Re: iron for color

["alex pastor" <alexp@idirect.com>]

>I have heard that adding iron to the water will help with the color of the
>fish.What will this do to the chemistry of the water?Will the hardness or
>ph. be affected in any way?I was thinking of trying some,but was worried
>about water chemistry as I have some tanks with the ph. below 5 for my
>blackwater spieces.If it does nothing to the water it might be worth a try
>as it would benifit the plants.Thanks for any thoughts on this.
>Vern


The irony of this (pardon the pun) is that in blackwater environments there
are very little if any aquatic plants.  What kind of plants do you have that
live at pH of 5?

I've found the best food which adds colour to fish is brine shrimp.  Also,
I've noticed that when fish are kept at the  water hardness of their native
environment they colour out spectacularly. (my golden phantom tetras' caudal
regions turned bright pink-red when I reduced the hardness to 30ppm.)

Iron for fish is supplied by their diet.  My understanding is that, like us,
they need it for the production of haemaglobin.  I don't know to what extent
the chromatophores in the 'skin' of the fish are iron dependent.  Other than
that, I don't know if iron in its ionic form passes through the gill
membranes, or is absorbed via the gut in any significant concentrations from
the water at low pH levels.  We need an ichthyologist/physiologist to
respond to your query.  High iron levels are toxic to plant life and
probably to fish as well. There are photographs of this in 'The Optimum
Aquarium'.

G. Kadar




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