# Curious ~PWC Keep Fish in or Out?



## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I know that most would say do not take your fish out when doing a partial water change. But... I have a tall 37 gallon sitting on my dresser. I use 5 gallon water bottles when replacing the water I took out. When I stand on a stool to pour the water in ~ it causes the water to rock quite alot. Well I figured that would stress my poor fish out worse than taking them out. What do ya'll think?


----------



## LaurenK (Mar 18, 2012)

I personally wouldn't take any of my fish out when doing a pwc. It would be a lot more stressful in my mind for them to be caught with a net, put in a different area (new water), caught with a net and put back in the tank than the water moving.


----------



## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I don't put them in new water~just scoop out the water they are already in before starting my pwc.


----------



## LaurenK (Mar 18, 2012)

Yeah, I still wouldn't remove the fish but that's just my opinion. Hopefully, someone else can add their thoughts. Best of luck!


----------



## Crazy (Mar 1, 2012)

I leave them in, and I just pour the water in, never had a problem. If you are too worried then you can place the bucket higher than the tank and siphon the water into the tank.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

My fish get in the stream of the water entering and play in it.


----------



## Crazy (Mar 1, 2012)

jrman83 said:


> My fish get in the stream of the water entering and play in it.


Mine do the same


----------



## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

True i could buy a bucket and use that. Its always bothered me to take them out.


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I wouldnt take them out.


----------



## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

I would just leave them in. Takes too much time and stress to get them out, add water, put them back in. Just pour in the water slowly and it shouldn't bother them. Some fish like to play in the current too


----------



## DianaHart (Apr 18, 2011)

I have never taken fish out to do a water change. One thing I do to avert the gravel stirring at the bottom is to fill a 5 gallon bucket with the fresh water, then scoop it out with a glass pitcher, that I only use for the tanks. And when I get close to the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket I pour it in so that the stream hits the HOB filter spout. The filter spout helps to break the flow of fast pouring water.


----------



## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Getting moved in a 'swoosh' of water is natural. If the water's rocking, it's just waves. Most aquarium fish should have permanently rocking water, as they tend to come from small rivers and moving streams. They like it - in fact, pouring water in quickly is an old breeder's trick for getting fish to feel good enough in the tank to start spawning. 
Meanwhile, in nature, the only thing that's like a net is a predator's mouth. Every time I net a fish, I try to do it quickly and get the fish out of the net even more quickly. Getting 'caught' has to be pretty stressful for small species at the bottom of the food chain - or so it would seem to me.
I pour water from a hose so that it splashes up against the glass (to drive off chlorine). The tanks swirl like a toilet flushing, and as far as I've observed, most fish run the current and seem to have a very active time of it. They often spawn soon after.


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

What kind of fish do you have? Most fish will enjoy the water flow. Small fry or slow moving fish with long fins like Bettas or fancy guppies might require a little more care. 

I would say the fish will find being removed stressful but saying that the fish might get used to it after a while. I once had a F8 puffer that wasn't getting enough food. I started to scoop him up in a cup every day and feed him in the cup, after a few days he wasn't stressed by it at all, in fact he swam into the cup! I don't really see the need to remove the fish though unless you have a fish with a particular problem.


----------



## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

Goldfish


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Common goldfish are strong fish and should have no problems even if you are rough with the water changes. If they are of the slower swimming fancy type then you might need to be a little careful but even so I don't see a reason to take them out.


----------



## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Goldfish aren't built for current, but they'll enjoy a good swoosh. They are a fish that spawns with a rush of water - one water change stuck me with thousands of babies a few years ago. The fancy forms are so twisted out of a natural shape that it's hard to recognize them as going concerns, fish-wise, but they still have the instinct.
You are more likely to harm them with the net than by leaving them in.


----------



## em1y386SX (Apr 10, 2012)

My technique is to get the gravel vac siphon started, then watch the fish and move perpendicular to them, after the bucket has filled, let it sit for about 2 mins before refilling with fresh dechlorinated water.


----------

