Want info re A.trifasciata and A.bitaeniata

[boyohboy]

Hi I've just acquired some A.trifasciata and A.bitaeniata. Anyone who've kept these 2 particular species, can you please let me know of what water/tank conditions that you find successful with?

They are all wild caught fish. Right now they are, in separate tanks, in about ~26 degree celcius (~80F). The water in the tanks are mostly tap water (pH ~7.4, TDS of <200) with ~10-20% R/O. I'm now slowly switching them to more and more R/O (or even up to pure R/O) in the next few days. The reason I started with mostly tap water is because the fish have been kept in tap water (of similar parameters) from the seller, so I didnt' want to put them in pure R/O all of a sudden.

Also, 1 A.trifasciata has a severely damaged lower lip on arrival, and the next day it developed red and protruding eyes. This morning (2 days since I got them), it's kinda laying on its side already. I guess it's likely a goner soon... but if it's still alive after work today, is there anything I can try to save it?

There's also 1 other A.trifasicata that just died this morning. No apparent external injury. Is 1 death out of 10 fish a bad sign or is it "acceptable" considering the transport/stress etc? I've asked the seller and he said this batch of fish (800 he had) is fine and healthy and no death has occured while he had them. The other A.trifasciata I have now are still mostly on the hiding mode, but at least 2-3 of them that I can see are showing pretty nice yellowish color (female) so I think my tanks conditions should be at least ok, right? I'm just puzzled why that one trifasciata died this morning, it was a pretty good size one among those I got too , what a pity :?

Anyway, any advice, opinion, commends are welcome. Thanks alot

 

[Discus Man]

where did you find them?

softer the better, and a ph of under 7 and they should be fine.

Personally I drop them in r/o and 1/10 tap makes a GH of 2, KH 2 and a pH of that annoying Ontario 7.6
peat slowly lowers the pH to a nice 6 ish where the bits did great.

Let me know where you found them. If they have female bits I might go get some..
If you tell me Peterborough I'll scream.... please tell me you came down to Scarberia to big als...
ps I lose one or two wild caught apistos from big als. the shock of the shipment tends to wipe em out a bit. No worries yet.

 

[Apistt_ed]

...

Trifasciatas are one of those dwarfs that benefits from very soft acidic water. Your water isn't bad as I have had Trifasciatas in water similar in parameters as they will survive in it but not thrive. Sometimes the transition from all the moving and stress from moving is what will kill a fish and that is what I am suspecting is the case with your fish. Sorry to hear that you've lost them but the R/O water will be greatly appreciated. If you do decide to go with pure R/O water, you will want to slowly introduce that into the tank as a great decrease in Ph will also harm your fish more than help (no more than 50% water changes with R/O at a time). good luck

 

[boyohboy]

Right now I have the fish in more than 60G of water. I've been removing water and then adding back R/O water... about 1-2 bucket (maybe 4-5G size bucket?!) a day.... so should take 1-2 weeks before getting close to pure R/O. Sounds ok?


DiscusMan, I got my fish from Oliver from Montreal.

 

[Apistt_ed]

...

Whoa,...
for that large a tank it sounds about right. good luck.

 

[fishgeek]

not as expeienced as some of the replies though would add

diminshing laws of 4 galons in 60 - first change will have the most effect as far as change, and subsequent will have lesser and lesser effect

i would generalise by suggesting that healthy fish will tolerate wide fluctuatons , especially toward their native water parameters
and so if fish cope with first change well then the volume changed at whatever set interval you feel comfortable should be able to be increased with each subsequent change

and i would suggest that maybe converse is true for already stressed/unwell fish they require much slower change, peraps even rapid change is the cause of their illtriftyness

just thoughts
andrew

 

[Gary W.]

A.Bitaeniata

Hi Boyohboy

Well where to start? At this moment i have wild A.bits in a 10 gal. tank, fine sand one huge amazon sword, small bog log and a 3" clay pot .pure ro water and peat in my filter. The female has given me 3 very nice broods in 4 months. I keep the ph at 6.5 and the temp 26C. (Trying for a better sex ratio ) the male is one of the better fathers i've seen .Although when the female stared another brood i had to quickly remove the first batch of fry. The fry grow fast on bbs and a food called "First Bites"

hope this helps Gary W. P.S. 50% water changes got her in the mood !!!!