Too many water changes a bad thing?

lorindaleigh

lorindaleigh

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Jan 24, 2009
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I have a 5 inch pleco. He poops so much. My 2 mollies seem to poop just as much. I have poop everywheres. Most of it is green and sticks right out on top of my brown gravel. I would prefer to do daily water changes. I have a 20 gallon tank and have been changing 2 to 3 gallons a day to clean up the poop and old fish food. Is there a bad thing as doing too many water changes? Am I stressing my fish too much? I usually do it right before "lights out".
Thanks!
 
No, daily water changes of a small size are not bad for the fish, but the frequent disturbance from them may stress them. My fish, especially the corys, get very skittish during waterchanges or any maintenance on the tank, and they hide for hours, and I only do it once every two weeks.
 
No. Daily water changes are fine. They'll stress less from the activity than they would from poor water quality. Plus, they'll eventually get used to it. I have fish that think it's party time when I do water changes! :D
 
mollys = theres your problem

mollys poop soooooo much!

anyway, on your question... As long as your levels stay normal and you dechlorinate the water youi should be ok, but water changes more than once a week are not recommended.

Get a gravel vaccum so you dont have to take out too much water... Id say that if you take out 10% of water every other day or so you should be ok... but again, best way to go is 30% of water once every 2 weeks :thm:


also... get a weather loach!!!! they eat your left over food at the bottom of the tank!
 
Jakezori said:
mollys = theres your problem

mollys poop soooooo much!

anyway, on your question... As long as your levels stay normal and you dechlorinate the water youi should be ok, but water changes more than once a week are not recommended.

Get a gravel vaccum so you dont have to take out too much water... Id say that if you take out 10% of water every other day or so you should be ok... but again, best way to go is 30% of water once every 2 weeks :thm:


also... get a weather loach!!!! they eat your left over food at the bottom of the tank!
Click to expand...

No, no, and no.

Many people do PWCs daily. Some fish require them.

30% every other week is potentially ok depending on stocking, filtration, feeding, etc., but is definitely not the "standard" recommendation. I try to do 50% weekly on all my tanks.

A "weather loach" requires different tank setup and conditions than the current fish and no fish should be expected to clean your tank for you.
 
I wouldnt add ay more fish to overcome the overfeeding problem.. If you have a common pleco you really need to think seriously about getting rid of it, your 20 g tank is way to small for it.

Daily water changes are ok for fish, just think of it as rain. Cut back on your feeding as well. How often and how much do you feed?
 
Hooked Newbie said:
No, no, and no.

Many people do PWCs daily. Some fish require them.

30% every other week is potentially ok depending on stocking, filtration, feeding, etc., but is definitely not the "standard" recommendation. I try to do 50% weekly on all my tanks.

A "weather loach" requires different tank setup and conditions than the current fish and no fish should be expected to clean your tank for you.
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I also do 50% weekly, some times more. and my fish love them :lol: there always running over to the tube, my problem is trying not to suck the eager fish up .

Blueiz said:
I wouldnt add ay more fish to overcome the overfeeding problem.. If you have a common pleco you really need to think seriously about getting rid of it, your 20 g tank is way to small for it.

Daily water changes are ok for fish, just think of it as rain. Cut back on your feeding as well. How often and how much do you feed?
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exactly, your probably over feeding. suck up the poop and you will be fine, but the pleco if a common one will crap your tank up royal and he should not be in a 20 gallon tank :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Jakezori said:
mollys = theres your problem

mollys poop soooooo much!

anyway, on your question... As long as your levels stay normal and you dechlorinate the water youi should be ok, but water changes more than once a week are not recommended.

Get a gravel vaccum so you dont have to take out too much water... Id say that if you take out 10% of water every other day or so you should be ok... but again, best way to go is 30% of water once every 2 weeks :thm:


also... get a weather loach!!!! they eat your left over food at the bottom of the tank!
Click to expand...

I change my water every day, 80%, but that too is recommended.

Shrimp and Snails are great clean-up crews. If your fish are friendly, you could pick up some maids.

I agree, you are overfeeding if you have to take food back out. Green poo usually means that they are eating a lot of vegetation, algae?
 
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