Do water changes stress fish?

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cichlid savage

cichlid savage

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Apr 25, 2006
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As I was doing a water change I wondered to myself, Is this process stressful to my fish? If so how stressful? I am in NO WAY attempting to discourage water changes. Just curious. I also noticed that my Myan and JD are a bit more aggressive towards each other right after a water change.
What do you think?
 
I think they are to a certain extent, which is another reason that I like the drip system. Large water changes can change water parameters and take a lot of space away from the fish, so I'm guessing it makes them slightly uncomfortable. However, no pain, no gain:) It's better than none! lol
 
fish, like all creatures take time to adapt and develope patterns --

the first "x" amount of times you do a 40-50% WC will stress out fish

once they know the "routine" and have adapted to the parameter changes that occur - the benefit from the WC will far outway the stress...

just stating what has already been said....
 
I believe that it spooks them rather than stresses them.

if you properly dechlorinate and add water that is roughly the same temp., you are fine.

I change 1/3d of my tanks every week, but many people change more than that everweek and the fish are fine.

what you have to be more conerned with is preserving the bacteria in the biofilter and gravel.

messing that up can really stress and even kill your fish via ammonia and nitrite spikes.

but doing a normal water change/gravel vacuum should not do this.

eg. when vacuuming, you are not sucking the bacteria off the gravel, only sucking the dirt out.
 
There is no doubt in my mind that it stresses them, paricularly while using a gravel vac. They hide away, cower in corners, act spooked, they are getting less water to move about in, and so the ratio of water:fish decreases. All my fish are pretty unhappy bunnys when it's time for tank maintanence. But has to be done so... they'll have to live with it.

There are probably some fish that it bothers more than others though.
 
i can't remember where but i read an article where this guy was doing an experiment with like 12 oscars in a 75 gallon tank, and he'd do a 100% wc every day. the fish started loving the fresh water, and would all go right in the stream where the water was pooring down, and as a control he put an oscar in a 300 gallon tank or something and it turned out the oscars in the 75 grew more and were healthier then the one in the 300.

interesting article, i'm too lazy to look it up though.

so my answer is no. i'm sure it does at first, but eventually they'll enjoy them
 
Also depends on how different the water you are adding in is vs. whats in the tank - temp, ph, chemical content, etc. and the (possible) reactions that happen when they mix and balance...
 
X24;951765; said:
i can't remember where but i read an article where this guy was doing an experiment with like 12 oscars in a 75 gallon tank, and he'd do a 100% wc every day. the fish started loving the fresh water, and would all go right in the stream where the water was pooring down, and as a control he put an oscar in a 300 gallon tank or something and it turned out the oscars in the 75 grew more and were healthier then the one in the 300.

interesting article, i'm too lazy to look it up though.

so my answer is no. i'm sure it does at first, but eventually they'll enjoy them
Click to expand...

I read something like this before. Not really sure where. Maybe I'll look it up later.
 
i say no big deal, as i get stressed out when i have to clean house or mow my enourmous lawn. its just part of life. whats worse being stressed once a week during w/c's or your entire life in the wild trying not to be food for a bigger fish while tryin to find food for yourself, atleast thats how i justify my obsession:naughty:
 
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