept together.

You can use tap water - just make sure you have added a water conditioner to the water before you add the fish.

Yes, it matters. You should place the bubble pipe in such a way that the bubbles rise from bottom to top of the tank.

You should cycle the tank for at least 2-4 weeks, test it to make sure it has no nitrite or ammonia in it, and then follow the steps for introducing new fish into the tank.

Guppies should be fed once a day, with only as much food they can eat within a 30-second sitting. They should be fed tropical flakes with a supplement of frozen, freeze-dried or live bloodworms, krill or brine shrimp.

Test your water for quality. Then, you'll know it's safe to add fish.

You can put the water from the bag into your new tank but it is suggested if you are putting your fish into a community tank that you put the least amount of the fish water from the bag into the tank.

Well, it's okay if you have a cycled tank, but if your tank isn't cycled it is likely the fish will die. Also, you need to make sure the water is conditioned and that the fish has been acclimated.

Guppies prefer to swim in the middle to top of the tank. Although it depends on the fish, guppies are considered upper tank fish.

Yes. The light is equivalent to our sun, so fish need to know when to wake and when to sleep. The lights shouldn't be on longer than 10-12 hours but live plants need the lights on to grow. Fish tend to rest during the day, but at night they like the lights off like we do.

The rule of thumb is 1 gallon per inch of a full grown fish. So the smaller the fish, the more you can put in.

You should wait 1-2 weeks after you've started filtering. Then test the water and add your fish if you the water parameters are okay.

You do this slowly, by adding a few at a time.

Give it at least an hour or two, or follow the directions you have. After adding or nurturing beneficial bacteria for a while, it should be fine to add the fish. Remember to check the water first

It depends on the size. If they're small, like guppies, it's safe to have anywhere from 10-20. If they're the size of fully grown platys, you could probably fit 8 or more with a maximum of 18. If they're the size of young oscars or convict cichlids, about 6.

About every 5 days or so. If you have a larger fish such as a angel fish, change it every 3 days or so. If you have a smaller fish such as a betta fish, you can change it about once a week.

The tank must contain a large number of plants to give the female betta fish some place to hide from the male or he will kill her.

No. Allow it to cycle.

If you've set up the tank properly and added water and everything else needed for your fish to survive, then you can put them in immediately afterwards.

If you just got the fish, the water will get cloudy from bacteria growing. If this is not the case, thoroughly clean the tank.

If you have a new fish that needs to be added to the tank, you would place the bag that you got that contains the fish in the new water. Don't open it, and leave the fish to sit in the new water inside its bag for about 30-40 minutes. Place the fish and the water it came in into a bowl and slowly drip the new tank water into it.

Read the ratings/reviews of the tank. If you're buying the tank at a pet store, ask the employees about it. Check it for cracks and read all of the instructions that come with it.

No, use the light as normal and don’t turn the light on right away as the new fish may be stressed from transport. Give the new fish at least 2 hours before feeding them and turning on the light.

Yes. Betta fish do not like bright lights. It is best to have a low light on 6-8 hours a day. And keep the Iight completely off at night.