Need advice please: prevent loss with water changes

[Snailery]

Hey - I got a new fancy gravel vacuum and went to town in my son’s freshwater 8 g BioOrb. I did a 50% water change afterwards bc so much muck got kicked up. The tank looks great now, no one got sucked up, but… the ghost shrimp perished. I’m not sure why, unless he got knocked around in the rocks during the vacuum. Now, one of the platies is not doing so well, swimming near the surface, not moving much. Not very responsive, but still lazily kicking. So, is it better to remove the fish and shrimp before this kind of tank maintenance? Is there anything I can do for my platy at this point?

 

[GaryE]

The platy in distress could be there for a couple of reasons:
a) if this was a water change after a long time, then there would be a radical change in water chemistry with overdue maintenance. If you do 50% every week, you won't have problems. If you do 50% every month, or every few months, things can happen. The fact there was a lot of muck to be kicked up points to not enough water changes, then a sudden shock with the water.
That's one I learned the hard way.
b) if you didn't neutralize chloramines, that could also explain the platy. Even old fashioned chlorine should be treated for.
c) if the new water delivered a temperature shock.

Now what? Stay the course and hope the platy rallies.

 

[Snailery]

The platy in distress could be there for a couple of reasons:
a) if this was a water change after a long time, then there would be a radical change in water chemistry with overdue maintenance. If you do 50% every week, you won't have problems. If you do 50% every month, or every few months, things can happen. The fact there was a lot of muck to be kicked up points to not enough water changes, then a sudden shock with the water.
That's one I learned the hard way.
b) if you didn't neutralize chloramines, that could also explain the platy. Even old fashioned chlorine should be treated for.
c) if the new water delivered a temperature shock.

Now what? Stay the course and hope the platy rallies.

Thank you for the reply! Will definitely plan to keep up better with water changes from now on. I tested the water and everything checked out. Temperature is back to 26C now. Hopefully little guy makes it. Thanks again.