10g tank stocking ideas?

[Quin]

I have an empty 10g that I plan to stock in the future once I've done all of the research required. Initially I planned on stocking it with cherry shrimp, a single nerite snail, and a shoal of endlers. However it's come to my attention that my water is too soft for endlers, so I'm considering other options before scrapping the fish idea or committing to rock salt.

My water parameters are pH: 7.5 to 8.0, KH 240+, GH 30-60 (if I remember correctly). I'm also looking for passive, smaller fish. I'm trying to find a list of fish that could work with these parameters and then go from there.

I'm also sort of interested in rasboras, especially dwarf rasboras, but my pH is a little higher than their listed comfort zone. Knowing that pH is logarithmic, would they be able to healthily handle my parameters long term?

 

[Byron]

Assuming the GH numbers are ppm, you have very soft water and this is the more crucial parameter. Soft water species should be fine. It is possible that the pH will lower as the tank becomes established.

 

[dmpfishlover]

From what I understand GH is more "important" than pH when it comes to considering what species of fish you should keep in your water. Not that pH isn't important, it is just that GH seems to be more "critical" when it comes to whether or not a fish is suited to the water parameters. If your water is on the softer side (which yours is) you should probably consider either South American or some Asian fish species which also prefer softer water, and ones that are not as sensitive to water pH. I know some soft water species of fish really require much lower pH's, while others are more "adaptable" to higher pH's like yours.... I am just not sure which species would fit into this specific category.... I am sure some others on here will be able to recommend good species for your particular water parameters..... On side note, although you may not be able to keep Endlers, having softer water actually opens up a larger "list" of fish you can chose from.

 

[seangee]

Don't worry about pH. Most fish can tolerate a fairly wide range as long as it is stable. Ember tetra, celestial pearl danios and chilli rasbora spring to mind.

 

[Quin]

It is possible that the pH will lower as the tank becomes established.

Unless that would take months I'm not sure. The water in my betta tank (set up since mid to late april) has not had a change in pH that I'm aware of, and our water also has strong buffers in it so it would take a lot to change the pH with other remedies.

 

[Quin]

Don't worry about pH. Most fish can tolerate a fairly wide range as long as it is stable. Ember tetra, celestial pearl danios and chilli rasbora spring to mind.

Thank you for the suggestions! I'll do a little looking now

 

[Byron]

Unless that would take months I'm not sure. The water in my betta tank (set up since mid to late april) has not had a change in pH that I'm aware of, and our water also has strong buffers in it so it would take a lot to change the pH with other remedies.

Do not use any pH adjusting products. These will not work (because of the KH here) and they are serious risks to fish.

I said the pH might lower because I've no idea why it is where it is now. The KH serves to buffer it, but so far as I understand it, that is not the reason it is 7.6 or whatever. The GH is very low which means very little dissolved calcium and magnesium, so that is not why the pH is where it is. In my water they add soda ash to raise the pH, and it quickly dissipates out so my tanks of very soft water are all very acidic in pH.

 

[Quin]

Do not use any pH adjusting products. These will not work (because of the KH here) and they are serious risks to fish.

I said the pH might lower because I've no idea why it is where it is now. The KH serves to buffer it, but so far as I understand it, that is not the reason it is 7.6 or whatever. The GH is very low which means very little dissolved calcium and magnesium, so that is not why the pH is where it is. In my water they add soda ash to raise the pH, and it quickly dissipates out so my tanks of very soft water are all very acidic in pH.

It has actually been a huge mystery since I first got my water tested at my LPS why my parameters are the way they are. We eventually decided that since it's well water that may be the case. And I definitely don't plan on using any pH adjusters. I've only ever been told that they're unpredictable and don't work

Do you know the GH requirements for dwarf rasboras? I'm having a hard time finding it as most sheets list it with different units of measurement or don't list it at all

 

[Essjay]

There is a calculator on here and one of the converters is for hardness, I use it all the time to convert between GH/DH and mg/l CaCO3, which is the same as ppm. https://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm

Here are the dwarf rasboras https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/search/boraras They all use ppm, so just enter those numbers in the mg/l CaCO3 box in the calculator.

 

[Byron]

It has actually been a huge mystery since I first got my water tested at my LPS why my parameters are the way they are. We eventually decided that since it's well water that may be the case. And I definitely don't plan on using any pH adjusters. I've only ever been told that they're unpredictable and don't work

Do you know the GH requirements for dwarf rasboras? I'm having a hard time finding it as most sheets list it with different units of measurement or don't list it at all

Ranges for GH and pH are helpful at times, but they can also be misleading. I tend to separate fish into two groups, or three in a sense. First are the fish that need moderately hard or harder water--livebearers, rift lake cichlids, some rainbowfish, and a few other species. Provided the GH is what we might term moderate, or higher, it will be fine for these species. The fish will have significantly less difficulty with "hard" water whatever the level, as opposed to water that does not meet their needs minimally. A GH of 10 dGH or above, 12 dGH or above for mollies and possibly rift lake fish.

With respect to the second group, the soft water species...if you research habitat parameters you will find that in most cases, with a very few exceptions, the GH is zero or 1 or maybe 2 dGH. Soft water species will therefore be fine with the GH as low as you can get it, generally speaking.

There are some species within the soft water group that do quite well in moderately soft/moderately hard water. But most of these will also be fine with a lower GH if that is what you have.

So, to your question, the GH requirements for dwarf rasboras, being the six species in Boraras. Boraras brigittae in Seriously Fish has a GH range of 18-179 ppm (1 to 10 dGH). But the habitat data clearly shows the water is zero GH and very acidic. A GH below 10 is on the "soft" side so this is usually the suggestion. This is why I never worry about GH so long as it matches my two or three "group" divisions. I am fortunate that my source water is basically zero GH and KH (the GH is oficially 7 ppm, or less than half of 1 dGH). I add nothing to buffer or raise this, because I only keep soft water species.

 

[Quin]

So, to your question, the GH requirements for dwarf rasboras, being the six species in Boraras. Boraras brigittae in Seriously Fish has a GH range of 18-179 ppm (1 to 10 dGH). But the habitat data clearly shows the water is zero GH and very acidic. A GH below 10 is on the "soft" side so this is usually the suggestion. This is why I never worry about GH so long as it matches my two or three "group" divisions. I am fortunate that my source water is basically zero GH and KH (the GH is oficially 7 ppm, or less than half of 1 dGH). I add nothing to buffer or raise this, because I only keep soft water species.

So using that knowledge, and the fact that pH is less important than GH, do you think a group of dwarf rasbora would be suitable for my tank? I know they require acidic water and mine is more neutral to basic, but if it isn't uncomfortable for them I'd love to see a few in my tank!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Hi, Quin.

Seriously fish is my go-to for good fish information, too. I also recommend aqadvisor to help plan stocking levels. They are pretty conservative on what they consider overstocked, which is really good for beginners and/or new tanks.

I think a big school (at least 20) of microrasboras would look great in a 10g and probably do OK with your water parameters. How are you planning to set it up?

 

[Byron]

So using that knowledge, and the fact that pH is less important than GH, do you think a group of dwarf rasbora would be suitable for my tank? I know they require acidic water and mine is more neutral to basic, but if it isn't uncomfortable for them I'd love to see a few in my tank!

Yes. The low GH means less dissolved calcium, and this is the issue. Water is continually entering the fish, and as it passes through the kidneys the process of osmoregulation filters out all the salts. Calcium salts build up and slowly block the kidney tubes, eventually killing the fish; along the way they severely weaken it, making it more susceptible to other problems which usually kill it before the calcium does, but it is all due to the same problem, GH.

 

[Quin]

Hi, Quin.

Seriously fish is my go-to for good fish information, too. I also recommend aqadvisor to help plan stocking levels. They are pretty conservative on what they consider overstocked, which is really good for beginners and/or new tanks.

I think a big school (at least 20) of microrasboras would look great in a 10g and probably do OK with your water parameters. How are you planning to set it up?

I'm planning on waiting until my current betta tank is completely stable with no new additions (plants, decor, or a snail I'm considering to get rid of some goo growing on the heater) for a few months before doing very much with it. I'm gonna do a fishless cycle and make sure it's all set up, and hopefully grow a tad of algae to sustain a nerite before putting it in. I'm also going to be adding cherry shrimp (10-15) towards the beginning. If I do decide to put fish in they'll go in last.

 

[Quin]

Yes. The low GH means less dissolved calcium, and this is the issue. Water is continually entering the fish, and as it passes through the kidneys the process of osmoregulation filters out all the salts. Calcium salts build up and slowly block the kidney tubes, eventually killing the fish; along the way they severely weaken it, making it more susceptible to other problems which usually kill it before the calcium does, but it is all due to the same problem, GH.

Good to know! I'll continue researching these fish then, and hopefully I'll have some lovelies to swim around the tank.