cleaning the gravel in my tank, should i take the fish out and put them in something while i am cleaning so they dont get stressed out?
2006-09-22 07:57:47 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Actually, you will find that they tend to chase it around, all excited in case you pull up something edible. Taking them out will cause them a lot more stress
A
2006-09-22 12:13:56 · answer #1 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well that depends on the type of fish you have. If you have a betta, or gold fish in a bowl with no filter or aeration. Then the answer yes. You should do this at least once a week. Otherwise NNNNOOOOOO!!!!
Removing the fish from the tank is highly stressful, and shouldn't be done unless you have no choice. Also the gravel contains bacterial which convert deadly ammonia, and nitrite. In a tank with a filter what you need is a cheap passive gravel vacuum. Once a week vacuum the gravel and replace 10-30% of your water. Rapid changes in temp, and water chemistry can be deadly. You shouldn't be doing a full cleaning of a tank more than once a year. I've had tanks that went 3 years between cleanings. (The reason I cleaned that one was I lost 2/3rds of the tank due to a 3 day power outage, heat wave, and ich out break. Plus the survivors were living in buckets at a friend's.)
2006-09-22 12:00:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
DeniseW, I can't believe you replace all the water and scrub the gravel without having any problems on restart. Your tank will have to go through the nitrogen cycle all over again.
Once I set up a tank, I never tear it completely down! All you need to do is get a gravel siphon at the pet store and use it according to directions on the package. I have tanks that have been set up for going on five years (5 YEARS). All I do is regular (weekly) partial (25-30%) water changes and change my filter media once a month. Do not remove the fish, they will be fine.
Never do a 100% water change, the shock of a complete change will stress the fish and cause them a lot of misery while the tank goes through the nitrogen cycle in process again and again. Many fish die while a tank is cycling. DeniseW, I can't believe you haven't lost any fish doing the cleanups the way you do. You have been very lucky or don't recognize what kills your fish.
2006-09-22 10:37:27 · answer #3 · answered by 8 In the corner 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, remove the fish with a large clean bucket of water, put in some "stress conditioner" with a pint of the current water with them in it at room temperature.
Get all the water out into the toilet (anywhere else needs to be sanitized thoroughly) then get a clean (chemical free) scrubber and wipe down the sides and rinse it and wash it out very well.
I use NO chemicals to clean, I inadvertently killed a slue of fish by dish soap not thoroughly wash out of the rocks or decorations (not sure what) and never knew it. Both was a costly and emotional mistake to watch you "little scaley ones" die!
Take out all the rocks [any and all decorations) and (i got a huge pot and strainer- just for the fish tank) I rinse the rocks really well and boil the rocks for 10-15 minutes to kill any bristle worms and then take them out and scrub them well, then rinse them.
Replace the fish- in the clean tank. Add the water back with all the tank/fish conditioners. I let it run for about 2 hours put the bag of fish back into the tank and merge them in about 15 minutes.
2006-09-22 08:25:38 · answer #4 · answered by Denise W 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, you do not need to take the fish out. in fact, it would be more stressful to take them out and moved to different smaller places, especially if you don't give them enough of the tank water.
just leave them in the tank. just try to clean slowly and gently without any violent erradicate movements. they will get use to it and actually become happy when you are cleaning. i usually hand feed mine for a bit then dump in a few more flakes, so my goldfish know me. they actually come and nibble on my hands when i am cleaning and swim around to see if i lift up any food during my cleaning. i also usually feed them about 1-2hrs before i do the cleaning so i can get the food out along with the poop and wastes.
2006-09-22 08:27:46 · answer #5 · answered by Ender 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO..NO..NO..U shouldn't..allyou have to do is have two hands and the top completly out of the way. Just start the air vacumm and suck the dirt out. Just suck only until 20-30% of the water is gon. Then refile wit fresh water. BOTTLED.as ur cleaning the gravel lift decor etc.
2006-09-22 08:30:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes, fish hate to be bothered by the domestics!
2006-09-22 08:20:28 · answer #7 · answered by Jerry T 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋