african cichlid ph?

Question

okay.. i have just recently set up a 29 gallon tank for small african cichlids, and i set my ph at about 8.2-8.4, and temp is 80 degrees and the fish store said that i could start out with about 4 babies (about 1-2inches cost 5 bucks each) and then come bak in a week and test my water to see if i could add more yet.

after i let my fish float in there bag and turned them loose, just for shts and giggles i tested the ph in there bag and it was the same as my tapp. 7.4.

will this change kill my fish?

also is 5 dollars each a good price for the 1-2 in assorted africans?

the store charges like 12 dollars for that size yellow labs.

Answer 1

First off it's not surprising that the water from the pet store had a lower pH than recommended. No need to worry though as long you have slowly acclimated your fish to your water. Also 5 dollars is not a bad price for small African cichlids. I do recommend that you lower your temperture slightly to 78 degrees. You probably have noticed that the fish are fighting over the best hiding places and this will continue until you crowd them up a bit. African cichlids are typically very territorial and they need this crowding factor in smaller tanks to prevent one fish from becoming totally dominant. Becareful if you decide to crowd them up as you will need to do lots of water exchanges to keep the water conditions right. Remember that ammonia becomes more toxic with higher PH levels.

Answer 2

They really need to be above 8.0, but a steady pH is better than a fluxuating one. Crushed coral, Malawian Cichlid Salt, and rocks like limestone can all help raise the pH, but you have to add them gradually. My brother made the mistake of setting up his cichlid tank with a pH of 8.5 and then introducing store bought cichlids that had been living in 7.0 pH water at the pet store. They died over night. There is also a product that you can buy online that is gravel and sand from Malawi, they may also have these for the other lakes if you don't have Malawian cichlids, but another african type. The link for the substrate is below.

Answer 3

I'd be a bit leery of the "assorted" fish. They're usually accidental hybrid breedings. That's the reason the purebred yellow labs are more expensive. The other issue is, you have no idea what size or temperament you'll be dealing with as adults. The tank size may become inadequate really quickly.
The pH shock won't kill the fish (although it certainly won't be good for them). The fish are already under stress from being netted, transported, and rehomed. The shock from the pH will add to their stress. Because you just set up the tank, unless you did a fishless cycle...you'll be hitting the cycling stage next.
The first phase is ammonia spiking from fish waste and decaying food (fish waste includes urine, feces, and even exhaled oxygen from the gills). After about a week, you'll see the ammonia spike. This is toxic to fish, especially those under stress. It burns their scales, fins, eyes and worst of all, their gills. The next bacteria to form is nitrite. It will eat up the ammonia as quickly as it forms. This is also toxic to fish. It damages their ability to use oxygen and causes asphyxiation. This stage lasts 3 - 4 weeks. Then nitrate forms, which is the good bacteria. It's best kept at 20 ppm (parts per million). It's advisable to get a test kit to monitor these levels. Water changes are great during cycling...just don't clean your filter media. The bacteria will colonize there and on your gravel and any other surfaces in the tank.

Answer 4

Cichlids will be happier in your 8+ ph than they were at the store. I doubt the change will kill them, but they might be a little stressed the first couple of days. Pet stores rarely have fish in the water they are supposed to be in. $5 was prob a good price, although both petco and petsmart have sales where certain fish are only a dollar and I have seen cichlids offered. Maybe watch the sales and wait to add more until they are cheap? Although if your cichilds grow to full size 4 in a 29 gallon might be plenty. Good luck!

Answer 5

While that large a jump in pH isn't good fro your fish it probably won't kill them. You don't say if you tank has cycled,if it hasn't then you've got to monitor the ammonia levels very carefully. At high pH values such as yours the ammonia and Nitrites are in a more toxic form than neutral or acid tanks.
$5.00 is a typical price for "Assorted Cichlids", however it should be a policy of fish keepers to only buy fish when their Latin (scientific) names are known. You would do well to find out what you've purchased.

Answer 6

You might consider using a buffer specifically made for the lake you are keeping fish from. It will take some guess work out and you can move on to resolveing other issues with your tank. I am a Seachem fan and they make some excellent cichlid products.

Answer 7

their is very hard to control the ph.maybe u can try this metthod.1st....store another 29 gallon tank ,2second....everyday change 70%water then add a litter bit fresh water anti-biotic (buy from any fish shop),i use this mathod for my discus farm.http://hybriddiscus.com

Answer 8

No I'd say they'll live through it it's a good change not a bad one.