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Thread: Boraras turning black

  1. #1
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    Boraras turning black

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    It started with the Boraras urophthalmoides. Some stayed red and some turned black. I initially thought it is a water condition (pH 7.3). But after waterchanges, lowering pH etc, I don't see any improvement. I remember someone saying it is a pigmentation problem so I ignored it.

    Now, the B. maculatus also starting to turn black too. Is this pignentation thing a disease that can be passed around? Or is it old age? They've been with me over a year. Any way of undoing the effect? You see, I much prefer to see them fish colourfully red and orange and peacock than black.
    Warm regards,

    Lawrence Lee

    brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
    Philippians 4:8

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    Er,... any thoughts, anyone?
    Warm regards,

    Lawrence Lee

    brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
    Philippians 4:8

  3. #3
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    Havent encountered such a thing. However these fishes come from water with low pH. Their natural habitat averages a pH of 4.5. Perhaps the stress from the extreme difference?

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    Quote Originally Posted by bullosa
    Havent encountered such a thing. However these fishes come from water with low pH. Their natural habitat averages a pH of 4.5. Perhaps the stress from the extreme difference?
    You're most probably right. Something is strangely different in this low light, low maintenance tank. I'm getting pH 7.3 before lights up and 7.5 when lights go out!

    Although most of these fishes have taken on the reddish colourings after living there for a long time, so stress cannot be a factor, some have turned black. Perhaps the pH of the water determines its colouration?

    Parameters are:
    Volume: 15gal
    Lighting, 0.9 watts per gallon
    Substrate: Lapis
    Basefert: JBL
    Fert: weekly 5ml LGA, 2ppm PO4, 10ml excel
    Waterchange: Top up evaporated water, Last time I did waterchange was due to pH rising to 8

    Livestock:
    Shrimps
    B. maculatus, urop, T. espei

    Plants:
    E. tennelus, Java ferns and moss on driftwood, A. barteri nana

    Problem:
    1) pH slowly rises
    2) Boraras turning black
    Warm regards,

    Lawrence Lee

    brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
    Philippians 4:8

  5. #5
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    4.5?????? you sure??

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    How often are you doing water changes? Adding excel is like CO2 except at lower strength hence if you apply EI, it is better if you do the water changes to prevent build up. Non-CO2 tanks (no excel even) are different and requires you to eyeball the faster growers in the tank for deficiency and only supplement nutrients when needed or else it is just daily feeding.

    Regards
    Peter Gwee

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    It might be the food you're feeding. Fish get their colouration from pigments in the food they consume (or so I've read, this isn't from an encyclopedia though) so you might want to look at what you're feeding them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ranmasatome
    4.5?????? you sure??
    Yes, pH reading taken on site at the rivers where B Bridgitae and S Axelrodi lives are 4.2 (last reading taken 2 days ago).

    Low pH is good for the fishes. Lesser problems with secondary bacteria infections.

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    Too low and it bugs the bacteria...not a big deal in a planted tank since they only act as a backup but for a fish only tank...

    Regards
    Peter Gwee

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    Wah.. i read this article about fish living in acidic conditions but i didnt know it was this acidic.. the last time they tested with black neon tetras and it was only ph 4.1 and they lived for about a day. This fish is great!!

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    Wouldn't a pH that is so acidic also eat away the aquarium fittings like the tank sealant, filter impeller etc?

    BTW how does one get a tank to this level of acidity without CO2? I've read somewhere that normal vinegar can be used -- slowly lower the pH weekly -- is that true?
    Warm regards,

    Lawrence Lee

    brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
    Philippians 4:8

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    I dont know if your E tenellus and Barteri can hack the low pH water. Anyway low pH water fishes can gradually adapt to higher pH provided it is not big a diffrence. Usually Crypts, Java Fern and moss can thrive in such pH.

    To lower the pH, you can use any of the pH down solutions easily obtained in any LFS. But changes must be done gradually, not more then .5 each time. The best method is by dripping. Fill a bucket with pH conditioned water and using an air tube, drip (1 drop a second) to your tank.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeterGwee
    How often are you doing water changes? Adding excel is like CO2 except at lower strength hence if you apply EI, it is better if you do the water changes to prevent build up. Non-CO2 tanks (no excel even) are different and requires you to eyeball the faster growers in the tank for deficiency and only supplement nutrients when needed or else it is just daily feeding.
    Oh, I don't change water, only top up evaporation. I thought with such low lighting and the minimal fertilisation I put in (2ml of LGA into the 56L gives barely 3ppm of NO3 per week), I need not worry about excess building up (60% of the visible volume is covered by some kind of plant or moss).

    So Peter, do you reckon the rising pH could be the result of nutrient buildup? Perhaps I should ease off on the PO4?
    Warm regards,

    Lawrence Lee

    brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
    Philippians 4:8

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    Re: Boraras turning black

    Reviving an old thread.

    Anyone knows the reason behind the boraras turning black?

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    Re: Boraras turning black

    Wow! I didn't know I wrote that so long ago!

    Now with 4 years of observation, I surmise there are a few factors:
    1) pH is a small part of it. If your pH is too high (basic), it tends to lose colour but doesn't turn black
    2) Diet played a minimal part - fed food with colour enhancers but no benefit.
    3) Light played a big part in mine turning black. Because the moss was covering almost everything, it was more like night time all the time for the fish. After trimming off most of the plants so that I can see the fish, the colours came back again. In fact, the urophs became so gold and red, it can be mistaken (without wearing reading glasses, I can mistake many things haha), to be B. brigittae.

    LL
    Warm regards,

    Lawrence Lee

    brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
    Philippians 4:8

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    Re: Boraras turning black

    mine improve using ketapang leave. you might want to try it

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    Re: Boraras turning black

    Thanks for the updates!

    I'll go to the LFS and check their condition again before buying. Cheers

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    Re: Boraras turning black

    Quote Originally Posted by GaspingGurami View Post
    3) Light played a big part in mine turning black. Because the moss was covering almost everything, it was more like night time all the time for the fish. After trimming off most of the plants so that I can see the fish, the colours came back again. In fact, the urophs became so gold and red, it can be mistaken (without wearing reading glasses, I can mistake many things haha), to be B. brigittae.

    LL
    Just too add...low light=blackish colour? Hmm,not sure how this pans out but i've kept them both in high tech and low tech tanks but still the occasional black fish occurs though parameters are kept the same. In any case,the blackish colouration could probably be an indication of stress since it does not happen to every piece. I bought mine in a batch of 100 and i noticed only the skinnier ones turn black and eventually die. The bigger ones almost never contact the disease. I'm guessing that it's a survival of the fittest thing?


    Morphophilia : The smaller the fish, the lovelier...i'm kinky like that


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    Re: Boraras turning black

    Wow, 100 Boraras brigittae?? That must be quite a sight.

    I've never had any turn black, but my experience is with only 6. I hope I can breed them someday soon.

  20. #20

    Re: Boraras turning black

    I noted that the OP only topped off the tank to replace evaporated water.
    This causes the disolved solids to increase and fish waste too.
    AS they say, the solution to pollution is dilution. Regular large water changes are necessary. Boraras spp do best at at pH below 5.0 and extremely low dissolved solids. Use rain water or RO water with just enough minerals to keep the KH at about 2 and a GH of 3.
    These are somewhat extreme conditions but many fish need them. Most of the wild Betta of the coccina complex and Chocolate Gourami are examples.
    Checkerboard Cichlids, Dicrossus filamentosus is another example.
    Old fish breeder. SA Dwarf Cichlids, Hypancistrus sp L260, L333 and Peckoltia L134 breeder. Also Sturisoma, Dwarf Corydoras spp, wild Discus and Killiefish. Like breeding Characins and wild Betta spp too.

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