Platies Grazing on Algae After Water Change

[LuckyGourami]

Like most platies, mine occasionally pick at the algae that grows on my plants, but lately I've noticed something a little odd. Once a week, I do a 30 percent water change, net out whatever detritus has accumulated, and clean the glass. For the rest of the day, they go bananas and eat every speck of algae growing on the Java Fern and Anbuias. They go at it like little lawnmowers. By the end of the day, the tank is spotless, although they produce a lot of poop in the process! It's almost like they see me doing cleanup and decide to help, but I wonder if it's actually something in the water conditioner that makes them do this? Has anyone else experienced something similar?

 

[Flyfisha]

All my fish are more active in fresh water.
You may want to consider second 30% water change in the same week or upping the volume you remove each time.

I suggest the behaviour after the water changes are normal and the behaviour before the water change is a sign of less than ideal water?

My opinion is up to 50% is a safe amount for a maximum water change at one time. Some members do larger water changes on a regular basis. I suggest you match the temperature as close as possible.

 

[jake37]

You just think they are active. If you want to see active get some kuhli and change their water. In fact my kuhli get so excited when i start the water change they start swimming like mad before the new water is even added. The ones in this tank are not shy.

Like most platies, mine occasionally pick at the algae that grows on my plants, but lately I've noticed something a little odd. Once a week, I do a 30 percent water change, net out whatever detritus has accumulated, and clean the glass. For the rest of the day, they go bananas and eat every speck of algae growing on the Java Fern and Anbuias. They go at it like little lawnmowers. By the end of the day, the tank is spotless, although they produce a lot of poop in the process! It's almost like they see me doing cleanup and decide to help, but I wonder if it's actually something in the water conditioner that makes them do this? Has anyone else experienced something similar?

 

[Kribensis27]

Perfectly normal. Mine do this too. It think that it’s caused by the gravel vac. They see the detritus flying up from the substrate during a water change, and it causes them to go into a sort of feeding frenzy. They then clean up anything edible in the tank, adding a whole new layer of poop right after I clean it up

 

[kallililly1973]

They are definitely loving the fresh new dechlorinated water. We have a 20 long with a lot of Emerald green corys a lot of guppies an SAE and 2 otto cats and 99% of the time the day after a 50-75% WC there are a ton of cory eggs on the Sword leaves and the glass.