A cacatuoides

[epl4978]

i have some cacatuoides in a 44 gallon tank and the tank had a pH of 8.7 out of now were and they stopped eating and got real mean towards one another. i had no clue the pH was so out of wack so the past few days i have been slowl lowering it and now its right at 7 will my fish start eating again or is this still to high

also i would like to breed them but not in the tank they are in what are there water perameters so i will get a good mix fo males/females if they do spawn.

 

[aspen]

chances are you have something dissolving kh into the tank, like limestone, shells or coral. you need to remove anything like this, it is counter productive having anything like this in a soft water s/a cichlid tank.

rick

 

[Cumb Dunt]

I have heard that A. cacatuoides is one of those apistos whose native habitat is actually alkaline.

That would explain why they do so well here in Detroit (I see at LEAST ten pairs of these at every club auction...and no other Apistogramma)...

So don't worry about a high pH as much with these

 

[Mike Wise]

A. cacatuoides can handle a wide range of water values. I recommend that you keep the pH below 7.4, however, if you want reasonable hatch rates from your fish.

 

[Cumb Dunt]

A. cacatuoides can handle a wide range of water values. I recommend that you keep the pH below 7.4, however, if you want reasonable hatch rates from your fish.

Water out of the tap is 7.6-7.8 in Detroit and no one seems to have any trouble with this fish regardless.

Not trying to undermine your wisdom/experience, Mr. Wise...just sayin'...

Then again, organic acids can accumulate and the "real" pH value of our tanks is likely 7.6 or below. (Thinking aloud )

 

[epl4978]

i used a water buffer and got it down to around 7 i'm going to try to keep it there and see if they feed. also in anther forum or something i saw some one said they have gold A cactuoides mine are triple red but my females when not stress are like pure gold with the red fins is this what they ment?

 

[sherry]

be careful of chemical buffers... they can keep you chasing a number ...

if you can add some peat to your filter, you will bring the ph down in amuch more natural way.

 

[epl4978]

i think what has cause my pH to jump is the sand i am useing. i just wonder why it has tanking the couple weeks it has for it to jump like that

 

[aspen]

that sand might be ok in an african cichlid tank. for south americans, the less dissolved material- tds or conductivity- the better.

rick

 

[epl4978]

If I got a sand that does not effect the pH would that help. Also with the fish i have in there besides the apistos I need sand. My tds isn't to bad right now I think if I changed my sand it would go even lower.

 

[brad]

What is your ph out of the tap? What it is if you let it degas for 24 hours in a glass?

I chased around what I thaught were culprits too for awhile. My tap was 7.4 or so then it would climb to 8.4 I figured out it was co2 in my water and not rocks or my sand. Too bad I didn`t figure it out sooner. Just a note.

 

[epl4978]

do you mean the CO2 was raising the pH or do you mean that it was there out of your tap. i know that its from my sand because i have another thank with rocks and its pH is 7.6