Re: AF cichlids in plant tank

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> I don't know but I would guess that if I kept the Peacocks at a pH of 6.8
> that they wouldn't have as good as color as they have at 7.4.

Try it and see. If the fish appear stressed raise it back up. It's not hard
and can be reversed quickly.
You can also use a small tank to try out the CO2 effects etc.

> That is my only reason for not wanting to go that low. I have picked and
> choose most all of these Peacocks from an importer here in Houston and I have
> rarely ever seen such fish in any of the LFS.

I've always felt as far as the fish are concerned when using CO2 to lower
the pH that the KH/GH matters more than the slightly lower pH. It's only 0.6
units. That's not a lot and fish in most regions have variations or larger
in their native ranges. Granted this is the lower range, but you still have
the GH/KH the same. Lowering the GH/KH would have a larger effect IMO on
many fish. The water is the same(GH/KH, NO3, K+ etc) except for the pH and
the CO2. A little variation in one parameter I think is seldom critical.
 
I've had Cyprichromis in planted tanks, which are pretty well known for
being wimpy Rift fish.

If the fish are wild caught, I might raise the KH/GH to around 15KH/20GH.
You can try lowering this later after a few months or acclimate the
F1's/F2's to lower KH/GH/pH etc.
If they are doing fine now, leave it be.

Coddling etc till they get acclimated for few weeks. You can use the CO2 to
adjust this set up(high GH/KH) to 7.3-7.4. I believe the GH(Ca and Mg) and
also K+ and SO4 are more critical to these fish than a certain pH a few
tenths of a unit down. I have not seen issues with this with the wimpy
species of the great AF lakes, I not had done nor seen any studies on how
lowered pH using CO2 gas effects the fish. I tried it to see. I did not have
any issues I could say caused problems.

Other folks here keep rift cichlids and plants and you can search around for
Rift cichlids and plants on various forums.

Generally, if the fish is not a big digger, they can be kept well. Pots and
other devices can prevent even the diggers from causing problems.
One of the nicest tanks I've seen to date was a planted Tropheus morrii
tank. I got some of the first albino Aulnocara that came into the USA some
years back(1986/1987?). Nice fish for albinos.

FWIW, my AF fish had a KH 5/GH 9 when I used CO2. Things seemed fine.
Food is a key with fish/breeding.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


    



     

 
> Thanks,
> Bill

> From: Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com (Aquatic Plants Digest)
> Reply-To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 04:41:55 -0400
> To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> Subject: Aquatic Plants Digest V6 #231
> 
> t      Tuesday, July 22 2003      Volume 06 : Number 231