Catfish fries dies after a week

[Omokaro]

Good day everyone......I'm into the production of African catfish ......my hatched fries always die massively after attaining a week old......although my pH level is 4.0, I use soda ash to boost it to 7.0.......is there any help the forum can render...thanks

 

[itiwhetu]

Good day everyone......I'm into the production of African catfish ......my hatched fries always die massively after attaining a week old......although my pH level is 4.0, I use soda ash to boost it to 7.0.......is there any help the forum can render...thanks

What catfish are you talking about exactly?

 

[StevenF]

Soda ash is either sodium or potassium compound Animals need both but at low levels. If you add enough sodas to go from 4 to 7 your fish could die due to a sodium or potassium imbalance. In nature calcium and magnesium carbonate are the primary compunds that push the PH up to 7.

In most tanks with a PH of 7 or higher calcium / magnesium carbonates won't dissolve so they are seldom used. However in a acidic water of a pH of 4 it will dissolve and push the pH up to 7 about 7. YOU could put sea shells, limestone,crushed coral, or dolomte in your filter to maintain a PH of 7. Dolomite is preferred because it has calcium and magnesium Most of the others are mainly calcium.. Note calcium and magneisum are needed by plants and animals but int your PH of 4 you the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water may push mineral levels to high for your fish.

The big question to me is why is your water PH 4. A PH that low can be hazardous to people and fish. Natural freash water from streams, lakes and wells is rarely that acidic. So I would investigate why your water have a very low PH to begin with.

 

[Omokaro]

Soda ash is either sodium or potassium compound Animals need both but at low levels. If you add enough sodas to go from 4 to 7 your fish could die due to a sodium or potassium imbalance. In nature calcium and magnesium carbonate are the primary compunds that push the PH up to 7.

In most tanks with a PH of 7 or higher calcium / magnesium carbonates won't dissolve so they are seldom used. However in a acidic water of a pH of 4 it will dissolve and push the pH up to 7 about 7. YOU could put sea shells, limestone,crushed coral, or dolomte in your filter to maintain a PH of 7. Dolomite is preferred because it has calcium and magnesium Most of the others are mainly calcium.. Note calcium and magneisum are needed by plants and animals but int your PH of 4 you the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water may push mineral levels to high for your fish.

The big question to me is why is your water PH 4. A PH that low can be hazardous to people and fish. Natural freash water from streams, lakes and wells is rarely that acidic. So I would investigate why your water have a very low PH to begin with.

Thanks for your reply......most of our water here is acidic.....the best you can find is a pH of 5......I think it's due to the depth of the borehole which is not usually deep.....someone advice me to used crushed sea shells......I have ordered for it.......but sir, it's there any chemical I could also used to treat the water........I have had about activated carbon and zeolite.......how true is this

 

[Omokaro]

What catfish are you talking about exactly?

I hatched clarias gariepinus catfish sir

 

[itiwhetu]

I hatched clarias gariepinus catfish sir

Wow cool looking fish, I know nothing about them. But good luck and I hope someone will be able to help you.

 

[Omokaro]

thanks

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

If baby fish die, it's either poor water quality or starvation.
Make sure any food they get is small enough for them to eat.
Make sure the water is free of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and the pH is suitable.

Your pH is a bit low and you can use shells, limestone, sandstone, or dead coral rubble to raise the pH. Shells and limestone are the cheapest option and you simply add some to the tank/ pond and monitor the pH over a couple of weeks. If the pH stays low, add more shells or limestone. Monitor for a couple more weeks and keep adding limestone or shells until the pH settles where you need it.

Zeolite removes ammonia from the water and will not affect pH. You can recharge zeolite by soaking it in salt water for 24-48 hours, then rinse with fresh water. Allow it to dry and you can use it again.

Zeolite should only be used in emergencies and the best way to keep ammonia levels at 0ppm is to have an established biological filter on the tank/ pond. This will convert ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate. You can remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate by doing big water changes. however, if you are keeping fish in a pond, then big water changes aren't always possible. Floating plants will help keep ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels lower.

 

[Omokaro]

Hi and welcome to the forum

If baby fish die, it's either poor water quality or starvation.
Make sure any food they get is small enough for them to eat.
Make sure the water is free of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and the pH is suitable.

Your pH is a bit low and you can use shells, limestone, sandstone, or dead coral rubble to raise the pH. Shells and limestone are the cheapest option and you simply add some to the tank/ pond and monitor the pH over a couple of weeks. If the pH stays low, add more shells or limestone. Monitor for a couple more weeks and keep adding limestone or shells until the pH settles where you need it.

Zeolite removes ammonia from the water and will not affect pH. You can recharge zeolite by soaking it in salt water for 24-48 hours, then rinse with fresh water. Allow it to dry and you can use it again.

Zeolite should only be used in emergencies and the best way to keep ammonia levels at 0ppm is to have an established biological filter on the tank/ pond. This will convert ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate. You can remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate by doing big water changes. however, if you are keeping fish in a pond, then big water changes aren't always possible. Floating plants will help keep ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels lower.

Thank you sir.....I have bought some crushed sea shells and add to my tank.....it now gives me. a pH of 7.....the biological filter to be added to the tank, which one would you recommend I get.

 

[StevenF]

Thanks for your reply......most of our water here is acidic.....the best you can find is a pH of 5......I think it's due to the depth of the borehole which is not usually deep.....someone advice me to used crushed sea shells......I have ordered for it.......but sir, it's there any chemical I could also used to treat the water........I have had about activated carbon and zeolite.......how true is this

if you water is coming from a well then the water sulfuric or other acids possibly from a nearby volcano.. The problem with acids is that they are from minerals in the water. You cannot add something to remove a mineral from the water. You need fiscally remove the mineral. YOU can filter the water with a RO system or use distilled ordain water but that might get expensive. Depends on the size of the tank. And I don't know if RO filter system can work with such acidic water.

I think you need to put enough water for awaterchange in a bucket and with crushed sea shells in it. and a pump to circulate the water in the bucket. The shells should neutralize the acids before you do a water change. If you use water tests to determine PH, KH, and GH before the water goes into the bucket. Then when the PH is 7 you know the water isreadyfor a water change. Also again record the GH and KH to see how much these change.

put the crushed sea shells or whatever carbonate you use in the filter. Only add more before it all dissolves away.

 

[Omokaro]

if you water is coming from a well then the water sulfuric or other acids possibly from a nearby volcano.. The problem with acids is that they are from minerals in the water. You cannot add something to remove a mineral from the water. You need fiscally remove the mineral. YOU can filter the water with a RO system or use distilled ordain water but that might get expensive. Depends on the size of the tank. And I don't know if RO filter system can work with such acidic water.

I think you need to put enough water for awaterchange in a bucket and with crushed sea shells in it. and a pump to circulate the water in the bucket. The shells should neutralize the acids before you do a water change. If you use water tests to determine PH, KH, and GH before the water goes into the bucket. Then when the PH is 7 you know the water isreadyfor a water change. Also again record the GH and KH to see how much these change.

put the crushed sea shells or whatever carbonate you use in the filter. Only add more before it all dissolves away.

thanks

 

[Naughts]

I'm interested in how you keep these massive fish. Did you collect the eggs from the wild? Will you release the fish when they have grown? I'm very curious...

 

[Colin_T]

.....the biological filter to be added to the tank, which one would you recommend I get.

The best filter for baby fish is an air operated sponge filter (a sponge filter run by an air pump). This will help filter and aerate the water, but won't suck the baby fish up.

When the fish are a couple of inches long, you can use power filters if you like. A large external canister filter would be the best choice for bigger fish due to their size and the amount of food they eat.

 

[Boluwatife]

Thank you sir.....I have bought some crushed sea shells and add to my tank.....it now gives me. a pH of 7.....the biological filter to be added to the tank, which one would you recommend I get.

Good day ma/sir. Where did you get your sea shells and how much? I need it also?

 

[Magnum Man]

I found this video informative... in a quick watching, is sounds like keep fry alive is a common problem... you may actually know all this, or be able to get more out of it that I did...