No, we don't know if it's water but wouldn't it be silly to overlook something we are supposed to be monitoring anyways? When I start seeing trends in water numbers versus success rate with these things I can't help but wonder. Maybe it is nothing more then coincidence? Maybe it's a huge piece of the puzzle.
IF your PH meter was reading 8.4-8.5 all the time would you assume this has no impact on fish coming from low PH acidic water? I know I'd feel a lot better about my water if I was down in the 7s. Maybe they're fine in the 7s, and mid 8s is just way too much for them to handle?
As far as the pond.... I thought most in there developed the stuppor.... I didn't think there was a big enough size difference to worry about, as my Rhaphiodon seemed fine in there. That fish was around for over half a decade, grew to a larger size then any I've seen in home aquariums and that thing smashed its face on tank lids on a regular basis. They do back flips when they eat! It wound up in the pond cause even with the water level dropped several inches it still could get the lids. I began setting water levels low a long time ago and the Rhaphs were why, but the Armatus got the same treatment.
You could be right, maybe the "Characin stuppor" I've witnessed so many times is just the listless result of smashing themselves into sides of the tank or pond? Very well could be. I just have a hard time swallowing the fact that out of like the dozen I had that I couldn't have just one reach the size of the first one. Instead they almost seemed to die in groups.
Who knows..... I just hope someday I'm able to keep Armatus long term...... lol
