pH and health of satanoperca leucosticta

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TahoeFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 20, 2011
179
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Tahoe City, CA
Hi all.

I have a wild caught satanoperca leucosticta. I got him/her at 2 inches and is now 6 inches or so. For 8 months he looked great. Then all of a sudden he got what I assume to be fin rot and his fins frayed and became very ragged. Reading up, I really started doing bigger water changes every 5 days. He still looks poorly (not as bad) with frayed fins and scales that just don't look that healthy, some flaking off.

He does get chased a bit, but it really is minor by a threadfin acara and a rotkeil sev (this sev chases everyone a bit). He doesn't hide and he feeds really well. I feed NLS and once a week bloodworms and shrimp.

I'm wondering this... My pH is pretty high at about 8. I know that the leucosticta is accustom to closer to 6. Is this why I'm having so much trouble turning this around? Would it be best to find him a better home in an area with lower pH? I guess my question is about the pH and this being the cause of the weakness of this fish or is it just a weak fish or is it just the species is very sensitive.

Here are the stats
Tank: 120 gal
Filter: FX5 and a Fluval 406
Ammonia/Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-40 (API)
Ph 8
Tank Mates: Red spot Sev, Rotkeil Sev, Threadfin Acara, baby Chocolate Cichlid, senegal bicher, 6 congo tetra and 2 siamese algae eaters, 1 bn pleco. (All are in tiptop shape with perfect finnage and no damage)
Water Changes: 30% every 5 days

Thank you for any advice.
 
IMO, and IME, S. leucosticta will not have any health issues at a pH of 8.0 ...... if the water quality is kept high. At 40ppm nitrate, the increased bacteria count is probably part of the problem, added to that the stress (aggression) from some of the other fish. I have had no issue keeping leucosticta healthy & thriving at a pH of 8.0, and have seen wild specimens that have grown to be 9-10" healthy specimens in the same water parameters, and fed the same food that you are using. (NLS)
 
Try adding a bit of kosher salt to the tank to help it heal. Keep the water as clean as possible. Severums can be moderately aggressive but usually won't kill. I think they would prefer lower pH, and won't breed unless the pH was lower, but it shouldn't deteriorate its health

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They will breed at higher pH, but warmer temps in the 84-86F seems to be the best trigger for a pair to spawn. Overall they don't tend to do well at lower temps. (below 80F)
 
Well that is good to hear RD as, having read many of your posts, your opinion is always well regarded by me! :) Despite what I described, the fish is a beautiful guy, so I'll get to work trying to get the nitrates down.

I keep my tank at around 78-80 degrees... I will double check that and maybe raise it a bit? Salt? I guess I can try that. And I guess increasing the water changes to 50% every 5 days?

Thanks for increasing the motivation!
 
I think the fact that he did fine for 8 months at that pH, should answer your question about pH being an issue. Now that he has grown, as I assume his tank mates all have, so have the nitrates been slowly creeping up over time. I would raise the temp a few degrees, and increase the volume and/or frequency of water changes & try to keep the nitrates below 10 ppm. Make sure to keep up on filter maintenance/cleaning as well.
You could also add a bit of kosher salt as freebyrd suggested.
 
TahoeFish said:
Well that is good to hear RD as, having read many of your posts, your opinion is always well regarded by me! :) Despite what I described, the fish is a beautiful guy, so I'll get to work trying to get the nitrates down.

I keep my tank at around 78-80 degrees... I will double check that and maybe raise it a bit? Salt? I guess I can try that. And I guess increasing the water changes to 50% every 5 days?

Thanks for increasing the motivation!
Click to expand...

The non spotted Satanoperca (mapiritensis, leucosticta, sp. red lip) are more tollerant of hight pH than they spotted verieties (daemon, lilith, acuticepts). RD is correct water quality is far more important with those species. I would step up your water change regiment to keep DOC's as low as possible. Satanoperca are in general shy of tankmates and can stress easily. An Acarichthys heckelii and severum (depending on the indevidual, they do vary in temperment) are not be the best tank mates long term.
 
Nitrates was the first thing that jumped out at me when listing your parameters. I would try to keep them under 20, but even lower is better. Discus people usually start doing water changes if they go over 10! 40 is very high IMO. I know this is no easy task, but it's why some of us do such large water changes every week.

I would say that aggression could be a problem, too. My fish always seem fairly tame when I'm in the room, but I often come back later to find split fins, missing scales, etc. Maybe they are being nastier toward him than you see. This could be putting him in a constant state of stress, which could lead to a bunch of other problems (illness, slow healing time, etc.). He also may feel like a loner since he's the only Satanoperca in the tank.

I keep all my tanks at 80 - 84F, give or take. I try not to let them dip below 80.
 
ryansmith83 said:
I would say that aggression could be a problem, too. My fish always seem fairly tame when I'm in the room, but I often come back later to find split fins, missing scales, etc. Maybe they are being nastier toward him than you see. This could be putting him in a constant state of stress, which could lead to a bunch of other problems (illness, slow healing time, etc.). He also may feel like a loner since he's the only Satanoperca in the tank.
Click to expand...

I suspect aggression may be the main factor as well. I see frayed fins on the smallest Uaru in my group, the subdominant wild angel, etc. Like the OP said it's just a bit of chasing here and there. I've never seen them actually being bitten directly in the fins, but they are definitely frayed. It could be that they are biting when I'm not watching, or it could be some secondary effects due to stress. If possible, I'd suggest adding a few more S. leucosticta and keep up water changes.
 
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