Tangs hate large water changes?

I've heard it over and over that Tangs don't respond well to big water changes. Here's a pic of my 20 gallon brichardi tank w/ 4 spawns and 3 adults in it about half an hour ago. Another 1 1/2 inches probably came out before I started filling it back up.



Normally I do weekly 50% changes, but to be totally honest sometimes for some reason or another a week gets skipped. When that happens I do 85% changes to catch up a little. They sure don't seem to mind, I'm looking at the tank right now about 10 minutes after this large change and it's business as usual in there other than a little haze caused by microbubbles. The adults did give me a look about knocking one of their large sand piles over but it was obstructing my view from the couch and it had to go. hehehe

I have a pretty tried and tested method of adding my additives back in while I'm refilling so I really don't think there's much of a GH/KH/pH change at all. I dump them in pre-mixed w/ warm water while the tank refills.

I've also done ginormous changes with my multies, calvus and jules with no ill effects. I can't say 100% that all Tangs can take this kind of change but there is definitely proof that not all Tangs can't take it.

I never ever do big water changes like that. If your water company uses chloramine in the tap water you are in for serious trouble because it´s a real nitrification bacteria killer. Jules are known to be very sensitive to big water changes. Pairs often split up.

I've done some rather large changes on my tanks from time to time, but I usually stick with 50 - 60% weekly. My Malawis and Tangs (trophs, leleupis, Julies, calvus and shellies) seem to handle it well.

That's interesting about the Julies splitting up. I noticed that mine separated for a few days after water changes (large or small). I don't know if that would be because of the water since it doesn't seem to matter how much I change, or if it has something to do with disturbing their nesting area by moving sand around with my hand.

i have been doing about a 30% wc about every 10 days on my tang tank and a breeder i know says that when he wants his tangs to breed he will not do a wc for over a month and it seems to help get them in the mood.

Swede, I think it has alot to do with your water source. I'm lucky, I just need a little GH and KH boost to mine and it's good to go. I haven't had paired julies break up, but I've read that they're liable to break up over almost anything so it doesn't surprise me.

Poolmako- interesting about the breeder. I've read it the other way quite a bit that a large water change (usually with a slight temp change) is what seems to have promoted spawning.

Like I said, I can't say I would recommend these kind of changes in all situations with all species, but it works for me.

Norm66 wrote:Swede, I think it has alot to do with your water source. I'm lucky, I just need a little GH and KH boost to mine and it's good to go. I haven't had paired julies break up, but I've read that they're liable to break up over almost anything so it doesn't surprise me.

Poolmako- interesting about the breeder. I've read it the other way quite a bit that a large water change (usually with a slight temp change) is what seems to have promoted spawning.

Like I said, I can't say I would recommend these kind of changes in all situations with all species, but it works for me.

The reason why I stick to smaller water changes 30-50% has nothing to do with our tap water. We have one of the cleanest waters sources of Europe . If you are unlucky your watercompany could have had maintenance work somewhere the day of your wc. In these cases they use crap like chloramine. Another reason is that it´s much better to do a wc with cold water then tempered.

just a side note,,,,

be careful when doing water changes that large as it can create a mini cycle...

also if your heater is still on when you do the changes and it is no longer submerged

when you refill the tank you chance having the glass explode from the water touching

the glass of the heater at a different temp.

i have had this happen when i have forgotten to shut it off

I'm blessed where I live the water is perfect for rift lake fish . I do 75-80% water changes weekly with great success . I only change 60% on my breeder plecos though . In the fish room I have all my heaters plugged into separate power strips so they are cut off with 1 switch .