Stocking ideas

[Sunnyspots]

My daughter has lived in China and can verify that animal care is not as it is here. E.g. they sell key rings with live fish in the fob, they dye puppies different colours before sale. BUT their care within and of family members is better than it is in many other countries. Swings and roundabouts.
Btw Guppy, thank you for the advice. I'll skip shrimp!

 

[Sunnyspots]

Is this the Superfish Home aquarium which is 65 cm long x 31 cm wide?

Pearl danios, like the related zebra danios, are fast swimming fish which really need a 90+ cm tank just because they are such fast swimmers. This fast swimming will also upset the sedate dwarf gourami. Are you set on them or would you be willing to have a slower swimming alternative? There are plenty of slow swimming fish which are suitable for your water.

Your water may be a bit too soft at 3 dH for peacock gudgeons, but if you want to try them I would get a male and one or two females. They won't overpopulate a tank with fry as most fry would be eaten even if the eggs survived long enough to hatch.

Hi Essjay. I'd like pearl danios but if the tank isn't right for them I'll get something else. Do you have any recommendations? Other than the extra gudgeons?

 

[Essjay]

There are a lot of tetras that are suitable, or fish like harlequin rasboras.

You could always take a trip round the local shops which now allow browsing and see what they stock........

But don't buy anything until you've looked it up on Seriously Fish

Knowledge Base — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

My daughter has lived in China and can verify that animal care is not as it is here. E.g. they sell key rings with live fish in the fob, they dye puppies different colours before sale.

horrible, that's such a bad way to treat an animal. And yes, their family care may be good but with a bad government like the one they have it doesn't do many now does it?

Btw Guppy, thank you for the advice. I'll skip shrimp!

no problem

 

[Sunnyspots]

I think Black widow tetras look good as an option, but they like the water slightly more acidic than out of my tap. I am adding CO2 using the inverted bottle method but guess I might have to acidify the water slightly other ways if necessary. Again, my water is a little too soft as well. But 6 of them in place of the danios might work.

 

[Byron]

I think Black widow tetras look good as an option, but they like the water slightly more acidic than out of my tap. I am adding CO2 using the inverted bottle method but guess I might have to acidify the water slightly other ways if necessary. Again, my water is a little too soft as well. But 6 of them in place of the danios might work.

This is not advisable. First, GH, KH and pH are linked; the GH/KH serve to buffer the pH, preventing fluctuations. If the GH/KH is very low, the pH will tend to lower as well. There are other factors obviously, but the point is that pH is not the issue, it is the GH as this more directly impacts fish. If you have soft water, select fish species suited to soft water and you will be fine.

What is the GH of your source (tap) water? And the pH and KH if you know them?

 

[Sunnyspots]

This is not advisable. First, GH, KH and pH are linked; the GH/KH serve to buffer the pH, preventing fluctuations. If the GH/KH is very low, the pH will tend to lower as well. There are other factors obviously, but the point is that pH is not the issue, it is the GH as this more directly impacts fish. If you have soft water, select fish species suited to soft water and you will be fine.

What is the GH of your source (tap) water? And the pH and KH if you know them?

My tap water has a painfully low KH of 3, GH is 3 German, pH 7.4 to 8.8. And 20mg/l of Ca. I need a higher KH if I am to provide enough buffering of the pH for the fish. I am already selecting fish for soft water, hence no guppies even though they are such sweet little blighters

 

[Byron]

My tap water has a painfully low KH of 3, GH is 3 German, pH 7.4 to 8.8. And 20mg/l of Ca. I need a higher KH if I am to provide enough buffering of the pH for the fish. I am already selecting fish for soft water, hence no guppies even though they are such sweet little blighters

There is nothing at all bad about the GH and KH. For all soft water fish species they are ideal. Ignore the pH, it will stabilize when the aquarium is established. The water authority might be adding something to increase pH, this is common with soft water systems, as it prevents corrosion. But the point is, that for soft water fish, you do not need any "buffering" here.

My tap water is zero GH/KH, and I add nothing to raise it except minimal plant fertilizers. Fish that thrive in the Rio Negro in a GH of 0, KH 0, and a pH of 4 will do the same in our tanks.