How to introduce new fish to new aquarium?

[aqua.land]

The fish keeper is wrong, and every knowledgeable biologist and ichthyologist in this hobby will say so. The site I linked is owned and run by ichthyologists. If you do not agree with that data, then provide contrary data from a reputable trained biologist to prove otherwise. Since I know you cannot, don't wast your time looking.

Thank you, the website is so helpful!

From the website...
Temperature: Its natural waters lie in a humid, subtropical region where air temperatures rarely drop below 60°F/15.5°C and may be much higher in summer. For general care 16 – 24 °C is therefore recommended but it can withstand temporarily warmer conditions provided dissolved oxygen levels are maintained.

Im planning to keep my tank at 24/25 degrees c, I checked, I think the other fish that I mght be getting are also good with this temperature. I'm not getting the bumblebee catfish, but still getting the ancistrus, and the platies will also be fine in this temperature.
The current/flow may be different though, I'll keep looking

 

[Byron]

Be careful to consider everything in context. There are also relevant related comments in the Maintenance, Diet and Behaviourt and Compatibility areas in that profile.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Hi,
Yes..my water hardness is way too high...its 180ppm (mg/L), platies need 120........
My KH is 120ppm, which is fine (I think).
My pH is 7.0 - 7.5.
Nitrite (NO2) - is 0
Nitrate(N03) - Was 40/80....not sure why it is that high? Is it bad....

I've had the aquarium running for only 3 days but this morning the water looked a bit cloudy....also a lot of it evaporated onto the lid and the LED lights and the wires......
The temperature is only around 21 degrees c...the heater is put or not on?
Is this bad? What should I do?
I think I'm not going to get any fish anytime soon....I need to make sure the aquarium is ok and re think my fish choices.

Edit: I think the slight cloudiness is because of bacterial bloom, I've read that this isn't very bad and will soon resolve itself, but please tell be id I am wrong.

Your nitrate is too high, it should be kept at 10-15ppm and ideally lower.
Your water is too soft for livebearers, they need a water hardness of 12dGH or more and pH above of 7.0 if I'm not mistaken. Your water is cold too, they are tropical fish so set your heater to 25-26 C.

 

[aqua.land]

Your nitrate is too high, it should be kept at 10-15ppm and ideally lower.
Your water is too soft for livebearers, they need a water hardness of 12dGH or more and pH above of 7.0 if I'm not mistaken. Your water is cold too, they are tropical fish so set your heater to 25-26 C.

Yes, thank you, the heater is not out in yet beacause the instructions told m to keep it in the water but not on yet for a few hours, a day. It’s on now.
I’ve put in more plants so hopefully the nitrate levels will go down, and I’d they don’t I’ve heard that peat moss in a mesh bag will help.
According the instructions my water is to hard...
It says that tropical community aquarium need 60 ppm (mg/L) so 3.4 dGH. Is says that tropical fish like mollies and swordtails need 120 ppm (mg/L) so 6.7 dGH. It says that 180 ppm(mg/L) so 10 dGH is for African cichlids, so I got worried and thought my water was too hard.

Maybe you are right. I’ll do some research and check

UPDATE: Oh my! You are right! How is that on the instructions then? The kit that I have is the API 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips...

 

[Essjay]

The information you have is not very accurate.

Community tanks of soft water fish will be OK up to 10 dH except for those species which must have softer water.

Livebearers need harder water than 6.7 dH. The common livebearers need at least 12 dH with mollies needing over 14 dH.


I know little about Rift Lake cichlids but I was under the impression they need water harder than 10 dH.

 

[aqua.land]

The information you have is not very accurate.

Community tanks of soft water fish will be OK up to 10 dH except for those species which must have softer water.

Livebearers need harder water than 6.7 dH. The common livebearers need at least 12 dH with mollies needing over 14 dH.


I know little about Rift Lake cichlids but I was under the impression they need water harder than 10 dH.

Yes, unfortunately I do...I can't believe the instructions were wrong!
I have found reliable websites, thank you.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Yes, unfortunately I do...I can't believe the instructions were wrong!
I have found reliable websites, thank you.

Sadly there is so much misinformation in this hobby. I'm glad we worked it out