Is my pH a problem?

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Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 12, 2013
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In one of my current tanks I am keeping baby red belly piranha. The pH in the tank is between 8.0-8.2, and come out of the faucet as tap water at around 8. Will this be an issue for amazonian fish?

Another thing - I am using an api fw master kit to test water levels. The ammonia reading looks like it could be either 0 or 0.25 for those who are familiar with the chart, but pretty much reads the same from the tap (which I am assuming has pretty much no ammonia,) so am I safe to say that it is at 0?
 
I wouldnt worry about it. My lfs keeps theirs around 8.4 because they dont have city water. Mine is usually 8...

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Your ammonia is fine but the pH is high. Amazonian fish live in blackwater which has a lower pH.
I'd say you start using a buffer or blackwater extract but if your rbp have been doing well for a long time then disregard this.
 
I haven't seen any studies examining the effects of putting a fish in water for a long period with ph significantly different from their original habitat (excluding breeding). 6.2 is clearly very different from 8.2

Having said that, there are lots of anecdotal comments to be found saying it's okay, it's not okay, it inhibits color, health, growth, it has no effect at all. We know it does affect breeding activity, but that's where it ends. Most people seem to agree that given the choice, it's better to match the ph to the originating source. So it's really dependent on the owner's interest and resources. My preference is to either choose fish that match the ph I have, or to swallow the bullet and make the water fit the fish.

Fish can certainly live in a wide range of ph that is outside the range they evolved in. They won't necessarily thrive outside that range, but they could live in it. Again, it's the call of the owner as to how important optimal conditions are versus suitable.
 
I think that the idea that the "originating source" has a pH similar to that of an amazonian habitat may be flawed as well though - there is a 90% + chance that these fish were tank bred. Thank you all for the input. The piranhas seem fine, and are growing as fast as expected at about 1"/month. They do breath a little rapidly, but I've just added another HOB filter and a powerhead that points at the surface moving 750gph in the tank, so there is now more than adequate surface agitation. If my ammonia is good then this increased oxygen in the water should correct this.
 
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