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I just bought a new TDS meter to gain better insight to my water conditions. Two different tanks are of concern. The first is my Ancistrus dolichopterus tank. The second my Hypancistrus tank.

Dechlorinated tap:
Ammonia .5 (From cloramine)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 7.0
GH 3
KH 1
TDS 148

Not bad at all. But I'm wondering if that 148 is too high for the dolichopterus. Of course the tank is always higher.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
pH 6.2 (using Seachems 6.2 Discus buffer. Half dose.)
TDS 205 (20 long. Daily 5 gallon water changes)

Driftwood and Tetra's Blackwater extract in the tank. The fish, a trio, have grown well and are fully mature. The females fill up regularly but no spawn yet. I have never noticed the male entering any of several clay or tile caves. An RO unit is not in my future so I'm trying to decide whether to keep this trio or move them along. Do I have a chance of spawning in these conditions? I've had them about 8 months now.

The Hypancistrus tank is a 29. Right now it has a trio of L333s and a pair of Zebras. (I have another 20 long cycling now for the Zebras.) About 2 weeks into a dry season.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 80 (one 5 gallon WC weekly to control organics)
pH 7.0 (Buffered with Seachem's Neutral Regulator)
TDS 348 (Tank about 5 gallons low, plus buffering)

My plan for the L333s is to build up the TDS through evaporation and the buffer, keeping the pH the same as my tap. This should allow me to start a wet season with straight treated tap without a big pH swing. But I'm unsure how high to take it. Assuming the lowest I can get my tank's TDS is about 200 at what reading should I start a wet season? And how long should they be held in the harder water before attempting a trigger? Females are filling out nicely right now.

Thanks for any help/insights.

Don

hi there, i personally do not think it is too high for them, ive kept mine for 2 years, at a tds of about 250, i personally think it would be easier to spawn if the tds were a bit higher as the big change(lowering) in the tds is beleived to be the main trigger. though i may be wrong

I get mine to spawn (L333's) by feeding them up on frozen prawns and cod scraps, then do a series of cold water changes, little and often. The tank has 160lts water @ 31*C, and I do 20lt changes daily, cold enough to drop the temp by a couple of degrees.

I've never tried to let the nitrates build up to simulate a dry season as these fish live in rivers = 0 nitrates. Lowering the level in the tank may help simulate a dry season, on the asumption that the lower the level the less pressure in the tank and on the fish.

Give it a try and see what happens.

Tom