Correct way to acclimate fish

[Tbrew]

I've read too many ways to acclimate newly purchased fish to a tank.
I am going to get some damsels for my new tank, and need to know the best way to acclimate them.

Float the bag or what?

[SeanT]

Floating the bag is one way. That is a good way as it adjusts the temperature of the water in the bag to the temperature of your tank.
But what MUST be taken into consideration are the specific gravitys of your tank and the water in the bag.
If you get the fish from an LFS odds are the sg will be low, real low like around 1.021to help prevent ich and such. And your tank (I am assuming) is running at a more optimal 1.025. If you just dumped the fish in there he could become severly stressed. So you must add small amounts of your tanks water to the fish's water supply to help it match your tanks.

Others use what is called a drip method.

I personally have one of those hand on clear plastic boxes that attaches to the top of my tank and sits in the water. I pour fish and some of his water in there. Every few minutes I add some tank water (with a turkey baster). When the container is full...I remove some of that water AND DISCARD IT. And do this over the course of about an hour.

One final note...do not put the water that your fish came home with in your tank.

[xL4zYx]

I agree with Sean. Just keep adding water and discarding about 1/2 of what you put in until the the bag is almost all your water. You might want to get a net to take the fish out of the bag also :)