The short answer
Drip acclimation is a gentle way to introduce new fish or shrimp: you slowly drip your tank water into their container over 30–60 minutes, so the animals adjust gradually to your aquarium’s temperature and chemistry instead of being dropped straight in. It’s the kindest method for sensitive livestock — shrimp and invertebrates especially — because it eases them through any difference between the shop’s water and yours.
Why do it slowly
Fish and shrimp come from water that may differ from yours in temperature, pH, hardness and more. A sudden switch shocks them. By trickling your water in a drop at a time, the container’s water is gradually replaced with yours, so by the end the animals are effectively already in your parameters and the move into the tank is a small step.
How it works
- Float first to match temperature. Rest the sealed bag in the tank for around 15 minutes so the water warms or cools to tank temperature.
- Set up a drip. Empty the bag into a clean container, then run airline tubing from the tank to the container with a knot or valve to slow it to a steady drip — roughly a few drops per second.
- Let it run 30–60 minutes, until the container’s volume has doubled or tripled with tank water. Go slower for shrimp.
- Net them into the tank and discard the old container water — don’t pour it in.
When to use it
Drip acclimation is worth the effort for shrimp, inverts and delicate fish, or any time your water differs a lot from the source. For the wider process of settling new arrivals in, see how to acclimate new fish and do I need to quarantine new fish?. Getting your own water right first matters too — see what pH do shrimp need? and test with a water test kit.