Fibsog
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Are water changes really necessary weekly? Imho i think it stresses the fish too much but i am a noob. I do it every 3 weeks.
Do you test your water?
Do you test your water?
I feel like its necessary. I change 10-50% of my water a couple times a week. My tank is also a bit overstocked so that might be for the best anyway. If I don't then I feel like the water is dirty. It's done nothing but good for my fish, my substrate looks clean and they seem to be growing faster. Reading from your posts your tank is a bit overstocked too, with that pleco in a 10g, I think you should be doing a couple a week also.
Necessary? No. Optimal? Yes, clean water is always optimal.
If water changes are stressing the fish then there's some sort of user error involved, whether it be too much difference in water parameters from old to new, or methodology.