Just did my first water change...

[Kara101584]

Just did my first 50% water changes, are they suppose to get stress lines after?

 

[KageBunshin]

Hmm not if you acclimate properly. Dont rush it.

 

[Kara101584]

Hmm not if you acclimate properly. Dont rush it.

What do you mean by acclimate properly?

They are all happy and swimming around now, but I think it might have shocked thm at first.

 

[BettaMomma]

Stress lines happen sometimes, it is normal - but you should maybe try to adjust something you're doing to make it easier on them.

Make sure the water that's going back in is the same temp as what you took out, and make sure that you're not chasing them around with your vacuum gravel.

Mine get the stress bars every once in a while if they're not feeling very well for some reason, but otherwise they do pretty well with it.

 

[Kara101584]

Stress lines happen sometimes, it is normal - but you should maybe try to adjust something you're doing to make it easier on them.

Make sure the water that's going back in is the same temp as what you took out, and make sure that you're not chasing them around with your vacuum gravel.

Mine get the stress bars every once in a while if they're not feeling very well for some reason, but otherwise they do pretty well with it.

Oh, it might have been the water temp. Next time I will leave some out a day before I do my changes then it will be around the same temp.

Thanks!

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Before I do my WC's I take my gallon jugs of fresh water and set them in the kitchen sink or bath tub and fill it with hot water and let the jugs sit in the hot water. I keep a thermometer just for this so I can keep an eye on the temp.Works like a charm and I can usually get the temp almost exactly what it is in the tank I'm changing. Usually only takes 10-20 minutes.

 

[RandomWiktor]

Males get stress bars too? I've never seen that! I was always wondering, even, why only the females I've had ever seemed to. Hmph, guess you learn something new every day...

Anyways, in addition to letting it sit to reach the right temperature, allowing the water to sit also lets the dechlorinator work its way through, so that the fish isn't exposed to any unnecesarry impurities. Getting a thermometer for both the tank AND to dip in your new water would be a good investment; if its within a degree of what you have in the tank, it is usually pretty much OK for the fish.
Also, do you remove your fish while cleaning? I think that can really cause undue stress and would avoid it unless you're doing a complete water change. Then again, so can a big scary gravel vac.

 

[GrullaQuarters]

ANyone have a pic of stress bars? What are they? I suppose you can't miss them if they're there??

 

[Kara101584]

I didn't remove them for these water changes, they seemed to be OK with the gravel vac, I think it was the temp of the new water. Will let it set next time, and get another thermometer this weekend.

 

[AlexsDaddy]

GrullaQuarters, Don't have any pics of stress lines, but as you said, they are pretty hard to miss. They are dark bars that run horizontely down the middle of the bettas body. Usually their color pales a little as well so they are normally pretty defined.

 

[KageBunshin]

Stress bars...

Borrowed picture from Veen (dont sue me!)

The betta coloration flushes showing horizontal lines.