New fish comes from a different pH

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I’ve got a new fish coming, and I just now learned the fish may* be coming from a 6.5 pH, and my tap water is a 7.5. The fish is already in transit. Any advice?

*per strips. Liquid test will be done on source water tomorrow to confirm. 
 

My tank:

Amm 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 5

PH 7.5

gH 150

kH 180

Edited November 28, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Tlindsey]

Definitely would drip acclimate. Is it WC.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/27/2023 at 6:28 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I’ve got a new fish coming, and I just now learned the fish may* be coming from a 6.5 pH, and my tap water is a 7.5. The fish is already in transit. Any advice?

I would follow shrimp acclimation methods if it's a concern. 

1.  Open the bag and add 1-2 drops of dechlorinator
2.  Get that water dumped into a container with the fish, specimen container works well, and add an air stone.
3.  Drip in water and remove any debris from the bag.  Then inspect the fish.
4.  Fill the container, then remove as much water as possible, drip it until it's full one more time.
5.  use a net, move them to the tank.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/27/2023 at 11:02 PM, Tlindsey said:

Is it WC

What do you mean?

[jwcarlson]

On 11/28/2023 at 4:36 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

What do you mean?

Probably asking if it is wild caught.

 

I'm not necessarily suggesting this.  But I have gone to get them to temperature and then plop and drop and I don't think I have had any issues since.  Going up in pH is typically easier on fish (from what I understand).  My pH is 8.3 or so, so things are almost certainly going up in pH when I get fish.  So take that for what it's worth.  

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/28/2023 at 5:41 AM, jwcarlson said:

if it is wild caught

No, hobbyist raised. Comes from different part of the state.

[jwcarlson]

I don't think you should be worried, acclimate the way that makes you most comfortable.

[Guppysnail]

On 11/28/2023 at 5:41 AM, jwcarlson said:

Going up in pH is typically easier on fish (from what I understand). 

This is my understanding as well both for fish and shrimp. The softer water forces its way into the fish faster than their bodies can expel it when going hard to soft. 
 

[Mmiller2001]

I just want to add my 2 cents of Nerd. PH is not an indicator of water hardness or softness. I would ask the supplier for their GH and KH and compare it to your own. If it’s wildly different, a slower acclimation would be ideal. But I just plop in these days with tank bred fish.