Cardinal Tetra PH?

[10Gallon]

I want to get some Cardinals. In my tank I use 50% distilled and 50% tap water. The PH is 7.6. Is that too high for them?

 

[King Fisher]

I want to get some Cardinals. In my tank I use 50% distilled and 50% tap water. The PH is 7.6. Is that too high for them?

They will acclimate to your pH. Find out what the pH is from the tank you are getting them from. If it's a moderate difference then add some of your tank water to the water in the bag the fish will be in. I'd do this twice then place the fish in your tank. Usually at a LFS they keep the pH between 7-7.5.

 

[10Gallon]

OK thanks King Fisher. The LFS where I usually get fish from said to get a guarantee with them they need a water sample with a PH of 5.5-7. So I guess I won't get the guarantee lol. I plan to drip acclimate them for about 2 or 3 hours. Is that a good method?

 

[BBradbury]

Cardinal Tetras

I want to get some Cardinals. In my tank I use 50% distilled and 50% tap water. The PH is 7.6. Is that too high for them?

Hello 10...

These fish prefer a low pH. 7 is on the high end. You can keep them in more basic water conditions, but they won't live as long as they would in more acidic tap water.

If you still want to keep them, change most of their water a couple of times a week to maintain a steady water chemistry.

B

 

[10Gallon]

I could get the PH down by using 2/3 distilled and 1/3 tap instead of 50/50.

 

[King Fisher]

I could get the PH down by using 2/3 distilled and 1/3 tap instead of 50/50.

I'm sure this would lower it. Test it and see what you got. For your initial introduction of the fish I'd say go for it. If you want you could gradually cut back the distilled every water change. This will slowly acclimate them to pH as it rises. Some people believe high pH, 7.5-85, on an average to slightly acidic loving fish is harmful. Some don't think so. Personally, I have hard water and a high pH of 8.5 from tap. I got multiple tanks and one being a pretty large tank so buying distilled water to do every water change isn't an option. I've found that introducing fish to a lower pH by use of distilled or RO water to match the water they came from, then gradually adding less distilled and RO water over several water changes and several weeks until they are acclimated to my straight tap water pH has worked for me without problems. Again, this is my personal experience and there is a difference of opinion on this practice.

 

[10Gallon]

I got them today. I had been calling 5 LFS for about a week and none of them had Cardinals. My favorite fish store got some in Thursday but I had to work Thur and Fri night. The water they ca in was about 6.6 and my water is 7.4-7.5PH. I drip acclimated them in a 2 gallon bucket for 3 hours. Made sure their water had the same PH and temp as the tank before netting them and putting them in. I'll leave a towel to darken the tank overnight. Maybe I should have done some work to lower my PH a bit but hopefully they'll be OK. This is my first time having Cardinals. I've always kept fish that were hardy such as Corys, White Clouds, and Lemon Tetras.

 

[King Fisher]

As long as there isn't constant pH fluctuations you should be good