Help Please

One of my friends is not taking care of thier fish and I want to take them BUT I have never had fish before and dont no where to start because first of all they are in really dirty water and my question is can i put them in clean water right away with out them dying?HELP PLEASE!!!!

What kind of fish? Are you getting the tank they are in with them?
If you are getting the tank they are in you need to keep at least 75% of the dirty water and 25% clean water (make sure you use a dechlorinator for the new water, get it at a pet store) Do not wash the filters leave them be you need the bacteria on them, plus you don't want to change anything too drastically at first.... every week you need to do a 10% water change with fresh water, make sure to use the dechlorinator (chlorine kills fish)........ I need more info to help you further. But try to get the tank they are in and the filter that's on it, it will make it much easier!

I agree with fern, however, I would do at least a 20-25% water change weekly. Do not just put them in fresh clean water or you will probably end up with dead fish. Could you tell us the size of the tank? What kind of fish?? Have any futher question, please feel free to ask!

25% for 3 weeks straight.

List your location in your profile.

Don't clean the filter media, but you might want to make sure the impeller (if it has one) intake/return tube, strainers are clean & getting water in & out. Make sure it is running well...

I would do 10% water change for the first 2 weeks to avoid any shock from clean water.

Fern wrote:

I would do 10% water change for the first 2 weeks to avoid any shock from clean water.

sounds like a smart idea fern

I had a situation like this with my rescue corys and I saved all of them.

If your H2O is declorinated. You move them to clean fresh H2O. Getting the fish out of dirty H2O will not hurt them. Quality of H2O is 90% OF ANY PROBLEMS. Always get fish out of dirty H2O.

anyword yet on the rescue?