Valentines nightmare

[Characf]

So my partner bought me some 'new fish ' for valentines as a surprise and she followed the advice of pets at home and minimal research and without being ungrateful they don't match tank requirements but she assures she's asked the shops advice.

Problem being I have very very hard water 19GH to be precise.

And she's bought
10x Harlequin Rasbora
4x Panda Cory
2x Gourami
2x Mollies

I'm a bit worried about the yoyo loach sharing ground level with the Cory, also Gourami and Rasbora are softer water fish? What should I do?

 

[Wills]

Nightmare! I had a relative buy me some fish years ago and I didnt even unbag them just took them back...

19 is proper hard... (don't suppose you know what a pattie butty is?) What kind of Goruami is it as there are some hardwater species as well - the mollies will do well though.

Wills

 

[Characf]

Nightmare! I had a relative buy me some fish years ago and I didnt even unbag them just took them back...

19 is proper hard... (don't suppose you know what a pattie butty is?) What kind of Goruami is it as there are some hardwater species as well - the mollies will do well though.

Wills

She had already acclimated and put them in whilst I was at work, not ideal.

And I'm not that northern, I'm a cider drinking and potato producing part of the UK.

And not sure what type of Gourami and Cory's I'll link some photos I'll expect you know

 

[Slaphppy7]

(don't suppose you know what a pattie butty is?)

Wills

I haven't a clue, lol

 

[Characf]

Nightmare! I had a relative buy me some fish years ago and I didnt even unbag them just took them back...

19 is proper hard... (don't suppose you know what a pattie butty is?) What kind of Goruami is it as there are some hardwater species as well - the mollies will do well though.

Wills

She had already acclimated and put them in whilst I was at work, not ideal.

And I'm not that northern, I'm a cider drinking and potato producing part of the UK.

And not sure what type of Gourami and Cory's I'll link some photos I'll expect you know

 

[Characf]

 

[Characf]

This is the type of gourami and Cory, will they be okay in hard water?

 

[Essjay]

The gourami looks to be a red "honey" gourami, which are usually thick lipped gouramis rather than honeys.

Trichogaster chuna – Honey Gourami (Colisa chuna, Trichopodus sota) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Trichogaster labiosa (Thick-lipped Gourami) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

I can't see a photo of the cory?

 

[Wills]

This is the type of gourami and Cory, will they be okay in hard water?

The cory is a peppered cory which is a softwater fish (all cories are)

Really interesting info from @Essjay there as I thought it was a red honey or a thick lipped and didnt know they were the same species! But if it is T.Labiosa then they come from Lake Inle which is a very unique, hard water habitat that could be a good source from your fish - other fish that come from there that will do well in your hard water are Emerald Rasboras, Rummy Nose Rasboras, Inle Loaches and Rosy Loaches.

Wills

 

[Essjay]

Most of the fish labelled as red honey gouramis or red robin gouramis in stores are not actually honeys at all. They are either thick lipped gouramis or possibly a hybrid of the two. Occasionally a shop might possibly have real red honeys which is why I gave the links for both species.



I missed the photo of the cory in post #5

 

[Characf]

Awesome thanks for the info, apart from the Cory's it's not a disaster then

 

[Slaphppy7]

Awesome thanks for the info, apart from the Cory's it's not a disaster then

Does the pet store use the same water municipality that feeds your home tap water?

 

[Wills]

The cories and harlequins will not do well long-term in such hard water - they are not evolved to deal with high levels of calcium in their bodies so end up with build-ups in their organs (a bit like kidney stones) and it causes organ failure over time so rather than a lifespan of 5-6 years you are looking at 1-2 years.

Wills

 

[Characf]

The cories and harlequins will not do well long-term in such hard water - they are not evolved to deal with high levels of calcium in their bodies so end up with build-ups in their organs (a bit like kidney stones) and it causes organ failure over time so rather than a lifespan of 5-6 years you are looking at 1-2 years.

Wills

Yeah that's sad, the store keeps them in hard water also so atleast they're no worse off. In the future I'll avoid such fish.. Well wasn't me this time but..

 

[seangee]

I would keep them unless you have compatability issues. If you take them back to the shop they will only be sold to someone else with equally hard water, and have to deal with the extra stress of being moved at least twice more. At least your tank looks like a decent environment for them (ignoring the water parameters )
Before I knew better I kept softwater fish in hard water. I thought they were doing fine. @Wills is right, but not knowing the expected lifespans I just assumed that these fish only lived around 2 years on average and were simply dying of old age - well technically they were.