Hard water nano stocking ideas?

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Hi, I'm flailing a little for inspiration. I'm still trying to settle on what to add to my softer water oto tank, but I'm also slowly winding down keeping guppies, and despairing a little on what I'd be able to start keeping in that tank with red cherry shrimp that can cope with my hard water (253ppm), that's small enough for a 15.5 gallon (60 litres)/ 60 by 30 by 31 tank, and that also hopefully won't eat my red cherry shrimp.

Any suggestions that don't involve softening the water?

Perhaps some psuedomugli's? Are they likely to pick off shrimp?

I've just discovered that CPD's can tolerate a GH up to 268ppm, am I too close to the upper limit to consider them?
SF also says they're more confident if housed with similarly sized dither fish, so looks like I'd need to find a second species that could also live with them and the shrimp.

It'll be a while before I finish up with the guppies and get whatever other species, by which time the tank will be mature and grown out, it's heavily planted - so there isn't a rush. And if I don't find anything I fall in love with and that could work in this tank, I may wait until I upgrade to a larger tank to open up my options more. The hard water does place a lot of restrictions, but I already have one tank where I have to soften the water, and I really want this other one to work with my current tapwater GH so the tanks don't become overwhelming.

I've ruled out options like shell dwellers (cute as they are!) for now, since I want something for this well planted tank, and to live with the shrimp colony.

 

[HoldenOn]

Perhaps G.W. Killifish. You could also do Pristella Tetra!

 

[SeanTrollope]

basically what he said is what id do ^^^^

 

[threecharacters]

Pseudomugil sp. would definitely work. They can tolerate a very wide range of water parameters. They're even advertised as good nano reef fish as they can live in salt water too.

Pseudomugil will probably try to eat anything that they can fit in their mouth. Luckily they have small mouths and should only really be a threat to baby shrimp. In my experience, Pseudomugil are mostly surface dwellers and shouldn't mess with the shrimp too much. However, I've never actually kept them with shrimp.

Note that the hardness, pH, and temperature ranges quoted by aquarium websites are typically more restrictive than the actual range of water parameters that wild fish encounter, don't be afraid to push the boundaries of these ranges. This article explains this well (https://www.seriouslyfish.com/whaddaya-mean-too-hot/). CPDs would probably work. You could look at Rosy Loaches too (they come from the same habitat as CPDs).

Also, look at micropoecilia and other small liverbearers (Micropoecilia picta are very pretty imo).

 

[vanalisa]

Perhaps G.W. Killifish. You could also do Pristella Tetra!

They get a little too big, I think...

 

[HoldenOn]

They get a little too big, I think...

Both? I thought the killifish stayed nano sized, I wasn't 100% on the tetras.

 

[vanalisa]

Hi, I'm flailing a little for inspiration. I'm still trying to settle on what to add to my softer water oto tank, but I'm also slowly winding down keeping guppies, and despairing a little on what I'd be able to start keeping in that tank with red cherry shrimp that can cope with my hard water (253ppm), that's small enough for a 15.5 gallon (60 litres)/ 60 by 30 by 31 tank, and that also hopefully won't eat my red cherry shrimp.

Any suggestions that don't involve softening the water?

Perhaps some psuedomugli's? Are they likely to pick off shrimp?

I've just discovered that CPD's can tolerate a GH up to 268ppm, am I too close to the upper limit to consider them?
SF also says they're more confident if housed with similarly sized dither fish, so looks like I'd need to find a second species that could also live with them and the shrimp.

It'll be a while before I finish up with the guppies and get whatever other species, by which time the tank will be mature and grown out, it's heavily planted - so there isn't a rush. And if I don't find anything I fall in love with and that could work in this tank, I may wait until I upgrade to a larger tank to open up my options more. The hard water does place a lot of restrictions, but I already have one tank where I have to soften the water, and I really want this other one to work with my current tapwater GH so the tanks don't become overwhelming.

I've ruled out options like shell dwellers (cute as they are!) for now, since I want something for this well planted tank, and to live with the shrimp colony.
View attachment 116719

My pseudomugil furcata are with RCS and pretty sure I haven't lost any. I don't have shrimplets, though....I wonder where they are??? ; )

 

[Wills]

I think you are on the right track with the fish you have mentioned but just 2 more that could work

https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/celestichthys-erythromicron/ - relative of Celestial Pearl Danio but from Lake Inle so even harder water.

Also from Lake Inle in Burma - Rummy Nose Rasboras https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sawbwa-resplendens/ the profile here states 54-268ppm but is from the same place as the C.Erythromicron and the river is known to be specifically hard so I feel the C.Erythromicron profile is more acurate. I've chosen these as the residents of my 100 liter tank Just need to find some now!

Wills

 

[vanalisa]

Both? I thought the killifish stayed nano sized, I wasn't 100% on the tetras.

Just the Pristilla, sorry I wasn't clear.

If I get a big tank I want those or candy cane tetras. I've seen the Pristilla show major schooling behavior in very large groups

 

[threecharacters]

They get a little too big, I think...

I think Pristella tetra would work. Seriously fish seems to think you're dimensions are OK, but the minimum allowed. However, I think they would predate the shrimp. I currently have some and they're almost piranha-like when feeding.

 

[vanalisa]

What about the endlers? Maybe they are good with guppies ..
Also not sure as I am not schooled
(hehe) on guppies, but are they aggressive?
This begs the question, species only?
Always an option! : )

 

[vanalisa]

I think Pristella tetra would work. Seriously fish seems to think you're dimensions are OK, but the minimum allowed. However, I think they would predate the shrimp. I currently have some and they're almost piranha-like when feeding.

Oh, I'm not planning the tank. It's @AdoraBelle Dearheart I think it's a 15g.

Edit... I mean @AilyNC

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Perhaps G.W. Killifish. You could also do Pristella Tetra!

I've been tempted by the G.W Killiifish since seeing them in my LFS, but I thought they needed a larger tank? I'd also need to get a custom lid made since my tank is second hand with an ill-fitting hood.

I also saw a video once of them hunting a cricket once, and decided I wanted them, but only in a 30 gallon long, set up like a paluderium, so you could put insects into the air/plant part, and feed into that natural behaviour Would be an awesome set up, but I'm not there yet.

Go to 1:45 on this video to see!

Pseudomugil sp. would definitely work. They can tolerate a very wide range of water parameters. They're even advertised as good nano reef fish as they can live in salt water too.

Pseudomugil will probably try to eat anything that they can fit in their mouth. Luckily they have small mouths and should only really be a threat to baby shrimp. In my experience, Pseudomugil are mostly surface dwellers and shouldn't mess with the shrimp too much. However, I've never actually kept them with shrimp.

Note that the hardness, pH, and temperature ranges quoted by aquarium websites are typically more restrictive than the actual range of water parameters that wild fish encounter, don't be afraid to push the boundaries of these ranges. This article explains this well (https://www.seriouslyfish.com/whaddaya-mean-too-hot/). CPDs would probably work. You could look at Rosy Loaches too (they come from the same habitat as CPDs).

Also, look at micropoecilia and other small liverbearers (Micropoecilia picta are very pretty imo).

Omg, I love loaches! And I'd never heard of this species before, that's wonderful! And sounds like they likely live with CPDs, so it would be a natural fit to have both

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

What about the endlers? Maybe they are good with guppies ..
Also not sure as I am not schooled
(hehe) on guppies, but are they aggressive?
This begs the question, species only?
Always an option! : )

Oh this wouldn't be with the guppies, I'm looking for something to replace the guppies, because I want to move away from livebearers now. Endlers could work in this tank size and with shrimp (and they can live with guppies, but they also interbreed and hybridize with guppies), but it would just be like having small guppies, so looking for something else this time!

 

[vanalisa]

I think Pristella tetra would work. Seriously fish seems to think you're dimensions are OK, but the minimum allowed. However, I think they would predate the shrimp. I currently have some and they're almost piranha-like when feeding.

Pictures?? Pleeeze