Bottom Dweller / Invertabrate For Low PH Aquarium?

[KevinZ]

Hello!
So I was thinking about doing a Black water Biotope Aquarium for Congo Tetra that I
Pre-order. But I can't find any bottom dweller fish or invertebrate that can be comfortable with Low PH water or Acidic water.
Do you guys have any idea what can I get?
I was going to make Congo Tetra Fish Tank but I keep thinking and doing some research about the algae that going to be on the Almond Leaf.
The tank stats is
100x45x50 Cm not Inch. Around 45-50 Gallons
Sand Substrate
Almond Leaf
Anubias Nana
Driftwood

I only prepared the hardscape and the substrate. No water yet. the anubias still on my farming Tank
Any Suggestion will help

 

[BoningKnife]

What is the actual PH?
Have you considered dwarf cichlids such as Apistogrammas? They generally do well in quite soft water. They generally stick around the bottom section of the aquaria and shouldn't cause to much in the way of problems for Congo Tetras.

 

[Colin_T]

Low GH and low pH, Corydoras catfish

 

[KevinZ]

I don't really like cichilds TBH. So I am going to skip that. Idk the actual PH since I can't test it but if I guess the water PH should be around 6 - 6.5, Almond leaf going to reduce some of the PH and I heard that over time Driftwood can reduce PH too.
About corydoras, is there any specific of cory?
I was thinking about phym cory but they're hyperactive small dweller and yet they like to be on the mid water instead staying at the bottom
/Facepalm but they kinda cute in huge Groups

 

[CassCats]

Corydoras, or any of the pangio loaches would do well provided you have sand.

As for cory species, avoid the smaller dwarf species (hastatus, habrosus, and pygmaeus) due to congo tetras being larger.

Aeneus, sterbai, trilineatus would all mesh very well, depending what you like the look of. Paleatus are good too, but like a bit on the cooler side so i dont know if theyd go well with the tetras you have (im not familiar with congo temp ranges). These are all very easy to find. Trilineatus will often be labeled as "julii". Aeneus go by "bronze", "green", or the albino variety. Emerald cories would also do very well. These guys are considerably larger than some other cories too.

Or there are more rare type cories... any of them would do if you can get them and like them.

Whatever you pick, be sure to get at least 6. Preferably more. Loaches, or cories. In a 40-50gal you could even have both if you wanted.

 

[Byron]

First on the pH...the important parameter is GH. The hardness must be soft to very soft. The pH will then naturally be acidic. Yu mention a pH in the 6 range, but if your GH is on the hard side this will be impossible without first softening the water. If you can give us the GH, KH and pH of your source water (tap water, check with the water authority if you don't already know) we will be able to sort this out.

Second, once we know it is soft or very soft water, there are numerous substrate fish that will work as far as parameters are concerned. Most all catfish from South America (like the cories) and most loaches from SE Asia. I had a group of Botia kubotai and a group of Ambastaia sidthimunki in with my group of Congo Tetra in a 90g tank.

Invertebrates are a bit trickier in very soft water, but other members will likely have suggestions once we know the GH.

 

[KevinZ]

My Tap water is soft but not to soft.
I think the best choice is going to be
9-10 Congo Tetra and 7-10 Cory.
I don't think it's really overcrowded but I don't really like too many fish.
I really like loaches species, But some specific loaches is really prone to disease. So I still thinking about getting loach.
But for sure I am going to get my Congo & Corys. Or maybe only congo & Cory but ill rise 1-2 more congo I think

 

[Byron]

My Tap water is soft but not to soft.
I think the best choice is going to be
9-10 Congo Tetra and 7-10 Cory.
I don't think it's really overcrowded but I don't really like too many fish.
I really like loaches species, But some specific loaches is really prone to disease. So I still thinking about getting loach.
But for sure I am going to get my Congo & Corys. Or maybe only congo & Cory but ill rise 1-2 more congo I think

Cories and loaches cannot be combined, so one or the other.

Any species of Cory will work, that meaning the medium sized species, which are all of them except for the three "dwarf" species that are not advisable here.

If you decide on loaches, there are only a few that will work, given the tank size and upper fish. The "dwarf" species Ambastaia sidthimunki, or Botia kubotai, or Botia striata. However, these are not "blackwater" species, they like a stream aquascape with more water flow (not excessive, but more than you would normally have with blackwater fish). The Congo will be OK with this.

 

[KevinZ]

Yeah.. I think stick with Albino Cory & Congo.
Or Panda Cory since I am going to get Pure White sand substrate. Play sand would be nice?

 

[Essjay]

Play sand is fine, but not white. Apart from the fact that it will show every speck of debris, fish have not evolved over white river/lake bottoms, but dark ones. If you look at the vast majority of fish, they are dark when looked at from above so that they blend in with the dark substrate to avoid being eaten. White sand reflects too much light back into the tank which fish do not 'expect' and find stressful.

 

[Byron]

I concur. This is a significant issue for fish. The substrate should be "dark" in general.

 

[KevinZ]

Well. The tank is dim light and tan brown colour so there's not much light to be reflect at all
So I can't use White colour one? Or there's other specific reason that the colour have to be dark colour? Both are really peacefull fish idk if there's a problem.

 

[Byron]

Well. The tank is dim light and tan brown colour so there's not much light to be reflect at all
So I can't use White colour one? Or there's other specific reason that the colour have to be dark colour? Both are really peacefull fish idk if there's a problem.

There are no aquarium fish species that live over a white substrate because such a substrate does not exist in the habitats. Buff or tan is one common sand and "natural." I use a dark grey mix of play sand. Ironically, black should also be avoided, it too affects some fish. The colours of all fish that live in lighted environments are indicative of their expectations: fish are darker on the dorsal surface because it helps them blend in with the substrate, and they are lighter on the ventral surface because when seen from below by a predator they are more difficult to see with the lighter surface above them.

Fish (and amphibians) possess specialized cells called melanophores that contain hundreds of melanin-filled pigment granules, termed melanosomes. The sole function of these cells is pigment aggregation in the center of the cell or dispersion throughout the cytoplasm, thus altering the shade of colour. The melanophore cells are themselves light sensitive and respond directly to light by melanosome translocations, which is why the fish’s colouration pales during total darkness. Pencilfish in the genus Nannostomus have a diurnal patterning; at night the lateral lines break up into dashes, and the fish pales. This has been noted to occur even in blind fish, which shows that it is not sight that tells the fish it is getting dark, but the increase in darkness probably coupled with the circadian rhythm that sets in motion the natural response of the fish to darkness.

But the fish can also adjust the melanosomes voluntarily in response to environmental stimuli, stress, and social interactions. Fish in the store tank often appear pale, or after being netted and bagged will often be without any colour. Fish kept in brightly-lit tanks will frequently exhibit much less intense colouration; similarly if the substrate is white. In all these cases, this “washed out” appearance is a natural response caused by high stress. Floating plants are one of the best ways to provide shade, along with using the minimum intensity of light necessary; a darkish substrate is essential. The reward to the aquarist will be brighter colouration and increased interaction between the fish—and that is indicative of healthier fish.

 

[KevinZ]

Oh alright!
I guess I ill try Searching for Brownish colour Sand to be used, I have a lot white play sand to be used that's why I want to use white one. tbh, I never kept Corydoras species on my Tank
So this is really helping me since I doing a biotope which is "creating natural wild habitat for them"
Thanks for the Suggestion!