How can I lower the pH value (South American and Southeast Asian fish)?
How can I lower the pH value? I keep hatchetfish, Cardinal tetras, yellow gouramis and Siamese algae eaters in my aquarium, and I wanted to add a few Otocinclus as well. At the moment, the pH value is 8, or is that not too high at all? If yes, what should it be like? How many specimens of Otocinclus affinis should I keep?
Hello,
Concerning "pH value":
You can lower the pH value with sera super peat (blackpeat granulate) or sera pH/KH-minus.
A pH value of 8 is indeed too high for the fish! A pH value around 6.5 would be ideal in this case.
Concerning "number of Otocinclus":
The midget sucker catfish do well in groups of approximately 8 - 10 specimens.
But they are very likely not Otocinclus affinis − this species is extremely rarely imported, and virtually all fish sold under this name in the trade are from other species.
Best regards
sera GmbH
Dr. Bodo Schnell