ACCLIMATING DISCUS

[beadgirl05]

I'm waiting on the delivery of 3 out of 6 doscus fish (3 are on backorder) and there are no instructions on how to properly acclimate--I have no quarinteen tank for this only the one they will be living in. Any help would be apreciated!

[apistodiscus]

Any other fish in that tank yet?
If not just ask your dealer what their water parameters are and try to adjust your water accordingly. If there isn't much of a difference acclimatize like any other fish. I always add a few Indian almond leaves to the tank. Some people will probably tell you that you should treat them with metrodizanole first. I strongly advise against it. There are more problems in the hobby now due to the over-reliance on antibiotics than problems solved by them. The pre-emptive treatment seems to be prevelant in Aisia, the US and Australia. In Europe it's more observe and treat as required approach. You wouldn't take antibiotics as a precaution, why should your fish? Have a look at their faeces. Once they are not white you will be OK. The only thing you might want to do is deworm them. Flubenol 15 is great and will get rid of gill flukes as well.

[racefiend]

where would i be able get my mitts on some indian almond leafs.I too will be adding a new discus without a quarintine and would also like to keep the kids off of metro.

[ILLUSN]

can we get abit more info about your tank?
how big? what substrate? planted or not?

theres a few things you can do. lots of airation into the water, and try leaving the lights off for a day or 2 to help them settle in.
Have some live food on hand to get them eating (i use brine shrimp), maybe add a teaspoon of salt per 40L of tank volume to ease osmotic stress and help regenerate their slime coat after transport.

If you can get indian almond leaves, great but just be warned dont go too crazy with them, they'll drop your pH VERY fast.

[racefiend]

I chose not to risk it any more so I just went a bought a 10 gal for a quarintine tank but here's
what I have anyway
72x18x18 tank
gravel bottom
not planted but lots of wood and places to hide.
Thanks for the help