Grow outs and water changes

[mikem691]

Reading up on here about the advantages of water changes on discus got me to wondering if other south and central American cichlids would benefit from 80 or 90% daily water changes until adult size. If so would it be substantial or minimal or is this just important with discus and would have no effect on others. Just wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on this.

 

[HUKIT]

Every fish would benefit from larger and more frequent water changes combined with a high quality diet for optimal growth.

 

[mikem691]

Every fish would benefit from larger and more frequent water changes combined with a high quality diet for optimal growth.

Do you think it would make a difference on the adult size with the only change of 50% twice a week to say 80% daily and the same high quality diet?
EDIT: I think you answered this.

 

[HUKIT]

This is a link in my signature for a water change calculator, just plug in the amount you change and you'll see how much your actually changing. But yes large daily changes will help growth but diet plays just as big a part.

Effective Water Change Calculator

 

[BBradbury]

Water Changes

Hello mike...

You should work up to larger water changes. Don't attempt to remove and replace such large amounts of tank water if the fish aren't used to it. This can create water chemistry problems.

Changing half the tank water once a week is plenty. Half of the dissolved wastes will be removed and the rest is diluted to a very safe level in all the new, treated tap water.

Dissolved wastes take time to build to toxic levels, so a 50 percent change weekly is all that's needed to maintain safe water conditions.

B

 

[Rivers2k]

Curious to see how this thread goes. I posted something a while back talking about the benefits of large water changes and two "self proclaimed gods" of fish keeping was telling me I was wrong. One of the reasons I just lurk on this site most of the time now.

I personally wouldn't do 80-90% a day because I think it is wasting water but that is just a personal conviction. I think 50% a couple times a week will do just fine. I do 50% weekly on my fry grow out tanks and never had an issue.

 

[Brookster123]

Curious to see how this thread goes. I posted something a while back talking about the benefits of large water changes and two "self proclaimed gods" of fish keeping was telling me I was wrong. One of the reasons I just lurk on this site most of the time now.

I personally wouldn't do 80-90% a day because I think it is wasting water but that is just a personal conviction. I think 50% a couple times a week will do just fine. I do 50% weekly on my fry grow out tanks and never had an issue.

You're wrong! !! Haha hahah from a growth inhibiting hormone standpoint.. daily wc's would certainly help.. read an article in my aquarium magazine about a guy that bred discus. He kept say 30 juvies in a 5.5 gal and performed daily 90% wc's. He kept 20 same size juvies in a 20 and performed a 50% wc every 4/5 days.. after a month the the smaller tanks inhabitants were twice the size.. i may have botched some details but the general idea is there..

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[Rivers2k]

You're wrong! !! Haha hahah from a growth inhibiting hormone standpoint.. daily wc's would certainly help.. read an article in my aquarium magazine about a guy that bred discus. He kept say 30 juvies in a 5.5 gal and performed daily 90% wc's. He kept 20 same size juvies in a 20 and performed a 50% wc every 4/5 days.. after a month the the smaller tanks inhabitants were twice the size.. i may have botched some details but the general idea is there..

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actually you were one of the people that had agreed with my post. WC definitely do increase growth. I followed a thread of a HS science teacher who grew out some river game fish salmon or trout can't remember and his were twice the size of the fish raised by DEC when releasing them back. He accredited it to daily water changes done by his students.

 

[aqua_holic]

My only question is why? I mean, if it's worth while for you to put that much effort into it than by all means have at it.... I just can't understand how the benefits would justify the effort. But my hobby is my own, just as it is for you - as long as it makes you happy....

 

[Brookster123]

actually you were one of the people that had agreed with my post.

Made sense to me.. same practices I abide by anyways.. but enough about logic.. mike.. you were saying?

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[HUKIT]

Changing half the tank water once a week is plenty. Half of the dissolved wastes will be removed and the rest is diluted to a very safe level in all the new, treated tap water.

Dissolved wastes take time to build to toxic levels, so a 50 percent change weekly is all that's needed to maintain safe water conditions.

B

Maybe for small tropical fish 50% weekly may cover it but when your keeping some of the larger cichlids that are 12-16" I assure you it's not. So a generic 50% weekly is enough simply doesn't cover all the situations in this sub-forum.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah183/Hukit/014_zps36f25fee.jpg

My Midevil is over 16" and trust me 50% once a week is not enough.

 

[Fishy Smell]

I like him. You appear to have other fish with him, he's not too aggressive then?


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[Fishy Smell]

Here's the one I'm getting.....


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[HUKIT]

I like him. You appear to have other fish with him, he's not too aggressive then?


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No he was insane and took chunks out of my skin when changing water, and stalked me like a caged animal. He ate the anisitsi's (buenes aires tetra's) within 24 hours.

 

[Fishy Smell]

Excellent. Do you have a name for him? I'm considering calling mine 'Bastard' in consideration of this type of behaviour.


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[HUKIT]

Excellent. Do you have a name for him? I'm considering calling mine 'Bastard' in consideration of this type of behaviour.


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I have hundreds of cichlids so I don't name anything...

Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - HUKIT's Albums

 

[mikem691]

Hello mike...

You should work up to larger water changes. Don't attempt to remove and replace such large amounts of tank water if the fish aren't used to it. This can create water chemistry problems.

Changing half the tank water once a week is plenty. Half of the dissolved wastes will be removed and the rest is diluted to a very safe level in all the new, treated tap water.

Dissolved wastes take time to build to toxic levels, so a 50 percent change weekly is all that's needed to maintain safe water conditions.

B

Maybe for small tropical fish 50% weekly may cover it but when your keeping some of the larger cichlids that are 12-16" I assure you it's not. So a generic 50% weekly is enough simply doesn't cover all the situations in this sub-forum.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah183/Hukit/014_zps36f25fee.jpg

My Midevil is over 16" and trust me 50% once a week is not enough.

Hey BB. HUKIT answered this exactly as I would have. The fish I started this thread for is a 3" ish Amphilophus lyonsi that is in a 55 gallon by its self. What im looking to accomplish is getting him as large, colorful and healthy as possible. So this really has nothing to do with the average community tank.

 

[mikem691]

Curious to see how this thread goes. I posted something a while back talking about the benefits of large water changes and two "self proclaimed gods" of fish keeping was telling me I was wrong. One of the reasons I just lurk on this site most of the time now.

I personally wouldn't do 80-90% a day because I think it is wasting water but that is just a personal conviction. I think 50% a couple times a week will do just fine. I do 50% weekly on my fry grow out tanks and never had an issue.

Im doing about 75% twice a week now.

 

[mikem691]

You're wrong! !! Haha hahah from a growth inhibiting hormone standpoint.. daily wc's would certainly help.. read an article in my aquarium magazine about a guy that bred discus. He kept say 30 juvies in a 5.5 gal and performed daily 90% wc's. He kept 20 same size juvies in a 20 and performed a 50% wc every 4/5 days.. after a month the the smaller tanks inhabitants were twice the size.. i may have botched some details but the general idea is there..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

actually you were one of the people that had agreed with my post. WC definitely do increase growth. I followed a thread of a HS science teacher who grew out some river game fish salmon or trout can't remember and his were twice the size of the fish raised by DEC when releasing them back. He accredited it to daily water changes done by his students.

Made sense to me.. same practices I abide by anyways.. but enough about logic.. mike.. you were saying?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

This is the answers I was looking for. The info I have found on the Amphilophus lyonsi is very limited and say max size is about 11 or 12". Im wondering if doing the daily water changes will help with good diet to possible grow him out to more than 12". Only limited by his genes which I have no info on.

 

[mikem691]

My only question is why? I mean, if it's worth while for you to put that much effort into it than by all means have at it.... I just can't understand how the benefits would justify the effort. But my hobby is my own, just as it is for you - as long as it makes you happy....

Really no effort just about 20 minutes of my time in the evening for a 80% water change. My hopes are to end up with a larger than average lyonsi that will be as colorful as possible. I never plan for him to have tank mates.
Basically my main show fish if that makes sense.