Can Tiger Barb live in pH 8.2?

[yhbae]

Everywhere I read, they all recomend somewhat acidic water, and knowing that most species can be climatized to other pH levels, could thid be done for tiger barb as well? 8.2 is rather high compare to their native environment...

 

[Daveo]

Well I don't know about that but I do know that they can live in a tank that has a PH of about 5.6-5.8. Thats what happend to my tank. Not too shure how that actually happend but Alls I do know is that they can withstand some pretty low PH's.


Daveo :droole:

 

[yhbae]

That doesn't quite answer my question...

I guess you had a pH crash - was it a mature tank with low native KH?

 

[Lateral Line]

Yes, Tiger Barbs will live in water that alkali. Generally, the lfs will use the same tapwater as you, and therefore, they will already be used to your water. Indeed, if you use special water, soft acidic, you'll need to acclimate them.

It is breeding that really requires soft acid water with this species. The eggs won't hatch even if they spawn. The Calcium makes the egg shells to tough for the fry to break out.

 

[yhbae]

Yes, Tiger Barbs will live in water that alkali. Generally, the lfs will use the same tapwater as you, and therefore, they will already be used to your water. Indeed, if you use special water, soft acidic, you'll need to acclimate them.

It is breeding that really requires soft acid water with this species. The eggs won't hatch even if they spawn. The Calcium makes the egg shells to tough for the fry to break out.

Thanks for the feedback!

For your info though, my tap water is very neutral, pH = 7.2, KH is only 3. I'm looking into accomodating these tiger barbs in my mbuna tank, which is highly alkaline. It appears that quite a few have already tried it, and so far, only one failed so I may proceed and try this out myself as well...

I was more concerned about the long term health of these barbs in an alkaline water...

 

[Daveo]

Lateral line does your name come from the lateal line on a sharks sides. I guess you cold call it the sharks sixth since. Just wondering


Daveo

 

[Lateral Line]

Keeping any fish in water a long way removed from it's natural conditions will impart a stress factor on the internal biochemistry of the fish. The further away from "normal" conditions a fish is forced to live in, the greater the chemical loading on the fishes system, the kidney in particular. They will not live as long as they would in ideal conditions.

If you had said a rift tank before, I would already have suggested this was not a good idea. Tiger Barbs like planted tanks amongst other things, the barren rocky rift tanks will not suit them at all.

I would have thought that Tiger Barbs in an Mbuna tank would have looked really weird anyway.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> does your name come from the lateal line on a sharks sides.

The Lateral Line organ, is, in common with the Cephallic Pit organ, is a sensory system common to 90% of the worlds fish species, including almost all of the Teleost fish. It comprises an array of sensory pits sensitive to pressure changes.

Yes, my screen name comes from this organ.

No, this is nothing specific to sharks.

 

[yhbae]

You are right, the tank is mostly rocky, but I am adding lots of java fern into the tank - they seem to thrive in that tank. So it is kinda planted mbuna tank which is weird...


Also, you are right that it is weird to mix barbs with mbuna. I was looking for a nice looking dithering fish that are tough enough to survivie in a mbun tank. The natural choice would have been Cyprichromis leptosoma, but they require much larger tank. Apparently, I wasn't alone by judging from the number of people who are trying out this "idea"...

I am more concerned about their health over long term, especially now you mention about the potential kidney problem as well...