Noahkm18

When i gravel vac do i have to take the decorations out and vac the gravel under the decorations? and do i also leave my cories in their while im doing it, im scared imma suck it up, cus it looks excatly like my gravel.

Nick G

I vacumn under the decorations once a month when I do my filter rinse, rest of the time I just go round them. How big are your Corys?

Noahkm18

they are like half a inch big

Dozey

You do need to move, not remove, your décor during gravel vacs. Beneficial bacteria live on your décor. Removing them from the water will kill the bacteria. I simply move my décor a few inches vacuum and replace the décor.

Certainly leave your cories in the tank. Water changes are stressful enough for most fish as it is. Netting your fish to put them in a bucket every time you clean your tank would be very hard on them. Remember you will be cleaning the tank every week.

Most fish (not all) will stay well clear of the scary water sucking tube thing invading their tank (gravel vacuum). My fish hide for hours after a cleaning.

Just be careful and your cories will be safe.

Noahkm18

Alright cool thanks for that

agabr123

haha, yeah my bettas like to attack the gravel vacuum, it is not their best friend. but i agree, it's easier to leave the fish in for many different reasons. 1 easier for you 2 easier for them

Lucy

I'm pretty sloppy and just shove my (fake) plants around when I vacuum.
Some of my fish are pretty curious, my advice, don't take your eye off the vacuum, someone could get sucked up by accident.
If you need to look at how fast the bucket is filling up shove the tip of the vac into the gravel so no curious fish go fo a ride.

Noahkm18

I tried a gravel vac today and i riped up some of my real plants, trying to move them and the decor around. So can i just leave the real plants alone and vac around them?

Dozey

Yes you do not need to move your live plants. You should be able to get in very tight to them anyways.

roy

i have fake plants which i remove, i vac half a side one week and then the other half the following week, i swirl the plants in the used water and put them back.

Drew 43920

A lot of the material you are vacuuming is good fertilizer for live plants. I do not try to get too close to my plants.