How do you NOT cause fish heart attacks when

[Maroonostrich]

My fishless tank is still subject to some fiddling because the bogwood released some tannins despite soaking- I have been water changing and gently raking the sand about.

Now what I am wondering is how do you do water changes and rake your sand when you have fish in that tank? Will it not petrify them or do they get used to it?

 

[qwikimpss]

All my fish are used to me, when i stck my hand in they start to nibble my are....thats why i'm glad i dont have pihranhas (sp.). Over time the fish just get used to you, only because they know u bring food.

 

[houndour]

I've always got my hands in the tank for one reason or another, playing around with my plants and pruning them. Some of my fish stay out of the way, others just carry on as normal! My corys don't seem to care at all and sometimes don't move out the way when I'm trying to syphon dirt from the bottom!

Don't rake my sand tho...the bit that is visible, the corys would mess it within seconds!

I try and do my water change when my boyfriends about so he can hold a bucket high so I can syphon the water back in gently. Otherwise I have to use a jug and I get water everywhere

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hmm, well i suppose they just get used to it over time- in fact i find it difficult to stop my mollys from nibbling my hands when im trying to rake through the sand ! I gave myself a heart attack once though when i accidently squished a khuli loach under a rock but it was perfectly fine and had no injurys.
I think the main key to doing tank maintainence is to do it as quickly as you can and not to hang around- i stir up the sand first and then do a 40% water change afterwards. I find moving all the tank ornements like bogwood to one side of the tank helps as the fish just wait around the bogwood and plants while im cleaning the tank so they don't get in the way as much .

 

[@ombomb]

Some hide from me, some ignore me, some try to eat me.

They're all back to normal as soon as I have closed the hood of the tank though.

 

[Angry_Platy]

- i stir up the sand first and then do a 40% water change afterwards.

Sorry to hijack, but why do you stir up the sand? Is it to get any loose partivles and dirt out of it for easy cleaning?

Just curious as I have just switched my tank to sand

 

[boxman]

I just poke around in the sand, not to disturb it too much, also releases any air trapped. My betta loves the attention and my gourami and ram just come and say hello!!!

You can vac an inch or so above the sand but I prefer to wiggle my fingers over the sand to disturb the dirt (and not the sand), my 204 clears it all up afterwards.

As for bogwood tannins - I use 'polyfilter' in my canister filter (probably work just as well on internal) which makes my water crystal clear - it's expensive though, well worth it!!

 

[Synirr]

If your sand is more than 2" deep harmful gasses can build up under it and if they are released all at once can totally decimate a tank. You stir sand occasionally to keep the gasses from building up, unless of course you have trumpet snails to do it for you