Why is water quality important for ornamental fish? Hangtai Aquarium explains in detail

From a chemical perspective, the pH of water refers to the amount of hydrogen ions contained in the water. When the pH value equals 7, the water quality is moderately neutral; when the pH value is less than 7, the water is acidic, and the smaller the value, the higher the acidity; when the pH value is greater than 7, the water is alkaline, and the larger the value, the higher the alkalinity.

Most ornamental fish can survive between pH 6-8, where the water is neutral, weakly acidic or weakly alkaline. Looking at their distribution across waters, most marine fish prefer alkaline water, while most tropical fish species from South America prefer weakly acidic water, and tropical fish from the waters of Southeast Asia, South Asia and southern North America mostly prefer neutral water.

If fish that prefer acidic water live in alkaline water, the alkalinity of the water will burn the gill tissue, abnormal blood streaks will appear on the gills, the skin on the body surface will swell, and a layer of transparent, sticky liquid will be secreted. The fish will be plagued by disease, and in severe cases it can even lead to suffocation and death.

If fish that prefer alkaline water live in acidic water, the acidity of the water will slow the fish's metabolism and reduce its ability to digest food. The fish often eat a lot but grow slowly, and at the same time the nervous system and respiratory system are severely damaged, causing symptoms of spasms, and ultimately leading to death.

Therefore, when keeping ornamental fish, paying attention to changes in the pH of the water is very important. Only by maintaining the pH level to which the fish are adapted can ornamental fish stay healthy and lively as they grow. Breeders should therefore check and adjust the pH of the water regularly to prevent damage to the water environment that could lead to the death of ornamental fish.

The pH of water is very important. Most tropical fish adapt to a pH between 6.0-8.0. Some fish prefer a more acidic water environment, such as characins and discus fish, and are suited to water with a pH below 6.5. Conversely, some fish adapted to higher alkalinity, such as African cichlids, grow well in water with a pH of around 8.0. To adjust the pH of the water, you can use the aquarium-specific acid increasers and alkaline increasers sold on the market. Likewise, the larger the fish tank, the better the stability of the water's pH.

Another thing to note is the hardness of the water. Most freshwater ornamental fish have a wide tolerance for changes in water hardness. As long as the difference in hardness between the water in the tank and the water of their place of origin is not too great, the fish will generally grow normally. At present, tap water in domestic cities can be used for fish keeping after proper standing and aeration, but some well water and mountain stream water may not be suitable for keeping fish.

Finally, one more thing: because different types of fish have different water quality requirements, when keeping different species together in one tank, you must take into account the fish's habits and their water quality requirements. That is all for today's content. I hope the above can help everyone, and if there are any shortcomings, I welcome advice from those more experienced.

If there is anything unclear about the above article, you can leave a comment at the end of the article to consult me~