When is the least stressful time to move fish from QT to the main display?

[dR3ws3r]

Subject kind of says it all. I purchased a Tang about 35 days ago. I'm ready to move it to the main display. The fish is pretty skiddish. Hides a lot, and tries to slide itself under the PVC pipe when people get near the tank. I would like to "try" and make this the least stressful experience I can, but I realize this is probably going to be stressful no matter what I do. The main tank only has 2 clowns, a royal gramma and a Watchman Goby, so I don't think there is any aggression issues ... hopefully. Is there a better time of day? Lights off?

Thoughts?

 

[TX_REEF]

I'd do it at night, as late as late as possible after lights out. I had to use this technique to catch a coral beauty angel that was otherwise nearly impossible to capture...

 

[Subsea]

Lights off

 

[blecki]

Match QT exactly to display so you can just scoop and plop. No acclimation needed.

Figure out where the fish is sleeping (pretty easy to do in QT usually).

Lights out.

Wait an hour or so.

Locate fish with flashlight.

Scoop out sleeping fish.

Deposit in acclimation box.

Done.


From the fish's perspective, it's like when you were a kid and could teleport from the car to bed. Doesn't work with every species, but good for most. For little guys that like to sleep inside a rock, give them one, then in the middle of the night just move the rock from one tank to the other.

 

[Waters]

I either do lights off or I feed the tank and then put the new addition while everybody else is eating......gives the new fish a chance to hide without being harassed.

 

[Subsea]

One thing that @Lasse does is to put new fish in protected space of refugium, then after a week, release into main display.

In most cases, I feed then release fish in display.

 

[exnisstech]

I've always added fish after lights out but with a little ambient light so the fish can see the rocks structure.
Recently I've discovered an acclimation box to be invaluable. I recently added a second CBB using this method. I used a $15 reptile carrier with some holes melted in it for circulation. When I attempted adding the fish directly into the DT it was attacked and had to be removed.

Now I have a pair of CBBs

 

[Lasse]

Sincerely Lasse

 

[barrybaok]

Doesnt sound like it's ready if it hides when someone come close
I didn't quarantine my blue tang. When feeding, I stood and watched it for couple of days till it became comfortable lol

 

[Largeangels]

After feeding. Then always in a good sized specimen container, like Lasse has. Days in container varies. Container is placed close to where I feed so they all get used to new fish.

Water changes in QT from main display towards end of QT so no worries on water parameters.