2 week old fish

Question
I have 2 baby white cloud mountain minnows in my quarantine tank with a sponge filter.  I have been feeding them Hikari first bites and they have been eating well.  I was wondering when would be a good time to clean the tank.  It is a bear bottom tank but its collecting build up.  Ive heard cleaning the tank might make them die. Is this true?  They are about 2 and a half weeks old.

Answer
Hi Anna,
I don't think cleaning their tank will cause you to lose your two baby white cloud minnows. I've raised newly hatched Angelfish babies before and changed 50% of their water everyday. Make sure the babies are free-swimming well first (they probably are) and what I do is take airline tubing, fill it with tap water (to begin a siphon), plug one end of the airline tubing when it is completely filled with water. Take the other end and put it under water in your fry tank and let the end you are holding loose. A siphon will begin automatically. Keep the airline tubing low to the bottom and it will siphon out loads of debri quite well. Once you are done, carefully make up replacement water making sure it is dechlorinated properly with a good water conditioner and it is equal in temperature to the fry tank. All should well. Water changes are the best thing you can do for baby fish, it really makes them grow!

I hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Karen~