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Pet Forum / Aquaria / Goldfish / January 2005Water parameters (Water change)
I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very careful about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been wondering what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of about 7.0, while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50% change the original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is the source of the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap water was very cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the lower PH. Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else? > I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few > water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else? What are the OTHER parameters? Ammonia? Nitrites? Nitrates? >> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few >> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > What are the OTHER parameters? Ammonia? Nitrites? Nitrates? Ammonia and Nitrites are always 0, Nitrates not so good. I tested them today and they were 5+, but this was after a 50% change yesterday (feeding the plant tank) and a 50^% change today. So i't not uncommon for the Nitrates to be around 40, despite weekly water changes. I have a number of baby comets in my pond which are going to need to come out. Recently I had the brainstorm that with them being less active in the cooler water, perhaps now would be a good time to try to catch some of them. I very gently put my brand new black net in the water and after waiting a few moments I threw a little food in. Normally this would resemble a pirana attack and between the mass of fish and their attention being on the food, I thought I would scoop up a net full of fish and release all the non-culls. Instead, very few of the fish would even approach the area. I think fish come to have a sense of what is 'normal' and apparently they recognized the net as not being normal - danger Will Robinson. In fact after quite a while I only netted two little feeder size fish, who probably just hadn't developed a sense of normal. This is all a long way of saying perhaps they are at attention with a water change in general. If the pH is quite different, I don't know how much of it is 'psychological' and how much physiological, but I am not surprised that they consider it a danger situation - a change from the norm. I have heard that if you are adjusting pH you should not strive to change it by more than .2 per day. So yes, my guess would be that adding water that is .8 different could be problematic and the cause of their skiddishness. Bill > I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few > water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else? >I have a number of baby comets in my pond which are going to need to come >out. Recently I had the brainstorm that with them being less active in the [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > skiddishness. > Bill I was wondering if it was partly psychological, but I don't think that's the case. They used to get a little spooked when the water was receding, but they seem to be used to it now. One of the small ones even attacks the siphon, seems to think it's another fish sucking on his rocks. I may have to consider the G-Can water change method. > I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few > water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else? How do you know the fish reaction is a problem? I've done water changes and the fish become more active, it maybe a natural reaction to fresh water as this is sometimes the trigger for breeding in the wild. >> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few >> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >> > How do you know the fish reaction is a problem? I ain't no fishpert, but I know the difference between spooked and horny! :) Seriously, it's similar to the reaction I saw when I moved them between tanks. Although it doesn't last nearly as long. > I've done water changes and the fish become more active, it maybe a > natural reaction to fresh water as this is sometimes the trigger for > breeding in the wild. |
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