Hey everyone I know this is kind of dumb but it's a problem I'm wrestling with. When you do your regular water change on a tank (cleaning gravel and swapping out 20% of the water in the process) do you take the fish out or leave them in. Either a personal habit or a reason why I should do one or the other would be great. I just don't have a large enough container to hold all of my fish during the water change anymore, so I was wondering if I need to split them up into separate jars or just leave them in there. What do you think?
2007-11-23 07:27:14 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Leave them in :)
My tetras are quite frankly terrified of it, but my cories like to 'biff' me while I'm siphoning!
I think they're trying to protect their home :)
Seriously though, they'll be fine, just a bit baffled and maybe a bit skitty for about half an hour afterwards :)
2007-11-23 08:20:52 · answer #1 · answered by pinhead_hey 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its never stupid to ask questions, :-} Once a week,use a gravel vacuum to gently sift through the gravel while holding the other end of the syphon so the old water falls into a bucket. Remove no more than 25% of the water. Put new tap water in a bucket or gallon jug, add declorinater, or evan better, a declorinatin stress coat product to the bucket. Try to use water that is close to the same temperature as the tank water., then pour it back in. don not clean the tank, or the filter, or the filter cartridges, on the same days! to save time and energy, insted of buckets and a $14 syphon that drips water all over the floor, invest in a python no spill gravel vacuum.
2016-05-25 03:10:38 · answer #2 · answered by diana 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi clinton...well I leave mine in the tank, fishies are really sensitive..they dont need to be handeled or put through too many different temperature changes. You could cause them to go through shock. I have a beta and some dalmation mollies. People say you cant put a siamease fighting fish in the tank with other fish but I found this is a lie. He gets along just fine with the others. Anyway back to the subject, It would help me if I knew what kind of fish you have. But you normally dont have to take all the water out unless there is a fungus involved;.good luck!
2007-11-23 07:43:58 · answer #3 · answered by Cynthia H 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's great that you are working hard to maintain your tank. Like the others have mentioned, always leave the fish in the tank when you do a water change. Try to match your new water to the same temperature and pH to avoid stressing your fish as well.
2007-11-23 08:32:36 · answer #4 · answered by melanie_bmw_z3 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I ALWAYS leave them in, when I gravel vacuum, they don't even seem to mind. Plus this stresses them out a lot less than taking them out of the tank, for sure. This may seem like it is a good thing to do, but it isn't stress leads to disease which leads to death. With out a doubt leave them in! There is no such thing as a dumb question, expecially not this one. Good luck and happy fish keeping.
2007-11-23 16:14:45 · answer #5 · answered by Guppy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi Clinton, No question is stupid if you don't know the answer. Yes, you leave the fish in the tank & gently vacuum around them, after a few weeks they will get used to your hands in the tank. . A couple of my large Comets know the score now & they 'attack' my hand when I'm vacuuming & follow the nozzle hoping for any tasty titbits that get thrown up!
2007-11-23 11:19:18 · answer #6 · answered by John 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Leave the fish in the tank. It would be way too stressful for them to be put in another container every week.
Your fish will learn to stay out of the way for the vacuum. Mine like to chase the dirt as it goes up the tube. (the dirt, not the fish goes up the tube)
2007-11-23 07:48:14 · answer #7 · answered by FishStory 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I use a gravel siphon to clean the gravel and remove some water. This way I can leave my fish in their tanks and avoid disturbing them. Removing your fish is very stressful for them and makes them prone to illness and/or death, so avoid it if you can.
2007-11-23 08:06:32 · answer #8 · answered by acamar_sirus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You should NEVER remove your fish from the tank if it can be avoided. A standard 20% water change is absolutely no reason to take them out. Constantly (weekly) changing the fishes' surrounding is EXTREMELY stressful and can lead to disease and eventually death. Avoid removing the fish at ALL cost...
Soop Nazi
2007-11-23 07:48:42 · answer #9 · answered by nosoop4u246 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Leave em in the tank.
Taking them out will stress them tremendously if not worse.
2007-11-23 07:41:10 · answer #10 · answered by Jeox (KK) 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋