Water Change After Adding New Fish

[Rocksor]

Nice so I definitely did a big water change and rinsed out the sponges prior to adding the fish. But they are wild caught and came from unknown water (unknown pH, temp., etc.) so it makes me worry about not giving them enough time to adapt to the parameters before changing the water. And how much % do you guys believe would be optimal considering the circumstances? It has been 3 days since adding them in

If the fish are wild caught, then you can find general information about their water parameters in the wild. This will give you an idea of how large a water change you can do.

Do the fish you have come from hard or soft water? This is not the same as PH.

 

[fishbish15]

If the fish are wild caught, then you can find general information about their water parameters in the wild. This will give you an idea of how large a water change you can do.

Do the fish you have come from hard or soft water? This is not the same as PH.

Nice thinking. Almost forgot about that. They apparently live in an area with medium/max hardness (not sure what that means) and can tolerate a huge range of 36-268ppm. I should definitely do a water change by now. Thanks for the advice to all who replied!

 

[MrsE88]

I’m curious why doing a water change would change anything. Are you adjusting the ph or hardness once the water is in tank? If not, your source water should already be the same as the tank water. Doing water changes just keeps the nitrate down and the water better for the fish.

I always do a water change before I get new fish and then continue my normal routine. Even when I got my wild caught gt.

 

[knifegill]

Ideally I do a 75% or bigger water change twice a week when I have time. That pretty much covers all eventualities (stock changes as well) EXCEPT in the case of suddenly being unable to keep up that schedule!

 

[Coryloach]

ice thinking. Almost forgot about that. They apparently live in an area with medium/max hardness (not sure what that means) and can tolerate a huge range of 36-268ppm. I should definitely do a water change by now. Thanks for the advice to all who replied!

The point is not to match the fish's previous water parameters. That's next to impossible unless you live next by the river they were caught in. The fish will slowly adapt to your tap's water parameters. In the mean time, water changes are for water quality. The more and the bigger they are, the better. The fish won't be less or more stressed but they'll have a better chance of making it and thriving subsequently because they do come from pristine natural water conditions and had never been exposed to the big variety of micro-organisms they encounter in fish tanks. Water changes will ensure they're not overwhelmed. The water parameters won't swing. You're doing water changes with the exact same water, so tank and tap won't differ at all, especially if you had kept up with tank maintenance previously. If you haven't, start smaller and gradually increase.

I recently got a group of wild caught hillstream loaches, originating from Borneo. My tap water is nothing like whatever they grew up in. The first week I did daily 80-90% water changes, the 2nd week daily 50% water changes and the third week now 50% every other day. I'll continue until I get tired of it but I have a habit of keeping up for a couple of months like that. when I get fish. The first week they hid from me while doing water changes. On the third week they keep doing whatever they were doing around the tank and don't pay any attention to me unless I get close with the siphon or spook them in any way.....

New fish do great when a lot of water changes are done. So on'es laziness is the limit to the water changes

 

[Davidiator]

I do it 3 hours before going and picking up the fish and 2 days afterwards to help the aquarium not overload...