High PH low PH, which is better for the cats

Dickens Lam · Post by **Dickens Lam** » 13 Jan 2004, 04:00

I am now keeping two leapord plecos in my tank. I observed that when PH is high they change to a darker sharper colour, but when PH is low they turn lighter. What is the ideal PH for them? Any advice?

Post by **Silurus** » 13 Jan 2004, 07:01

Lower is better, if by leopard plecos you mean .

Whether a catfish does better in higher or lower pH depends on the habitat it comes from.

Dickens Lam · Post by **Dickens Lam** » 13 Jan 2004, 09:10

In other words, the water should be more acidic. Just to confirm. What is the ideal PH level.

Post by **Barbie** » 13 Jan 2004, 09:28

I personally have found that a stable pH is by far more important than precisely matching the pH of the water the fish is found in. Modifying your pH is extremely difficult unless you have VERY soft water. Adding acids to it will cause a bounce effect that stresses the fish badly as it tries to stabilize, depending on the buffers in your water.

I keep 2 L114 in water with a pH of 7.8, no problem. I do weekly water changes, and make sure that they are never exposed to ammonia which would be much more toxic to them at the higher pH, and keep their parameters stable. It's not matching the parameters they come from, but they are healthy and growing well, and not constantly stressed by trying to adjust to changing parameters.

Barbie

StiffMeister · Post by **StiffMeister** » 13 Jan 2004, 09:35

but are regular color changed some kind of stress thing? my gibby is changing quite a lot, depending on where he is laying atm...

Fiskars the Whiskers · Post by **Fiskars the Whiskers** » 13 Jan 2004, 16:02

I think that is just a survival tool. He'd rather not be lunch for something bigger that might be lurking, so he tries to blend into the background as much as possible.

Dickens Lam · Post by **Dickens Lam** » 15 Jan 2004, 00:56

But they are already the biggest fish in my tank, so there is no big ones lurking around.