are water changes stressful for fish ?

[Bubble_B0y]

sometimes, I notice my fish become scared when I clean the tank.

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

Mine come up to me during water changes, so i dont know. I am sure it is different for every fish.

 

[tarpon]

Yeah mine seem kinda scared too but i dont think a water change could ever be a bad thing. Its either a little momentary stess of a water change that they can get used to or a lot more stress thats potentially life threatening from bad conditions

 

[HN1]

Yeah mine seem kinda scared too but i dont think a water change could ever be a bad thing. Its either a little momentary stess of a water change that they can get used to or a lot more stress thats potentially life threatening from bad conditions

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Dale_I]

I think it may be something they get used to. New fish seem to be more skittish then the older ones. I have a few that come out and play in the water and swim around the pick up tube. It worried me enough that I zip-tied a cheese cloth to the end of the tube so they would get sucked up.

The longer they live in the aquarium and the more "normal" it becomes, the less it seems to affect them.

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

I think it may be something they get used to. New fish seem to be more skittish then the older ones. I have a few that come out and play in the water and swim around the pick up tube. It worried me enough that I zip-tied a cheese cloth to the end of the tube so they would get sucked up.

The longer they live in the aquarium and the more "normal" it becomes, the less it seems to affect them.

I sucked a guppy in the tube once! But the big part & I just shook him out, lol
And he kept doing it!!! I guess I am so OCD with water changes, they are totally used to it.

 

[tarpon]

Haha i use a pyhton now and i was thinking itd be really fun to be a fish and ride 25ft to the sink

 

[potatochobit]

they are probably less worried about the water than the BIG GIANT HAND coming after them in the tank.

but water changes can be stressful, it depends on temperature, and how toxic the water was in the tank.

that is why 25% water changes are recommended, though i usually do alot more with partial refills throughout the day keeping temperature and volume in mind.

 

[HN1]

they are probably less worried about the water than the BIG GIANT HAND coming after them in the tank.

but water changes can be stressful, it depends on temperature, and how toxic the water was in the tank.

that is why 25% water changes are recommended, though i usually do alot more with partial refills throughout the day keeping temperature and volume in mind.

Who recommends 25%? Larger is more effective and efficient.

 

[Rokuzachi]

I do 40-60% every week (Nitrates are 20-30 pre-change). My fish mellow out when I'm draining the water and don't do much, but as soon as the fresh water is coming in they all come back to life. They seem 'refreshed' I guess, lol.

 

[Mrc8858]

I do 40-60% every week (Nitrates are 20-30 pre-change). My fish mellow out when I'm draining the water and don't do much, but as soon as the fresh water is coming in they all come back to life. They seem 'refreshed' I guess, lol.

Mine too...as I pour my water back in my larger cichlids like to swim underneath the water fall which is pretty amusing lol

 

[adeebm]

I do 40-60% weekly as well. My fish are quite used to it by now, and will go about their business. Sometimes they try to peck at the particles going up the siphon. New fish can be stressed, but better a momentary stress now than chronic stress from ammonia later.

--Adeeb

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I also do 40-60% water changes. My fish seem to have gotten used to it and if not they usually hide in the plants.

 

[CatmanDru]

are water changes stressful for fish ?
sometimes, I notice my fish become scared when I clean the tank.

Ashley our betta seems to enjoy water changes as something new and interesting happening in his tank. He swims up to whatever I'm doing and checks it out. I have to be very carefull to keep an eye on where he is and also on what I'm doing and make sure I don't endanger him or bang him with the gravel vac.

And then when I pour the new water back in his tank he always swims to, and stays under, where I'm pouring it. But I'm never very confident about how well it's temperature-matched, so I stop pouring and move to pour it in a different spot and he then moves to the new spot where I'm pouring the water.

All this time he seems relaxed and swimming calmly, so it certainly doesn't seem stessful to him.

 

[steez]

I'd have to agree that the little bit of stress they may encounter is nothing compared to bad water. So do as many as you need to do.