[Justinfront12]

Got tropheus young group 15 only inch got 5(had 9 at 2 inches but dealing with bloat .). In Ontario they pulled clout and metro product off the shelves lucky me.
My ph is abit low around mid 7.6 area.
Wondering how I can increase in with out causing more stress to them.plus what else can I feed them only been giving them veggie formula pellets. And odd lettace few times a week.
Been losing random fish from bloat since end of oct.

 

[DJRansome]

Are you using the high range test?

If yes, 7.6 is not too bad...I would leave it and keep it stable.

 

[kentc64]

If you are losing fish to bloat I`d start treating with Metronidazole ASAP.

Feeding...I feed my Ikolas a high grade of Spirulina once daily and I usually skip feeding one day out of 7.

 

[emersojo]

Would adding shells and/or coral be a safe way to slowly raise up the PH? I have aragonite in my tank. I just add a little baking soda to the new water so it stays the same as what's in the tank. I'm no expert though.

 

[DJRansome]

I have not found shells or coral or aragonite to raise pH. I would keep it stable since it is already 7.6 as opposed to raising it at this point.

 

[BillD]

A good friend' who kept and raised many Tropheus for fun and profit, used water right out of the tap at around 7.4. His fish thrived and bred. Regular water changes using water of the same TDS is more important than an "ideal" pH.

 

[nodima]

A good friend' who kept and raised many Tropheus for fun and profit, used water right out of the tap at around 7.4. His fish thrived and bred. Regular water changes using water of the same TDS is more important than an "ideal" pH.

Quoted for agreement. Far better to keep consistent than constantly adjusting. FWIW, the tap water for my tanks is pH 7.4-7.6, with 3-4dH and the Tropheus are healthy and breeding well. I do add 2 cups of epsom salt with each 50% water change weekly, that is in a 180 gal tank.

 

[wharfrat]

IME overfeeding and stress cause bloat. Stable water parameters are much more important than trying to match the Lake and having massive swings. Many people breed and raise Tropheus with that PH without incident. Male ratio and hyper-aggressive males could be a factor. When I kept Tropheus I thought I lost some fish to bloat, but then learned it was aggression and not bloa...and I should have never treated the tank. One male was homicidal and picking them off. Be sure it is Bloat because so many people assume it is always bloat that is killing them. It is better to feed light a couple times a day or every other day than putting too much in at once. They are pigs and will always be in a manic ball begging for food in front of the tank. Don't give in. They can actually stress just from changing their food too dramatically. Find out what they were feeding the fry and keep feeding that pellet/flake...and very sparingly. The worst thing you can do if it is bloat is keep overfeeding or changing their food.

 

[wharfrat]

Sorry for double post tried to edit but was not fast enough

I have had success quarantining the fish and using a small syringe or small pipette with 3% Mag sulfate solution (Epsom salt) 1 Tablespoon per 500ml of distilled water...and adding a small amount to their GI for several days (only for fish that just began to stop eating and have white stringy feces). You have to get past their gills though and the process is more tedious with smaller fish so you will need a small sized cannula . You should soak their food in this solution anyways and feed your fish that are still eating for prophylaxis. Remember Metro has poor water solubility so treating the entire tank gets very expensive and its efficacy is well (They are internal parasites)...better to get some Metro Flake from Ken's...this is a great product to keep around and great for your fish that continue to eat because it is ingested and has direct contact.

I have been more unsuccessful with Clout than successful, but many others have had some success. Remember to rule out hyper-aggression, and correctly diagnose the problem before moving forward with treatment...as well as eliminating the source of stress. As stated above...keep your water stable do not poor stuff in it trying to match the lake imho. I have had more success at keeping fish in stable parameters than creating swings of hardness, ph, and other chemistry in my tank. This is all drawn from my own opinions, experiences, and should not be taken as absolute fact.