Tiger Barbs Losing Color

[twofortysx]

hi.

im new here and will be making a introduction post but this kinda urgent.

my tank is a 10 gallon with 5 tiger barbs and 2 mossy barbs! the water quality is good from what i have read. the nitrite is 0 ppm, nitrate is a little under 5.0ppm, ammonia is about 2.0 ppm and PH is at 7.5. i just did these readings right now.

the problem

my tiger and mossy barbs have been changing colors from very pale to their normal shiny deep color. im assuming its the PH thats causing it since it has been fluctuating alot as of late. now my question what is causing the ph to get increasingly lower unless i add PH UP daily? i know i shouldnt change the ph more than .2 at a time so im not doing that.

thanks,
Jimmy

 

[WILDER]

Well tiger barbs are active fish and need at least a 20gal tank, never heard of the other barbs.
Going pale can be a sign of stress, please don't mess with ph as it not worlth it.
I would do a water change and let them be.
What are your water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, plus ph tap water reading.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Your fish are loosing color because they are stressed. Tiger barbs are very sensitive to poor water quality, as are the "mossy barbs" which i am assuming are the green color morphs of tiger barbs. Any ammonia reading besides zero is too much for them. besides the fact that tiger barbs are poor cycling fish, your tank is way too small to have tiger barbs in. They are very active fish and need alot of swimming space. The minimum tank size for these guys is 30 gallons. Trust me, they do need it.

Also, stop using the pH chemicals. That is probalbly why the pH is fluxuating so much. Chemicals are a very bad way to alter your pH. I noticed you are using pH up and your pH is at 7.5. Tiger barbs perfer a slightly acidic water as it is, but like most fihs are very adaptable to different pH levels, as long as it is constant. Mine are kept in about 7.6-7.8

You need to begin doing daily water changes until your ammonia and nitrite levels are both at zero.

 

[twofortysx]

What are your water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, plus ph tap water reading.

the water quality is good from what i have read. the nitrite is 0 ppm, nitrate is a little under 5.0ppm, ammonia is about 2.0 ppm and PH is at 7.5.

the tap water at my house has a reading of about 6.2. i didnt mess with the PH until the levels went below 6.0. after researching i found barbs do infact like slightly acidic water so i gradually increased the ph over a week and let it be. the fish have been fine for months since this. they just recently started doing this color changing. the only thing that i can say has changed is their food from tetramin flakes to life spectrum sinking pellets. this food was recommended by a very knowledge staff person at my local fish store. the store is well know, www.elmersaquarium.com

i do understand that barbs prefer a large tank than 10 gallons but i bought the fish before researching so im kinda stuck with them now. however i did ask about a larger tank and was told that what i had would be sufficent.

Jimmy

You need to begin doing daily water changes until your ammonia and nitrite levels are both at zero.

ill start doing the water changes ASAP. what percentage of water should i change and at what interval should i change it?

Jimmy

 

[WILDER]

Don't mess with ph, as fish get used to different ph levels, and yours probably have now come used to your ph so there is no need to alter it.
They are pale because you are messsing around with there water.
Plus get them on a better diet, they need frozen foods like bloodworms, daphnia,brimestrimp, plus veg in there diet.
As to many dried foods can lead to constipation and swim blaader problems.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Since your pH is crashing below 6, there are some natural (non chemical) ways of raising your pH. these methods tend to be more stable. check out this link for more info http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=59467

I would say no more than a 15% water change because of the differences in pH.

 

[twofortysx]

the PH has been in between 7.2.-7.5 for months now. i havent touched it as of late.

i have been looking at other types of food recently so i guess that will be my next purchase

 

[tttnjfttt]

im assuming its the PH thats causing it since it has been fluctuating alot as of late. now my question what is causing the ph to get increasingly lower unless i add PH UP daily?

thanks,
Jimmy

the PH has been in between 7.2.-7.5 for months now. i havent touched it as of late.

??? so you are adding pH up daily to keep the pH up at 7.2? What is the readings before you add it daily? What is the pH as it comes out of your tap?

(also, the prefered acidic range is below 7, not above)

 

[twofortysx]

the PH the past few days has been 6.0-6.4 so ive added ph up to move it up slightly but its been dropping back down the next day when i check it again! the PH out of the tap is 6.2 and i have only done 1 water change since this started.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Honestly, i'm not suprised. I tried using the chemicals when i first started out and would find the pH back to 8 after i had gotten it down to 7 after a week. Just ditch the chemicals, your fish will thankyou for that. This rollercoaster is definatley making things worse. just leave it alone.

You should begin doing water changes daily, to controll the ammonia until it is back to zero.

 

[dwarfgourami]

"the nitrite is 0 ppm, nitrate is a little under 5.0ppm, ammonia is about 2.0 ppm and PH is at 7.5. i just did these readings right now."

An ammonia reading of 2 ppm is not good- it is toxic! Keep up those water changes!

You're not alone though. It's amazing how many people come on here worrying about the finer points of their ph (usually totally irrelevant), yet miss the fact that their fish are swimming in liquid poison. Who feeds beginners the line that the one and only key to successful fishkeeping is controlling your ph?