Gentle water change?

[tttnjfttt]

I need to do a water change in my hospital tank, especially because there is is maybe in 1/4 gallon of water in the tank (1 gal container w/ water lowered so the fish can get to the surface).

How can I do this gentally with minimum stress to the fish? I dont want to net him out because his fins are in rough shape, and with the low water, I have a feeling it will make things worse instead of better. I really can't take any more water out at this point since it is so low, so vacuing the bottom is totally out of the question.

 

[Saucy]

Well, you could just try scooping him out with a cup (much less traumatizing than a net), then go ahead and clean! Then gently put the cup under the water and let him swim out. Don't worry about a little dirty water, it'll make him feel better having a little of his old water.

 

[Mariah]

When my Twist was sick all I did was scoop out acouple of cups of water with a cup and than added some when I was done. It wasent a complete water change but it worked for me!

 

[Seahorse]

I never use nets, even on my healthy guys.

Hand taming all the way, baby!

 

[Ethos]

What do you mean by hand taming?

 

[Seahorse]

I scoop mine out with my hand, two of them let me without even moving, because they get a treat afterward. The others still squirm a little but not nearly as bad as they used too.

 

[Ethos]

I scoop mine out with my hand, two of them let me without even moving, because they get a treat afterward. The others still squirm a little but not nearly as bad as they used too.

Isn't this alittle....unnatural? I mean, fish weren't ment to swim onto a hand...

 

[Seahorse]

If you are going that route... is it natural to keep them in tanks?

How would it hurt them being in a hand...? Plenty of members do it this way.

How is a net more natural?

 

[Ethos]

It causes less human interact. I think we scare them. Its kind of like big brother choses your life, the way you live it, how you live it, and, ect.

But I guess your right. Its alreadt unnatural to keep them in tanks.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I ended up adding some water, putting in a cup, waiting for him to swim in, and finally scooping him out.

While in the long run, hand taming probably would b the easiest, beginning this process is bound to be stressful, and this fish was rescued from walmart yesterday in fairly rough condition.

I do have another question. I mixed up more water/dechlorinator+stresscoat/salt/melafix than I would need. Can I save it until tomorrow in a jug and warm the water before doing another change?

Nicole

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I also use my hands, they are much less stressed that way than with a net. They know that when my hand goes near their tank they are either going to be fed or have their water changed, they don't mind and lay very still because they have learned that I will put them in water right away, and they will get a treat for being so good.

 

[tttnjfttt]

How do the fish handle this when you first try to do this?

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I go about it very gently, they don't even realize what I am doing until it is almost done. They did try to get away in the beginning, I am after all taking them out of their water and basically leaving them helpless for the 1/2 second it takes me to transfer them to the "water change jar". Bob fought me a little more than the others, so instead of using my hands, I use the water change jar to gently scoop him out. He is in a bigger tank that enables me to do this. My other boys are in smaller tanks, so they need to be moved by hand.

I have never had a fish that tried to escape my hand once they were enclosed in it.