Fish Lovers 2.0

[Hime]

So I have a 20 gallon tank, and when cleaning time comes around I always struggle on where to put my fish. The problem is they are so small that I'm afraid to hurt them with the cleaning tube, they might get sucked up and I don't want to stress them out too much. What do you guys do with your fish when you clean the tank?

Keep them in the tank, that's the least stressfull option for them. Most fishes are smart/scared enough to stay away from the tube. I've only once almost sucked up one fry, and twice one otto, who's not really afraid of the tube. But all my other fish generally avoid it. You just have to keep your eyes open while taking out the water. If you use buckets when cleaning, it's still relatively safe for the fish even if you accidentally suck up one.

[flyteck]

My fish are stupid and try to eat the stuff as it gets sucked up the tube XP but yeah, keep them in the tank and just watch them.

[.Lupin.]

Putting an unused knee high pantyhose over the tube end and rubberbanding it can help reduce casualties for fry. If you pick the tube out of the water, the water flow will push them off the pantyhose and they won't go up in the tube. I agree, don't take them out of the tank every time. Much more stress. If they're larger, they won't go in the tube and even if they did, picking the tube out of the water would release them. Most gravel vacs have a safety grid inside the hose somewhere.

[.:FarmGirlAtHeart:.]

Okay so first of all, I feel sooo bad for that koi. Good luck with him! I go to the worst local pet store there is around, Petco, and I look for fry that might be swimming around there. They give them to me for free because they are not part of inventory and I get to save and raise them.

So I have a 20 gallon tank, and when cleaning time comes around I always struggle on where to put my fish. The problem is they are so small that I'm afraid to hurt them with the cleaning tube, they might get sucked up and I don't want to stress them out too much. What do you guys do with your fish when you clean the tank?

Thank you! I normally go to pet stores to get fish. I don't like to admit it, but I got the little guy from Walmart. I just couldn't leave him there to die.

I always keep the fish in the tank. I move the gravel vacuum around slowly, keeping an eye on all the fish at once.

[Keletheryl]

Alright, so I've been trying not to get attached to these fish until you guys can answer me; is 48gals big enough for three comet goldfish?
If it isn't, how long would I be able to keep them for until they are too big? (then I'd just find them a new home in a pond or something; they are currently all 4 inches long, and there are 3 of them)

Edit;


There are now only two, the one with the smallest amount of black on its back died.
Don't know if it was cause of me, the stress, or if he was already like that when I got him. Cause I mean, if you've ever seen comets in a fish store, they don't exactly take the best care of them.
He died with me watching it was so upsetting

[.muse.]

Well since there are only two now, a 48 would give each fish 24 gallons of room, I'd say that's plenty big enough.

[Dawnsummer]

@TruetoHens, pet stores are a pet peeve of mine. I went through a frightening total of 18 guppies in a timespan of 4 months from Petco and since then the only things I get are fry and supply. There is an expert, professional store around called Aquatics Unlimited where they ONLY do fish and I ONLY buy from them. Not one of their fish have EVER died on me, to this day.

[oceanic;]

@TruetoHens, pet stores are a pet peeve of mine. I went through a frightening total of 18 guppies in a timespan of 4 months from Petco and since then the only things I get are fry and supply. There is an expert, professional store around called Aquatics Unlimited where they ONLY do fish and I ONLY buy from them. Not one of their fish have EVER died on me, to this day.

This place is very professional as well. They even care for stingrays, and a small species of shark in a tank in the center of the building!


Speaking of bad pet stores, I recently went to Petco with my dad to get cat food and look for the type of plant my crayfish likes.
We were looking around the betta's, and there was this frisky little red halfmoon male and I just clicked ;n;

It's a little soon for me to get a new fish, but I hope he's still there if we ever decide to go back over!
I feel bad for the little betta's at regular pets tores, they sit in those teeny tiny containers for a long time until someone decides to take one home.

[.:FarmGirlAtHeart:.]

@TruetoHens, pet stores are a pet peeve of mine. I went through a frightening total of 18 guppies in a timespan of 4 months from Petco and since then the only things I get are fry and supply. There is an expert, professional store around called Aquatics Unlimited where they ONLY do fish and I ONLY buy from them. Not one of their fish have EVER died on me, to this day.

Hmm. I'll have to check to see if any Aquatics Unlimited are around where I live. I haven't seen any, but that doesn't mean there aren't some. I'm so sorry about your guppies! The longest living fish I got from them lived about 7 months. She was a fancy guppy.

[Keletheryl]

Well since there are only two now, a 48 would give each fish 24 gallons of room, I'd say that's plenty big enough.

Can goldfish be housed with any other fish?