100% Water Change. How Can I Do It?

[andyfishboy]

Please can someone help me. I'm quite new to this and still need to learn a lot

I have recently had a lot of bad luck with my fish. A large number of my fish have died over the last week but my two clown loaches and my ruby shark seem to be absolutely fine. I want to give my tank a 100% water change and if possible disinfect it, but I'm worried about my fish. Will they be ok if I moved them to a small tank that doesn't have any heating or filtration for about 30-45 mins or would they be at risk?

I do have another proper tank, but the fish that tank are all healthy and well and I am concerned about introducing disease into the tank if I move the loaches and the shark into there even though they seem to be fine.

 

[voo]

How old was the tank that they were in? Do you know why all the others died?
The fish will be fine being moved for that amount of time, but why not put the filter and heater in there anyway? Plus, if you leave the filter out, the bacteria on it will die and so after you've cleaned the tank, it will start to cycle.

 

[scubadoo]

Your fish will be fine for a while in another tank / container.

As voo sid - try to keep the filter running so you dont lose the bacteria.

Also dont understimate the time it'll take - unless its a tiny tank, you wont get it empty, disinfected then very thoroughly rinse, re - setup and filled in 30-45 minutes.

 

[b.c.f.c]

i wouldnt disinfect it, just use hot water and a clean cloth.
i dont rearly see why you are doing a 100% water change, if i was you id try and find out the cause of the deaths and treat the tank, and maybe do a 50% water change.

 

[andyfishboy]

Thanks.

I'm not really sure what caused the deaths. First my pleco died for no apparrent reason. I think I must have been some kind of internal bacteria or parasites as the water tested ok. Some of my guppies had Camallanus worms. My local fish farm had never heard of them and gave me Interpet 12 for anti crustacean paracites but I found out that this wouldn't help after dosing them with it. The next day 3 guppies and lots of guppy fry had died. My siamese fighter looks like he is getting a mouth rot problem (white cotton wool like growth on his mouth) but I cannot treat it as the interpet treatment says to leave tank for seven days before treating with anything else. This is why I thought a big water change and clean out was the best option.

I'm really stuck about what to do next. I haven't introduced any new fish and I've been carrying out regular water changes. Suddenly all my fish seem to be getting ill. I cant work our where i'm going wrong.

 

[b.c.f.c]

your guppys losses are most likely your betta chasing them around, its not the best idea to have a betta in a community tank and even more of a risk with guppys in there as well.

 

[voo]

you said you was new to all this, so how long have you had the tank? Is it a new tank that you've just added some fish to? Did you cycle the tank at all?