i want to know if you have 3 goldfishes and 2 dojo loaches. does your tank have a low Ph or high ph lvl?

Question

My black moor goldfish has a split fin so is it high ph or low ph

and does it mean that the water is alkaline or basic.

Also wonder if the water is soft or hard.... not that it should matter right?

Answer 1

looking at the fish isn't going to tell you what your ph level is or your hardness levels are. if your fish are acting funny they ARE telling you to test your water. testing ph is a good idea so you should get a test kit from your pet shop. soft water will mean your PH can go up or down (which isnt the best thing) faster/easier. as there aren't the minerals in the water to buffer it. Again check with your local pet shop as to what to do in your area

Answer 2

From my experience, split fins and the like are not due to the pH of the tank. This can be due to finrot or other fungal infections or due to your fish fighting with the other goldfish.

A safe bet is to always keep your tank at a neutral pH of 7. To make sure that your pH is at 7, you can buy buffer tablets that buffer your tank at a pH of 7.

Some quick Chemistry: pH below 7.0 means acidic. pH above 7.0 means basic, or alkaline; they mean the same thing. The hardness of water does not have much to do with the pH. Having hard water means that there is a high concentration of Ca and Mg ions in solution.

In the end, if you are worried about pH, get a set of buffer tablets at your local pet shop. If the fin splitting isn't a result of the fish fighting, then I would also get some fungal infection medication. I would recommend a brand called Fungus Clear. It costs around $3 for 8 tablets. Can't go wrong.

Answer 3

If a fish is exhibiting damage to its body or fins, chances are, it's related to water quality and/or overcrowding, however, this alone does not tell you what the ph is or anything else about the water's parameters. Perfect ph for goldfish should be at 7.0. Worrying about soft or hard water is basically irrelevant as that is what ph references. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates should also be checked. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0 and nitrates should be 160. You will not know this unless you get a test kit and test your water. Getting some dechlorinator, detoxifier, and ph tablets will help the water initially. Getting some live bacteria will also get the ball rolling for making the water healthy. Doing proper water changes and cleanings will continue the process of making the water more healthy. My guess is that the cause of the fin damage is from poor water quality due to overcrowding. For the five fish you have, you should have a 50 gallon tank, and I'm betting that you do not. You may want to read up on cycling a tank and get the aquarium environment more hospitable for your fish.

Answer 4

High pH is also called "basic," though I've seen an old chemistry chart that stated high pH substances taste "alkaline." It's the pH range from 7.0-14.0.

Low pH is also called "acidic," and covers the pH range from 1.0 to 7.0.

That 7.0 right in the middle there? That's "neutral." And that's where goldfish like to be... maybe even a little closer to 7.2, but they'll be happy at neutral.


The split fin could be a pH issue, or getting nipped at by the other fish, or a symptom of the water quality (a lot of fish pee, rotting plants, uneaten food... a lot of things may contribute.)

Unfortunately for the water hardness/softness it's unrelated to pH, and it does affect the fish, but is dependent on what comes out of your tap, or where you're getting the water.

A lot of local fish stores will test a water sample for pH, ammonia and nitrate (aka fish urine) buildup, and possibly hardness/softness as well if you bring it to them. From what I'm told they do not charge to test a sample.


My suggestion would be to change out half of the water more often, maybe every few days depending on how big your tank is, until the black moor's tail begins to repair itself.

Don't despair! The fins DO grow back. So hopefully you get everything resolved and everyone's happy!

Answer 5

Most fish adapt to ph changes very well and can thrive in environments outside their normal parameters. The fish you listed are around neutral to slightly acidic side of things I think 6.9 is their prefered ph. At the store, if it says the fish thrives in 6.7, you don't need 6.7 exactly... 7.0 or 7.2 will do fine. Its best to let the fish adjust to your water source than to go throwing a bunch of chemicals in the water to try and get the ph perfect. Most of those products have all kinds of phosphates & stuff that will affect water quality down the line.

Also note, rapid swings in ph are more of a threat to your fish than having them live in a ph outside their specified range. Another good reason not to tinker with it....

Most freshwater fish will do fine at neutral ph's. They're kept at neutral in most fish stores when they're sold. I keep sunshine peacock cichlids at 7.1, but the marketing material for them says 7.5 to 7.8. I've had them for 2 years and they're perfectly healthy.

Answer 6

Go get a test kit if you want to find out. What kind of fish you have does not change the Ph of the water.

Answer 7

For goldfish you want a ph from 7.6-9
Split fin can be caused by overcrowding, stress, or disease. Look for other signs to know what is causing it.

Answer 8

goldfish can live in both balances check the internet about dojo loaches

Answer 9

i not a exprt in fish but your local petstore or pool suppile store should have a kit to show you if its high or low and some chemicals to help your raise it or keep it down