Dumb questions about 100% water changes

[fishcurl]

I know this is a dumb question, but how does one do a 100% water change?

I get that you change 100% of the water - but how do you capture the fish? Do you use a net and/or a cup?

And when putting them back, can you put them back with the water you were holding them in? Or do you have to drain that water, too?

I've never done a 100% change before so I'm sorry for the dumb question

[Foisair]

When I had my 1 gal, I would take the fish out with a cup. I always made sure to condition more water than I needed, about a gal and a half. When introducing the fish back, I floated the cup for a while, allowed some new water in and then poured some of out of the cup into an empty container. Doing this a few times allows for minimal old water in the tank while never actually taking your fish out.

[LaLaLeyla]

I use a net. But if he's being being hard to catch, I just use a paper cup to scoop him up and put him in a temporary container while I clean his tank.

Then you fill his tank with room temp water. Put in his conditioner.
If its the same temp as the container he was in you can just put him back in. ^^
Hope this helped

[fishcurl]

Thank you both for replying!

Foisair - ah, that makes perfect sense! I knew it'd be one of those forehead smacking answers, lol.

Lalaleyla - thanks! I'm going to try the cup method because his current hospital tank is a little difficult to move a net around in.

[fightergirl2710]

You have to be fast with the cup sometimes, they can be insanely speedy and zoop right out of the cup before you pick it up X(
But I still like the cup method the best :)

[Findlay]

I like the cup method more, too.

Works best when the cup is clear and they don't really 'see' it coming for them

Once the water in the cup and the tank are the same temp, I pour the water that's in the cup into the tank when the fish swims out. I drain (into the sink, carefully!) as much as I can from the cup before I let the fish out. I haven't come across any problems doing that. I figure it's less stressful.
I'm no expert, so someone pls tell me if that's wrong lol

And P.S. - there's no such thing as a stupid question here

[fightergirl2710]

I do that too. :) I think its normal lol!

[LaLaLeyla]

Haha welcome ^^

[fishcurl]

I know there's no such thing as a dumb question, but I still felt dumb for asking it, lol XD

Meringue is now in a cup floating in the heated tank. I ended up "pouring" him into the cup because the tank he came from was small enough I could do it. When it comes time to catch him for tomorrows change I'll try to scoop him up in a cup.

I'm treating him for fin rot hence the 100% daily changes. Poor thing. He seems as delicate as his namesake!

[fishcurl]

I just wanted to report that Meringue is doing quite well after moving into the bigger tank. He's swimming around like he won the lottery. The heated water really helped perk him up ^_^

Thanks again for everyone's help!