pH

[Bluey]

Just looking at what is the best pH for Atractosteus spatula I am looking @ rivers where they live in the wild and keep geting info about the pH some where around about 8 , gar experts is this about right?

The water where I live is close to 8 - 8.2 most of the time so hope its good info I have found.
Currently I am keeping them around 7.5 pH ( from what I have been told in the past) I am guessing they can live between 6.5 - 8.5 , but I would like to know the best pH for them.

Cheers if you can help.

 

[city_of_evil6661]

i keep my ph at 7.0

 

[channarox]

they will basically adapt to any ph around 6.5-8.5.
just no extremes.
they are hardy fish.

 

[Bluey]

i keep my ph at 7.0

Thanks , my pH keeps droping because of the amount of food they eat!

they will basically adapt to any ph around 6.5-8.5.
just no extremes.
they are hardy fish.

Thanks I guessed that , just wonderd what the BEST pH was.

 

[xander]

Thanks , my pH keeps droping because of the amount of food they eat!

try aragonite substrate. it helps buffer pH

 

[Polypterus]

Gators are fine at any reasonable pH.. Key thing here though is to avoid fluctuations. No gar likes big quick shifts in pH. You need to do larger more frequent waterchanges if you are experiencing pH shifts.

 

[Bluey]

try aragonite substrate. it helps buffer pH

Thanks I am aware of this , I am increasing the water volume instead though.

Gators are fine at any reasonable pH.. Key thing here though is to avoid fluctuations. No gar likes big quick shifts in pH. You need to do larger more frequent waterchanges if you are experiencing pH shifts.

Yup the pH droping was from 7.5 to about 7.3 -7.2 in a week , but the gars are going through ALOT of food atm ( no NH3 / NO2 and only min NO3 and PO4 )I am about to move them from a 200gal growout to a 600gal pond for the next few months untill they outgrow that.I am doing water changes of 15% every 2-3 days now.

Still would like to know if a pH of 8 is better than a pH around 7.
Cheers

 

[E_americanus]

Thanks I am aware of this , I am increasing the water volume instead though.



Yup the pH droping was from 7.5 to about 7.3 -7.2 in a week , but the gars are going through ALOT of food atm ( no NH3 / NO2 and only min NO3 and PO4 )I am about to move them from a 200gal growout to a 600gal pond for the next few months untill they outgrow that.I am doing water changes of 15% every 2-3 days now.

Still would like to know if a pH of 8 is better than a pH around 7.
Cheers

pH of 8 for a gator or 7 is not going to make a difference in captivity so technically neither one is better than the other. with a pH of 8, you have a bit higher buffering capacity with the system, but if it easily falls/fluctuates then there is no point.

as richard stated, the key is to avoid massive fluctuations. in the case of your 600g pond, just try to maintain whatever the natural pH of the water is by keeping up with water changes and avoiding fluctuations.

how big is your gator now? Cubans are the main species in the genus that are quite sensitive to pH fluctuations, gators, once at a good size (12"+) are pretty bulletproof when it comes to pH issues--
--solomon

 

[Bluey]

pH of 8 for a gator or 7 is not going to make a difference in captivity so technically neither one is better than the other. with a pH of 8, you have a bit higher buffering capacity with the system, but if it easily falls/fluctuates then there is no point.

as richard stated, the key is to avoid massive fluctuations. in the case of your 600g pond, just try to maintain whatever the natural pH of the water is by keeping up with water changes and avoiding fluctuations.

how big is your gator now? Cubans are the main species in the genus that are quite sensitive to pH fluctuations, gators, once at a good size (12"+) are pretty bulletproof when it comes to pH issues--
--solomon

The 3 gattors are all over 12" , biggest one is almost 22" atm. The 600 is only going to be fine for a few months , but have the room for alot bigger

I will stick with a pH around 8 then. Cheers for you help