cleaning out the tank

Question
I recently got a Bata fish and i don't really know a lot about them. I have cleaned out the tank 3 times now but i am still not sure if i am doing it right. My dad says that I should keep some of the water in the bowl so the fish doesn't go in to shock from the PH difference, and I agree but the other 3 times i did it i completely changed the water and Sunny is still here! (thank goodness) The other thing that complicates it is the live plants that i have. I heard they filter the water so i got one but don't know how to clean them. Thanks for your time and help!

Answer
Devon,

Live plants don't need to be cleaned like fake plants do, no worries there. Do a 25% water change once a week and things should go fine. As for the pH balance - your pH should remain a constant number (you can get kits to check this at the pet store) and should not rise or fall with the addition of new water if the water has been treated properly.

-Bethany