Help with baenschi

[Tailswithscales]

My apistogramma baenschi have changed a bit and are behaving very oddly. I have a pair in a ten gallon. Nitrates under 20ppm, 7.0ph and very low hardness. I'm doing 20-50% water changes a week with deionized water/ reverse osmosis. After the male really started to color up and get his dorsal spikes and the female starting to develop her breeding dress. They both have dimmed down and often sit on the sand barely moving. What's going on?!

 

[Mike Wise]

You don't give enough information for a good idea. Still, the fish obviously aren't happy with the tank set-up/conditions or with each other. I find it odd that you can keep the pH around neutral and have very low hardness. Your water could be so soft that your pH indicator may not be accurate. How do you produce your DI/RO water?

 

[Tailswithscales]

Tank set up is ten gallons, with rock caves, plastic plants and java moss. Tankmates are a few glowlight tetras who act normally. I use API master test kit and get my deionized water/reverse osmosis from my 100gpd unit from purewaterclub. It's fairly new I got it over the summer and have produced probably about 50-60 gallons of good water out of it. I add some seachem replenish but about a half dose to raise less than one, before I add it to the tank

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

They both have dimmed down and often sit on the sand barely moving. What's going on?!

I think it is probably a water quality issue.

I use API master test kit

You honestly can't test for NO3 etc with any hobbiest kits, even with analytical equipment it is quite difficult.

I find it odd that you can keep the pH around neutral and have very low hardness.

Mike is right, pH isn't really a relevant measurement in very soft water. Until the fish are looking a bit happier I'd up water changes and add some dKH, if you have hard tap water you can cut your RO with that.

I really like plants, in small tanks it is difficult to maintain water quality with out plants. I have Java moss in all my tanks, but I like some faster growing plants as well, ideally floaters with access to aerial CO2.

More plants = better quality water, it really is a simple as that.

cheers Darrel

 

[gerald]

Are they still eating well? Is their breathing more rapid than normal? Eyes look clear and normal?
Any signs of abdominal bloating, bumps under the skin, red nostrils, mucus in feces, or other disease symptoms?

 

[Tailswithscales]

Thanks everyone, I am going to up my water changes. They are looking more colorful and the female more active after I started more frequent changes. They are eating but not like they used to. More lazy then usual. No unusual physical condition except the dark colors