In a word - NO.
The Jack Dempsey,
Rocio octofasciatus is a very adaptable Cichlid species that can thrive in water PH conditions from a high alkaline 8.0 on down to a low acidic of 6.0. The most important water consideration for this species is -
CLEAN.
So no, don't fight the tap water by adding baking soda, Cichlid Lake Salts or all kinds of other wonderful (sometimes expensive $$$) ingredients. It's just not worth it with this species, and will ultimately cause more stress in these fish than it's worth. So, lets look at some underlying concerns that may be causing these problems (lotsa Q's):
- Tank dimensions?
- Measured Nitrate level of the water (measure this right before a planned water change).
- How often is the water changed in the aquarium? How much each time?
- What are these Cichlids being fed? Low quality, non-variety food sources can cause all kinds of problems.
- What is the filtration for the aquarium? Is there any Carbon or other absorbing filter-type things?
- Can you post up a picture of the problem these fish are having? A visual ID helps a lot more than you might think.
- When were the problem(s) first noted. Is this something that has happened before?
- History: Have they had other problems? Is this the first problem they have had? About how old are these fish?
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Hopefully we can figure out some things to get those Jack Dempsey's back on a healthier track.
