Acclimating a Saltwater Fish

• 1). Open the bag the fish came in and empty it into a small bucket. The water level in the bucket must be deep enough to submerge the fish entirely. If you were not given a lot of water, use a large bowl or pitcher. A pitcher works well because it is narrow with tall sides, meaning the fish will not be able to jump out.
  
  
• 2). Measure the depth of the water in the bucket or pitcher using the ruler.
  
  
• 3). Mark a location on the bucket or pitcher where that is approximately three times as high as the water level.
  
  
• 4). Start a siphon of water from your saltwater aquarium running through the plastic airline tubing. You can do this by placing one end of the tubing into the aquarium and either sucking some water through with your mouth or vigorously pumping the tubing until water begins to stream.
  
  
• 5). Tie a knot at the other end of the tubing so that the water begins to drip. Ideally, you'd like it to drip at about one drop per second. Tighten or loosen the knot to achieve the desired drip rate.
  
  
• 6). Place the dripping end of the tubing over the edge of the bucket or pitcher so that the water from your aquarium continuously drips into it. The slow introduction of your new fish to the aquarium's water conditions will ensure a successful acclimation.
  
  
• 7). Wait for the water level in the bucket or pitcher to reach the mark you made earlier.
  
  
• 8). Scoop the fish out of the bucket or pitcher with the net and gently place it in your tank, allowing it to swim out.