Ideal Water Conditions for Black Arowanas

[T1KARMANN]

tap water with seachem prime

ALL aros are fairly adaptable to more water conditions its best to keep the water as stable as possible like most fish

its not worth messing with water parameters just get the fish used to the water that comes out the tap

 

[Bderick67]

First I want to apologize, as I recall you had PM'd me with a similar question. I am sorry for not answering, this thread prompted me to look for that PM but it seems I had deleted it in a recent cleaning of my files.

As said above, blacks aros are from the amazon region. The water there is soft and acidic. However your aro should adapt easily to a pH in the mid to upper 7s. Playing with water chemistry can be dangerous. If your pH is real high(^ 7.8) the best way to lower IMO is with R/O water. You can mix the R/O with your tap water and reach your desired levels.

As far as your aro's frayed fins go, I don't believe the parameters have much to do with it. Though you do need zero ammonia and nitrites, keeping the nitrates below 10ppm will help with healing.

You need to figure out why your aro has the frayed fins, looking at the pic in your gallery from 10-24, this is definitely NOT fin rot. IMO I think your aro is being harassed by one of the other fish or possible that the intake/output of the filter could be the cause.

I would see about isolating the arowana for a couple weeks and keep the water pristine, you should even see a difference after a couple days. Just because you don't see your other fish harassing the aro doesn't mean it's not happening. I could also be that it is occurring after lights out, do oyu leave the moon lights on all night?

 

[ctoychik]

tap water with seachem prime

ALL aros are fairly adaptable to more water conditions its best to keep the water as stable as possible like most fish

its not worth messing with water parameters just get the fish used to the water that comes out the tap

I agree. I just take tap water and add dechlorinating solution to it. works for all my fishes. Though keep in my that tap water over here is from Mekong River.

 

[ctoychik]

First I want to apologize, as I recall you had PM'd me with a similar question. I am sorry for not answering, this thread prompted me to look for that PM but it seems I had deleted it in a recent cleaning of my files.

As said above, blacks aros are from the amazon region. The water there is soft and acidic. However your aro should adapt easily to a pH in the mid to upper 7s. Playing with water chemistry can be dangerous. If your pH is real high(^ 7.8) the best way to lower IMO is with R/O water. You can mix the R/O with your tap water and reach your desired levels.

As far as your aro's frayed fins go, I don't believe the parameters have much to do with it. Though you do need zero ammonia and nitrites, keeping the nitrates below 10ppm will help with healing.

You need to figure out why your aro has the frayed fins, looking at the pic in your gallery from 10-24, this is definitely NOT fin rot. IMO I think your aro is being harassed by one of the other fish or possible that the intake/output of the filter could be the cause.

I would see about isolating the arowana for a couple weeks and keep the water pristine, you should even see a difference after a couple days. Just because you don't see your other fish harassing the aro doesn't mean it's not happening. I could also be that it is occurring after lights out, do oyu leave the moon lights on all night?

Agree on the spalled fins. My aros get that type of fins after being chased by other aros (whether you seen it or not) - e.g. when red aro breaks down barrier and chases BB. BB gets all tail and anal fin (+caudal fins) completely ripped up - dissappears after two days of separation. so definitely stress and injury

Good water conditions heals all - my green aro had its rear finnage completely cropped down. now after isolation it has grown them all back almost.

 

[VinLwj]

For the Black aro, i would recommend to use acidic (around ph 6) and soft water. And black water or peat as well since the origin places of Blackies are mostly black water.

 

[justonemoretank]

I think the ammonia definitely has something to do with frayed fins. There's something wrong with your biological filter if you have ammonia in your tank. Ammonia should always be zero unless you're cycling. There are a number of things that can interrupt the cycle, such as overcleaning, overfeeding, overstocking, etc. Try and figure out what it is, because until you've got that ammonia gone, the fins aren't going to heal. Not to mention that the other fish are suffering as well, even if they do not show the same outward symptoms as the Aro. Nitrate is normal, and can be reduced by water changes. But ammonia shouldn't be present in a cycled tank at all -- so there must be something going wrong there with the biological filter.

 

[GinBlack]

First I want to apologize, as I recall you had PM'd me with a similar question. I am sorry for not answering, this thread prompted me to look for that PM but it seems I had deleted it in a recent cleaning of my files.

As said above, blacks aros are from the amazon region. The water there is soft and acidic. However your aro should adapt easily to a pH in the mid to upper 7s. Playing with water chemistry can be dangerous. If your pH is real high(^ 7.8) the best way to lower IMO is with R/O water. You can mix the R/O with your tap water and reach your desired levels.

As far as your aro's frayed fins go, I don't believe the parameters have much to do with it. Though you do need zero ammonia and nitrites, keeping the nitrates below 10ppm will help with healing.

You need to figure out why your aro has the frayed fins, looking at the pic in your gallery from 10-24, this is definitely NOT fin rot. IMO I think your aro is being harassed by one of the other fish or possible that the intake/output of the filter could be the cause.

I would see about isolating the arowana for a couple weeks and keep the water pristine, you should even see a difference after a couple days. Just because you don't see your other fish harassing the aro doesn't mean it's not happening. I could also be that it is occurring after lights out, do oyu leave the moon lights on all night?

No problem Bderick67! The moonlights stay on all night until daybreak. I know the other fish don't mess with the aro cause they are afraid of her! Not to mention the only three that ever had the gall to mess with her are no longer in the tank, 3 parrots occassionally harassed her and one day she had it attacking all 3! Trust me it wasn't fun trying to pry a red parrot out of my aros mouth!

Currently the Ph is about 7.5, KH is really low I don't remember at the moment what the params are for the KH (at work) but I will check tonight and give a more definate reading.

you think the filter output/input may be the cause? How so?
She doesn't skim the surface as most aros, she is a middle swimmer and only goes to the surface to get her food during feeding time. I placed the nozzles of the filter in a way not to directly flush the surface or the mid section of the tank.

Also my water out of the tap is not high PH/Kh wise. I was just told that this black aro enjoyed higher PH/KH.

 

[GinBlack]

I agree. I just take tap water and add dechlorinating solution to it. works for all my fishes. Though keep in my that tap water over here is from Mekong River.

I'm going to take a tap water reading from my tank again tonight, then post the exact parameters and maybe then it will all make sense! Maybe its time to invest in prime!

 

[GinBlack]

For the Black aro, i would recommend to use acidic (around ph 6) and soft water. And black water or peat as well since the origin places of Blackies are mostly black water.

thanks for your input! I know a few organic places with peat and such.

 

[GinBlack]

I think the ammonia definitely has something to do with frayed fins. There's something wrong with your biological filter if you have ammonia in your tank. Ammonia should always be zero unless you're cycling. There are a number of things that can interrupt the cycle, such as overcleaning, overfeeding, overstocking, etc. Try and figure out what it is, because until you've got that ammonia gone, the fins aren't going to heal. Not to mention that the other fish are suffering as well, even if they do not show the same outward symptoms as the Aro. Nitrate is normal, and can be reduced by water changes. But ammonia shouldn't be present in a cycled tank at all -- so there must be something going wrong there with the biological filter.

I just replaced my filter 2 weeks ago right in the midst of an ammonia spike. So the filter could be cycling now.