Water changes

[vanalisa]

Is there ever a situation where a partial water change would be detrimental?

 

[Guppy10]

Can't think of one unless your daft enough to do one straight after adding chemical treatment. Why do you ask this?

 

[vanalisa]

Can't think of one unless your daft enough to do one straight after adding chemical treatment. Why do you ask this?

I just got some new fish yesterday.
Drip acclimated and into QT
They seem alright, but I wonder if I should do a water change or just let them be.

 

[Hayden93]

I just got some new fish yesterday.
Drip acclimated and into QT
They seem alright, but I wonder if I should do a water change or just let them be. View attachment 98775View attachment 98776

Hey vanalisa, I would personally leave the water change for now. Especially if your water parameters are showing as okay Maybe give it a fews days to allow your new fish to settle in

 

[Colin_T]

Is there ever a situation where a partial water change would be detrimental?

Yes.
If the fish have been in a tank that has not had any water changes for a long time, and you do a big water change, you can put the fish into shock due to a sudden change in pH.

In that situation you do a small 10% water change and gravel clean the substrate each day for a week. Then increase that to a 20% water changer and gravel clean each day for a week. Then do a 50% water change and gravel clean each day for a week, then a 75% water change and gravel clean each week.

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The other time it can be a problem is with newly imported fish or fish that have spent a long time in bags.

After you put new fish in a tank, they should not have any water changes for at least a few days and one week is better. This allows the fish to settle into the new tank with the new water.

If the fish have been recently imported or spent a long time in bags, they get stressed due to being put into different water multiple times in a short period of time. They need time to recover from all the moving and being put into different water, otherwise the stress can kill them.

The only exception to doing water changes on newly imported fish is if there is an ammonia or nitrite reading in the tank water. Then you do a big water change to dilute that, and hope the stress isn't too much for the fish.

Try to make sure the new water has the same pH and GH as the tank water to minimise stress.

Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[vanalisa]

Hey vanalisa, I would personally leave the water change for now. Especially if your water parameters are showing as okay Maybe give it a fews days to allow your new fish to settle in

Thanks, that was why I asked, my gut says to leave them be!

 

[Hayden93]

Thanks, that was why I asked, my gut says to leave them be!

We are told to listen to our gut But honestly, if your water parameters are okay the fish are eating and active they will be fine. Just keep in mind new fish can sometimes refuse food for a few days. When I added my geophagus he didn't eat for a little while. Best thing at this point I would say is to monitor your fish and keep testing your water parameters when you feel the need.

Here is a picture of my geophagus

 

[vanalisa]

Wow, I suddenly have the urge to buy lipstick!
What type of creature is he/she?
I am really only acquainted with 3 or 4 fish types.

 

[Hayden93]

I would definitely recommend some siamese algae eaters. Amazing fish, especially when you have a group of them. They are constantly grazing and cleaning. He is a geophagus altifrons, best suited to larger aquariums, they can get big

One of my siamese and a yoyo loach

 

[vanalisa]

I would definitely recommend some siamese algae eaters. Amazing fish, especially when you have a group of them. They are constantly grazing and cleaning. He is a geophagus altifrons, best suited to larger aquariums, they can get big

One of my siamese and a yoyo loach
View attachment 98791

How big do these get?

 

[Essjay]

8 to 9 inches. They need a tank with a footprint of 6 x 2 feet.

Geophagus altifrons — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[Hayden93]

How big do these get?

They can grow upwards of 12 inches but typically they get around the 4 to 6 inch mark

 

[vanalisa]

Thanks! But too big! For the tank I am planning, anyway.

 

[Hayden93]

Thanks! But too big! For the tank I am planning, anyway.

There is a fish very similar in appearance which are called Firemouth Cichilds. They can get up to 6 inches but typically don't get that big. I have a group in my tank and they are very colourful fish.

 

[Retired Viking]

There is a fish very similar in appearance which are called Firemouth Cichilds. They can get up to 6 inches but typically don't get that big. I have a group in my tank and they are very colourful fish.

View attachment 98793

You have some very nice looking colorful fish, currently I just have shoals of different types of tetras in my 55 gallon tank