Cleaning Platies

[HCpetraitis]

I have three platies and one snail and I have recently had two deaths. One snail and one goldfish. Both were in the tank but now are gone. I have to clean my tank but I am not sure on how. I have a ten gallon and I can't really change all the water because of the fact its ten gallons so I can do a partial change. How can I clean the tank? Getting all the germs and slimey stuff out?

 

[Thomas 2507]

So hang on - the goldfish was with the Platies?

 

[dunchp]

So hang on - the goldfish was with the Platies?

Put the water in a bucket.

Put the fish in a bucket.

Put the gravel in the bucket.

Clean the tank etc.

Rinse out half of the gravel.

Put the gravel back in the tank.

Put the two buckets of water back in the tank.

Fill up with new water.

TA DA!!

 

[helterskelter]

Dont wash the gravel or any filter material with tap water this will kill off the good bacteria that clean your water.
Try to keep as much tank water as possible, you should only change 20-30% of the water at the most.

Helter

 

[HCpetraitis]

Ok thanks. I did the bucket and 20% water. Now the tank looks a little cleaner. Now I have a bigger issue. I sorta think my male pllaty has fin rot. So I have been treating the tank and I noticed that the filter is making bubbles at the top of the water. This is the second treatment of just a simple antiobiotic. Nothing major. And the bubbles keep coming back. I have had to use my fish net to grab on the bubbles on the top three times. I am just doing my forth right now. What can i do. I won't really stop the meds because I don't want another fish to die! What should I do??