Some Questions For Everyone! Need Feedback!

[ThatAquaristChick1234]

Hey fellow fish fanatics!! I have some questions for you!
1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect.
2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change? 
3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat?
4. Can different types of platys crossbreed?

 

[TallTree01]

1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect. I do a 30% change every 1-2 weeks
2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change? there are very few times where a 100% change is necessary
3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat? They eat most things they can find.
4. Can different types of platys crossbreed? If you mean by the colors then yes. If you didn't mean that then I don't know what you're talking about. I thought there was only one breed of platy.

 

[ThatAquaristChick1234]

1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect. I do a 30% change every 1-2 weeks
2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change? there are very few times where a 100% change is necessary
3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat? They eat most things they can find.
4. Can different types of platys crossbreed? If you mean by the colors then yes. If you didn't mean that then I don't know what you're talking about. I thought there was only one breed of platy.

Thank you!! Just wondering cause i have a Red Wag and A Mickey Mouse platy.

 

[the_lock_man]

Effectively, there is only 1 species of platy. The different colourations are just that, the same as with humans. They will breed together.

 

[DreamertK]

1. Depends on what fish and how many you have. If you have some sensitive fish, overstocked tank, fry, ext, you may want to do 2 or more per week. With most fish once a week is OK.
2. If you have some sort of terrible catastrophe (high NH3/NO2), but even then you can do a 90% change.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect.
I change 25-30% of my water every week.

2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change?
I wouldn't recommend this. Even when there are drastic situations like Ammonia or Nitrite problems you only see suggestions on here of 90-95% of the water, leaving just enough for your fish to survive in.

3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat?
Sorry, not sure although I can't imagine they're any different to normal ones who i believe will eat the normal tropical fish foods.

4. Can different types of platys crossbreed?
A Platy is a Platy. The different types all come about by cross-breeding so if I've understood you right, the answer is yes!

 

[CezzaXV]

Hey fellow fish fanatics!! I have some questions for you!
1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect.
2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change? 
3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat?
4. Can different types of platys crossbreed?

 
1. The general rule with water changes is that you remove nitrates quicker than they build up. The general rule is roughly 25% water change once a week, though if you're overstocked then you may want to change more, or more often.  When you're changing the water you should clean your substrate using a gravel vac, if you have gravel. Muck tends to settle on top of sand so if you have sand you'll need to swirl the much up, though if you're lucky and there's strong flow in your tank, your filter may have already taken care of the muck.
2. 100% water changes are only ever necessary if there's something drastically wrong with your water. There's a chance you could shock your fish by doing a 100% water change (though the risk is dramatically reduced the slower you do it), so it is only done when absolutely necessary. Such situations include where ammonia is building up in the water, or you need to remove medications.
 
Sorry, I don't know much about kuhlis or platies.

 

[RCA]

Hey fellow fish fanatics!! I have some questions for you!
1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect.
2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change? 
3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat?
4. Can different types of platys crossbreed?

 

1. Depends on what fish and how many you have. If you have some sensitive fish, overstocked tank, fry, ext, you may want to do 2 or more per week. With most fish once a week is OK.
2. If you have some sort of terrible catastrophe (high NH3/NO2), but even then you can do a 90% change.

 
1. Generally as per Dreamertk, although other things to consider are get a filter that handles a larger capacity than your aquarium.  This will then provide more media for the beneficial bacteria and help keep the aquarium stable in-between water changes.  Get a filter with both sponge and ceramic media, no need for carbon generally, especially with planted aquariums.  In my Quarantine tank I sometimes take out a couple of small jugfuls once or twice a day, then replace it.  In my general aquariums I do about 25% weekly, occasionally I can get away with fortnightly on the very large tank as it is understocked and has double filter power - large internal and over sized external.  NB: a good filter does not replace the need for regular water changes, as in the wild the turnover is constant.
 
2. As above comments, this is rarely needed.  Remember that beneficial bacteria can also live in the substrate, so if a total strip-down is necessary for some catastrophe then you would have to re-cycle the aquarium.
 
3. Java Loaches - Mine eat food that falls to the bottom, plus I give them bottom feeder pellets.  Oh, and they love a muscle opened up in the middle.  They will all gravitate on it and wrap themselves inside out trying to pull it apart.
 
4. Yes.
 
Thanks for asking

 

[ThatAquaristChick1234]

Hey fellow fish fanatics!! I have some questions for you!
1. How should i go about cleaning my tank. Like how mnay water changes, how much, ect.
2. Should I ever do a 100 percent water change? 
3. What do black Kuhi Loaches eat?
4. Can different types of platys crossbreed?

 

>1. Depends on what fish and how many you have. If you have some sensitive fish, overstocked tank, fry, ext, you may want to do 2 or more per week. With most fish once a week is OK.
2. If you have some sort of terrible catastrophe (high NH3/NO2), but even then you can do a 90% change.

 
1. Generally as per Dreamertk, although other things to consider are get a filter that handles a larger capacity than your aquarium.  This will then provide more media for the beneficial bacteria and help keep the aquarium stable in-between water changes.  Get a filter with both sponge and ceramic media, no need for carbon generally, especially with planted aquariums.  In my Quarantine tank I sometimes take out a couple of small jugfuls once or twice a day, then replace it.  In my general aquariums I do about 25% weekly, occasionally I can get away with fortnightly on the very large tank as it is understocked and has double filter power - large internal and over sized external.  NB: a good filter does not replace the need for regular water changes, as in the wild the turnover is constant.
 
2. As above comments, this is rarely needed.  Remember that beneficial bacteria can also live in the substrate, so if a total strip-down is necessary for some catastrophe then you would have to re-cycle the aquarium.
 
3. Java Loaches - Mine eat food that falls to the bottom, plus I give them bottom feeder pellets.  Oh, and they love a muscle opened up in the middle.  They will all gravitate on it and wrap themselves inside out trying to pull it apart.
 
4. Yes.
 
Thanks for asking

Alrighty thank you! anytime!!