Moving Fish from QT to DT

[Rutrag]

I have an exquisite wrasse and a flasher in my QT that should be ready for the DT. The problem I'm having is with my work schedule as of late, I haven't had much waking time (for the fish) to move them. The lights have been out in the QT for a while, and I flipped them on, and of course they've both settled in for the night. It got me to thinking, is it more or less stressful on the fish to move them while sleeping or when fully awake?

 

[HumbleFish]

If I'm using an acclimation box, I like to move mine as soon as the lights come on so I can then release the fish directly into the DT about an hour before the lights go out. Assuming there are no obvious aggression issues. If there are aggression issues, the fish stays in the acclimation box for a couple of days or until the situation calms down.

If I'm releasing the fish directly into the DT (and not using an acclimation box beforehand), I do it about an hour before the lights go out. This gives the new fish a little time to figure out his new surroundings and the lights go out before any fighting gets too serious. Things always seem to be better the next morning.

I don't drip; I just put the fish right in the DT. Just make sure your QT's temp/SG match perfectly with the DT.

 

[Deinonych]

I always move mine in the morning before the lights come on. My reasoning is that it gives the new arrival the full day to get used to the new environment, and there is minimal activity from the resident fish at that time.

I don't drip acclimate either. I just make sure the QT water parameters match that of the DT. Never had a problem.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I do water changes in my QT with water from the DT, so the fish in quarantine are used to the DT water. I keep the water parameters in the DT and in the QT the same, so I don't do any further acclimation.

I typically move fish from the QT to the DT an hour or two before lights out so I can observe the interaction and turn the lights off early or otherwise intervene if necessary.