okay i have a 2.5 gallon tank and have two fish. what do i need to do?
what do i need?
help!!
2007-08-08 07:02:00 · 8 answers · asked by ahmaagawd 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
i do have a filter.
2007-08-08 07:08:25 · update #1
Good grief. Removing the fish from the tank is a big no-no! That's the last thing you want to do to clean the tank. You need to drain about 1/4 to 1/2 of the water while cleaning the gravel. Very small gravel cleaning siphons are available at most better pet stores and large chain pet stores. Then replace that water with clean, dechlorinated tap water of about the same temperature of your tank. That's all there is to it. You should do this once a week andif you do so you will greatly reduce any problems you ever see in your tank.
If I can help further, feel free to email me or follow the link in my profile.
MM
2007-08-08 07:25:26 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Take the fish out and put them in a cup or a bag if you kept the ones from the fish store. Make sure they have enough breathing room. I assume you mean that you are fully cleaning it and doing a complete water change, if so, drain the water and take out all the decorations and whatever you have in there. Run all of the decorations, rock, gravel etc. under hot water to kill any bacteria that may be lurking for your fishies once they are back in their home. Rinse the tank out with warm water, but DO NOT use any kind of soap or detergent. I take a paper towl and wipe down the sides to get the algae off and rinse it out until I deem it clean enough. Put all the decorations back in, fill it with water, put in a dechlorinator and a stress coat solution and wait until the water is at the correct temperature. Acclimate your fish back into the tank, and voila!
PS: Turn off your filter and heater if you have one before draining the water. Leaving them running dry can damage them permanently.
In response to another answer, you must find a small algae eater, otherwise they will outgrow your tank and in the process it will stunt their growth.
For your information, if you want a clear answer, ask a clear question. If you are CLEANING the tank, then you would be taking it apart and actually cleaning, which, yes, you do have to do. If you are only doing a WATER CHANGE, then no, don't take the fish out. There is a great difference between CLEANING a tank, and doing a 15-25% WATER CHANGE.
2007-08-08 07:11:03 · answer #2 · answered by Rylynn: 11/13/08 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
First, move your fish to another tank with the same water from their main tank (don't EVER use plain tap water from the sink). Next, clean out the tank carefully with a sponge, cloth, etc. You can usually buy certain cleaning materials from the pet store for certain tanks. But NEVER EVER EVER use soap! It could and most likely will kill your fish! Put your gravel and plants in a strainer and rinse them with water. After cleaning the tank, fill it with as close to room temperature water as possible, and put in some Tap Water Conditioner. You must put this in, or the heavy metals and chemicals in the water will kill your fish! Wait 1-3 hours before putting the fish back it :) Tada!
2007-08-08 07:14:38 · answer #3 · answered by ツ & ♥ 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
With that size of a tank, I would get an algae eating fish, it will save you alot of cleaning problems. Other than that, I would take out 1/2 the water into another container, carefully switch your fish into that container (with old water in it) then dump out your tank, clean it and the rocks, then refill with water, (test the PH levels to make sure they are the same) and make sure the temperature is the same then transfer the fish back into their newly cleaned home. You can clean it with a regular Dawn type of soap, just make sure it is rinsed out very very well. You do not need to keep any of the old water if it is a fresh water tank.
2007-08-08 07:12:45 · answer #4 · answered by chrchll129 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Take a small jug with little pure water then u take a fish with jug then u clean ur gallon tank and again u fill a pure water
then pass the fish from jug to tank
2007-08-08 07:11:51 · answer #5 · answered by aruneverb4u 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If you dont have the supplies go to the pet store and ask a sales assistant and they will also tell you how to clean it.
2007-08-08 07:06:02 · answer #6 · answered by avonwithjulie 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Make sure that you use Disstiled water for your tank. Tap is bad for the minerals and iron in it. if you love your scaly friends buy distilled
2007-08-08 07:10:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Change 25 % of water. then add water conditioner and add more water. it's as easy as this.
2007-08-08 07:06:26 · answer #8 · answered by kitten-ruleZ 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋