# Lampeye killifish--BIG MISTAKE!



## PickieBee (Oct 29, 2014)

Read about lampeye killis here: http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/lampeye-panchax.html and see that their pH preferences are 6.5 to 8.5. Excellent! My tank parameters are pH 8.2, KH 6, GH 7. So I go to Bob's Tropical Plants to order a dozen of them and see their pH preferences listed as 6.5 to 7.0! Even with careful acclimatization that sounds like I'm going to have a tank full of dead fish if that's true.

What is the truth here? Anyone know, or know where to find out?


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## ErtyJr (Jun 21, 2014)

Fish can adapt to unsuitable water. They may be able to make it BUT!!! I recommend against it. 8.2 is high for many fish and would be tough. It really depends on what the person breeding those killis keeps them in. Over time they could acclimate to an 8.2 and after a few generations would likely be just fine or even thrive in it. But any time a site has such a huge spread for ph, be wary of it. They likely exaggerated it to make a sale.

I vote don't get them and find a fish that has a preference of something like 7-8.5 or 7.5-8.5

To me seeing something like 6.5 - 8.5 is an immediate red flag. That's a huge jump!


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## someoldguy (Feb 26, 2014)

Nope , they'll probably do just fine in your water , I've got about 15 or so plus a bunch of fry in my water , Ph 7.4~ gh 8-10 . Lampeyes in general can be found from west Africa ( possibly soft water ) to the Rift Lakes ( definitely hard ) . Depends on the species . If you're getting normani or macrophthalmum , they're probably not wild ,Singapore , maybe , so who knows what water chemistry they were raised in . If you're getting Procatopus , my guess is they're wild . I've kept , and bred, abberans and similis some time back in my water , though I'd expect some losses from transport stress . Whatever you're getting , acclimate them slowly , maybe check the water they ship in to see how far off it is from what you have . Remember they are surface feeders , if food's on the tank bottom it'll probably get ignored . I'm feeding flake , wingless fruit flies , and small bits of black worms when I can get it.

Edit ….. just looked at Bob's website , he's selling normani , my guess is they are farmed in the Far East .


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Find some that have been bred in harder water, and they should be fine.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

> ... check the water they ship in...


Match this water in your quarantine tank, then gradually change the water chemistry to match your main tank. It may take a month or so, and this is OK. Monitor the fish, treat for any diseases or parasites while they are in quarantine.


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## PickieBee (Oct 29, 2014)

Well I emailed Bob's and they are keeping them in pH 7.8 so It does seem that their pH requirements are flexible.


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## PickieBee (Oct 29, 2014)

Update: got a little group of 11 and they have been doing wonderfully in pH 8.0 for over a month. Didn't lose a single one in quarantine. They are very lively fish and I'm so glad I got them!


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## Kalyke (Dec 1, 2014)

PickieBee said:


> Update: got a little group of 11 and they have been doing wonderfully in pH 8.0 for over a month. Didn't lose a single one in quarantine. They are very lively fish and I'm so glad I got them!



Id love to see pictures if you have the means! I'm having good luck with killies and female betas. They hang out and don't fight.


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## someoldguy (Feb 26, 2014)

Just for entertainment , throw a floating mop in the tank and see if you get some eggs . I get a couple of eggs a day out of my macrophthamum group .Probably they're producing more but I suspect the kerri tetras that are in with them are munching on some . Just be aware that any fry you get will be real small .


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## PickieBee (Oct 29, 2014)

Kalyke said:


> Id love to see pictures if you have the means!


I can try to get some pictures on my iPhone. It's my first planted tank and everything is still growing in so I'm a bit shy about posting it!

I don't think this would show up in pictures but their little blue eyes glow under blue/UV light. They're like a non-GMO Glofish!


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