pH range for South American Cichlids

You don't really need to worry about adjusting pH until you decide it's time to breed - and if your pH is already that low you shouldn't have to worry anyhow.

Most people have over a 7.4 pH, what that generally means is that the gH is also up there - South Americans are somewhat unique in that they breed during the first heavy rains of the Spring season.

What this means is that they're laying eggs in very soft waters free of mineral content - if they try and breed in normal waters with a higher gH from city tap water the eggs will harden over before the male can fertilize them.

In terms of making your actual fish happy - if they aren't wild caught they will do best in whatever waters they've been raised in. It's best to try to find local breeders for this reason - and it saves you the hassle of trying to buffer your waters to adjust to the fish.

naegling bud, I can't let this one slip past . You and Ruurd......

I know some people are recommending Bolivians, but thats a pretty low pH for them.

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Whaaaaaaat! A pH of 6.5 isn't dangerously low for the Bolivians, we recommend a range of between 6.0 and 7.8 for a good reason (Ruurd and I differ on this slightly in some ways :lol: just proves that it's all down to what you experience) - however, this is the tried and tested successful range for these fish, what's more they are hardy enough to go further, knowing of individuals keeping them in water closer to pH 8.0-8.2 and I myself prefer to keep them in a pH of 5.6-5.8 (KH2), however these are ranges that are outside of what one should attempt, at least until you are better experienced with the species. I've found that I get the strongest colouration, largest spawns and best success rate in that range. Blue Rams really just fit into the 6.5 range, I prefer to advocate that people maintain a pH of between 5.0, up to 6.0 as a maximum (simply due to my experience with them).

Obviously both fish can be kept above and below these ranges, they adapt, but it is better to try and stay within reasonable limits (at least initially!). I personally recommend Bolivians because they fit very easily into this sort of pH range, and given their hardy nature I believe you will find it easier to attain success in terms of health, vitality, breeding etc. Usually once people are familiar and successful with the Bolivian Ram I will recommend that they move onto the Blue Ram (because I love them both! They are after all both of the Mikrogeophagus sp.) and other, more challenging dwarf Cichlids.

Of course you can go straight in if Blues are what you want! I did before I perhaps should have and I had great success so don't be afraid to try something you want to either, I just prefer to recommend a somewhat more hardy dwarf Cichlid for your first real shot at this - you're bound to want more tanks and more fish, so there will always be time to move onto slightly more delicate species. Blues are just one of those funny fish where people either have great luck, or no matter what they just can't keep them alive. I don't want you to be put off by the fickle relationship that can be Blue Ram ownership, putting you off these fish for good, when really they are a spectacular species if given the right care and attention.... Don't forget luck either!

I always forget the Apisto and I think these are great suggestions, I am drawn to the world of Apistogramma. There are so many different species to choose from, why not use the cichlid forum profile search to help - do a search by species characteristics, specifically you are looking at your search to involve Water Hardness - yours would be very soft - soft (it would really help if you could get an actual reading here for your KH and GH).

With a quick search of soft water sp. it brings up 166 odd sp. so then click away and look at - how large the fish gets (will it fit, long term into the tank, would you be willing to make space for it), how aggressive it is, it's pH range and if there are any specific notes about it's difficulty level etc.

So you have some choices to make! :lol: Why not get a few tanks and keep them all.......

(If you think I'm joking, I give you two months and whether you expected it or not, you'll have another tank).

Fish tanks are like magnets, big magnets that attract other fishtanks and force you to stockpile them in your garage. Why? Because you bought a bigger one to replace the one you bought to replace the first small one you had, but that wasn't right because then the weight of the room was off, so you had to move that couch out and make room for another tank that should be where the focal point was supposed to be, then you get annoyed because it's just not big enough, you don't see it enough or you just want change, so you go and buy another one, but wait, now you realise the benefit of leaving the others up (mwahahahahah), and finding room for this one...... Why?

Because we can! 8)

All within the space of about, I don't know, a week.....

(True story, apart from the time frame....)