# Rescaping - do you remove fish first?



## Seedreemer (Sep 28, 2008)

I wasn't sure if this went in the Fish forum or here. Anyway, when you're doing a total rescape do you remove your fish first? 

I'm currently totally redoing my 40b and am shocked at how much stuff I've stirred up (this shocks me each time I move a tank too...I never learn). My fish are swimming in brown soup. I do have the filter running, but I wish I'd have tried to catch them first. 

Of course, I'd still be trying to catch them into next week but still.....

I'm going to to test and watch the water parameters once everything is back in, of course.


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## psalm18.2 (Oct 16, 2010)

If I'm moving substrate I generally do. If just plants and deco, then no. Throw some extra Prime in just to be safe as levels can rise.


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## zergling (May 16, 2007)

I do 50% water changes when I do major trimmings or moved around a lot of plants. 

Ammonia in the water column + high light = algae bloom


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## Seedreemer (Sep 28, 2008)

I put in some Amquel and did a partial water change and will keep testing too. While I'm not technically moving the substrate, by the time I pulled up a ton of plants (I'm relocating every one of them) I'd pretty much stirred up most of the substrate. What a mess. This is why I don't rescape much and my tanks look like jungles.


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## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

I drain water down low take out some plants then go fishing.


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

I do water changes as I re-aquascape.

Yesterday I trimmed down and cleaned up my 38g. I removed a ton of Anubias petit and Fissidens. In the process I moved and reset all the hardscape and stirred up more crud than the mind could imagine.

As I worked, I took out about 40% of the water, and refilled and Primed. I did this about three times during the re-scaping/trimming process.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

I only remove the fish if I am changing out my substrate. Otherwise, there are several products available that will precipitate solid matter that is suspended in the water column, and these can help your water clear up very rapidly. Also, I only put filter floss or material for mechanical filtration into my canister filters, and this helps clear the water while keeping carbon or other media from getting gunked up with silt.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Depends on how extensive. Obviously if I am changing out the substrate, I will remove everything. I also may do it if I am doing a rock scape. It can be challenging to get your slopes right with water in the tank, plus when you move stuff around, you can't see. Sometimes I just drain the water to make life easier. Lastly, if it is something that is going to take me a few days and the water is too low to have a filter going and a heater, then I will house fish elsewhere temporarily. 


If I am just moving stuff around, even if it turns the tank brown, I keep fish in and I have never had any issues. Just do a water change when done.


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## tbarabash (May 18, 2011)

Not unless absolutely necessary. The difficulty of fishing out 40-50 tiny spasmatic fish out of a 21" deep bowfront is frustrating to say the least


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