checkerboards. (d. filamentosa)

[christine]

HI,

last week, I made an impulse purchase of 3 juvenile checkerboard cichlids. I really like these fish! anyway, the trouble is, my tap water is fairly hard and alkaline (8.2pH, and somewhere around 12 for a GH) I have them in a planted 10 gallon, along with 5 glowlights, a couple ottos, and a betta.

can anyone tell me what in the hardest water/pH these fish will tolerate? I"ve added peat to the filter, and also boiled some peat, and made a strong brown "concentrate" that I am adding. I"ve also added several gallons of distilled water, and some snow water. I also have a diy co2 setup running. all this has brought my ph down to a whopping around 7.5. and the GH is at 6.

Is there a difference between distilled water, and RO water? I bought several gallons of distilled, but I can get RO also, at the supermarket, Is one better then the other?

they seem quite happy at the moment.should I bring the hardness down fast, or slowly over weeks?

Any help would be appreciated, I really don't want these guys to die.

thanks,
christine

 

[Neil]

christine,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

can anyone tell me what in the hardest water/pH these fish will tolerate?

Who knows! But you are on the right track. Rather than looking at it in terms of what is the hardest they can handle, it is better just to know that they are much happier in very soft, acidic water. You are surely doing alot for them as it is already. If I were you, I would concentrate on getting the hardness down just a little more and you'll have it licked. With CO2, the pH will come down to a great level when you cut your current hardness in half. If you have clean snow right now, use it. It is ready made RO water. If you were to do nothing else to your tank from the perms that you now have, the fish will be fine. But they will be happy enough to possibly breed for you, if you get it softer and more acidic.

Is there a difference between distilled water, and RO water?

Take a look at this recent thread.
http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=782

I bought several gallons of distilled, but I can get RO also, at the supermarket, Is one better then the other?

Adding slowly, I don't think that there is enough of a difference to worry about!

they seem quite happy at the moment.should I bring the hardness down fast, or slowly over weeks?

Slowly! If they are happy now, don't rock the boat.

Good luck with these fish. They are a beautiful Dwarf Cichlid with some remarkable behaviors. I am sure that you will really enjoy your experience with them, if you keep in mind that they are a little delicate.
Neil

 

[christine]

thanks

Neil, thanks for the information, esp the link to the water info. I now feel more confident that they are not going to keel over on me right away.

I had been toying with the idea of getting some apisto's for my bigger tank,(and lurking around in here) but had decided not to because of my hard water, but when I saw those little checkerboards, I decided to go for it!! and I'm glad I did.

I'm also pleasantly suprised with how much better my glowlights look in the peat filtered water.

anyway, thanks again
chris



:roll:

 

[Orchid]

Welcome to the world of D. filamentosa! These are some of my favorite dwarf cichlids. RO water is safer for the fish if you are adding it straight to the tank. If you do decide to use distilled, mix it with equal parts of tank water first or use a reconstituting product like RO Right-there are many good products on the market. Straight distilled water can strip the protective slime coating off fish.

You only have juvies right now? I hope at least one of them turns out to be a male, they are so lovely, one of the loveliest cichlids I think. Here is a lighting trick to make the males really stand out once they develop their mature neon blue and red coloration: if you can, angle the light into the tank, when the light strikes the fish from the side, they look like they are electric, especially if they are in acidic, peat water like what you have provided them.

Good luck with these adorable fish.

 

[christine]

I hope I have a male too. I"ve read somewhere that the females can change into males if necessary, (I don't know if this is true), but I am hoping that if I don't have a natural born male, one of the ladies will swim up to the plate, and give herself a sex-change.

Once I get the distilled water that I already bought, used up, I will start using RO, just to be on the safe side. (plus it is cheaper) I'm not sure what the ramifications are for my plants with this disitlled, and RO water. I suppose as long as I keep adding some tap, they will be OK. I have a bunch of crypts in there. I hope they don't melt. they're fine so far.

thanks for the lighting tip. I don't know how I would get the hood light to angle, and my plants probably need the light straight down, but I might try adding a little spotlight, or someting on the side, and see if that does anything.

thanks.
Chris

 

[apistodave]

It figures a guy from Sac dont even know what snow is!!!! Do not use it although it is distilled it is also full of bacteria and who knows what else, this is also why you dont eat it

 

[Neil]

O come now Dave! I know what snow is. After all I have a TV set. I just got through watching "White Christmas" a couple of weeks ago.
Actually, I don't think there is much difference collecting snow from collecting rainwater as long as it is done directly as it falls. You must be thinking of the problems that occur once your neighbors there in Sisters trample all over it. You know, the raccoons and bear families that I met when I was up there. :roll:
I'll grant that it is probably safer to use RO.
Neil