Different ways to do water changes

[BettaJ]

Okay,
So my way of performing water changes is not the best. when there are fry.

I use a siphon, and suck up whatever is on the bottom. Of course, i try to avoid sucking up fry too, but they always end up in there.

Then, I have to go back to the bucket and find each lil fry and put it back into the tank by scooping it out with a spoon or a cup.

Is there an easier way?

[Martinismommy]

I use a turkey baster.......It is much easier and you have more control on what you suck up....

[MrVampire181]

I take a quart or 1/2 gallon jar and siphon some gunk out from the bottom. When the jar is full I look for fry (I rarely suck any up). Then I get one of my 3 gallon buckets, throw an airstone at the end of my siphon, and just drain the water. Then I dump it out when it's full. When I stop using the airstone I always plug my bath tub and then pour the bucket....just incase some of the runts got sucked up (I use black buckets).

[Oldfishlady]

How big is your siphon? I found that I get better results and less sucked up fry with a homemade type siphon I made using about 3ft airline hose attached to a couple of chopstick (18in) to make the airline hose stiff so I have better control of it-I use my thumb as the control valve so I have pretty good control and siphon into a 1g cleaned ice-cream bucket so I can shine a light under it to check for fry that will get sucked up regardless of how careful I am-I then use my little siphon to remove and replace the fry back into the fry tank.

[Dragonlady]

After a certain size, nylons over the input of the siphon held together with a twist tie works very well.

[dramaqueen]

Originally Posted by Dragonlady

After a certain size, nylons over the input of the siphon held together with a twist tie works very well.

Great idea!

[Red Crane]

I use a kerosene siphon with a filter bag over the end of the hose. When I am through siphoning a tank then I keep the bag under the water near the glass and look for fry and small fish. My pygmy cories are bad about getting caught up in it. If I have one in the bag I release it back into the tank trying not to lose to much of the detritus.
You can get them about anywhere that kerosene heating supplies are sold usually for less than five bucks.

[FloridaBettas239]

There's a couple things that could be done different...
The 1st is to take an air defusser, Almost like an air stone but not as restricted. This let's a good flow, Which allows you to get your siphon going and fry can not be sucked up. The aquarium will get a little dirty on the bottom because you cant suck up trash. But it is not going to hurt anything as long as you dont go crazy on the food.. And then in a couple weeks the fry are a good size and you can take the air defusser off and suck everything from, the bottom up and do water changes like normal...

The next thing you can do is fill your aquarium up half way, Hoping you have a 10 gallon aquarium. So fill it up half way, Couple things this does. One it makes it so when the male and female are spawning him/her dont have to swim up and down so far to catch the eggs. Specially when you remove her and the eggs start to hatch. Then the dad really works.
So beside's making this easier for them, It make's it easier for you because now. You have 5 gallons of fresh water you can add to the aquarium without doing a water change or sucking anything off the bottom.
When the fry are about a week old and your removing the father you add a gallon. In another week or so add another gallon. Keep doing this, next thing you know 5 weeks have went by and the fry are pretty good size and you can draw water off the bottom without sucking them up... Anyway hope that helps a little...

[MrVampire181]

One thing I do is fill the tank as soon as I pull the male, then the next day I start my 90% water changes...I don't get many fry but I get some amazing ones and hardly any deformitites (and if I do it's nothing serious). However I have managed to suck up pretty large fry (must suck to be stuck in airline tubing) and find them in my buckets...I'm still amazed that some don't get stuck.

[PeggyJ]

I have snails in my 10 gal fry tank and they leave behind alot of poo... my fry are only 5 days old and I am afraid to clean it too soon, but also afraid not to. I know some snail poo is good for them because they produce infusoria, but too much can dirty the tank right? I have some small airline tubing.. i was wondering if i put something like nylon or a piece of a coffee filter over the end, if that would work. I also have a turkey baster that is clear. I never thought about an airstone.. but that prob wouldnt suck up the gunk much. I do have a sponge filter running and lots of plants. (hornwort, pothaus and duckweed). I can't see how many babies there are, but it doesnt look like very many. I've only counted like 4 or 5 at a time.