Centerpiece fish for 29 gallon with high pH?

[k.ing44]

Hello all! I’m new to the fish forum so I’m sorry if this post is in the wrong place. I’d like your recommendations for a nice centerpiece fish to add to a 29 gallon tank! My tank is fully cycled with the following water parameters:
Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 30, pH 7.8, temp 70-74 degrees
The tank has been stocked with 8 zebra danios for ~2 months. I think I’m ready to add a centerpiece fish but I’d like your recommendations. I read that Gouramis are typically good tank mates for the danios, but I’m concerned that the pH and water hardness of my tank are not a good fit. The pH of the tap water that I use is always more alkaline (usually between 7.6-8.0). Likewise, the water is also usually on the “harder” side. I’d like to avoid using excess chemicals like pH reducer as much as possible. I had a previous tank epidemic due to some fungally infected mopani driftwood (the fungus survived the initial boiling and cleaning), so I’m a little scared to add driftwood to lower the pH. Please let me know what you think may be a good fit as a centerpiece fish or if I should make adjustments to my tank first!

 

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF.

First thing, on the water hardness. Can you find a number so we have a better idea of just how hard (or not) the water is? The GH is actually more important than pH, but we need to tie this down.

Second, never use pH adjusting chemicals in a tank with fish. I know you said you haven't yet, but I would like to ensure you never do! The GH and KH determine the pH, along with CO2, and attempts to adjust the pH while ignoring the GH (especially when we've no idea what it is) is more likely to cause a fluctuating pH, and this is far worse on fish. When we have the GH, and if it is necessary to adjust it, the ph will follow suit. Wood will not usually affect pH unless the GH/KH are very low to begin with.

While waiting for the GH...gourami are not good tankmates for any danios because the danios are too active and gourami are sedate fish that need quiet tankmates. Rasboras make good tankmates for gourami, and there are some tetras. But as you have the danios, we need to be looking to find suitable fish given their activity as a definite. We first need to pin down the GH.

 

[k.ing44]

Welcome to TFF.

First thing, on the water hardness. Can you find a number so we have a better idea of just how hard (or not) the water is? The GH is actually more important than pH, but we need to tie this down.

Second, never use pH adjusting chemicals in a tank with fish. I know you said you haven't yet, but I would like to ensure you never do! The GH and KH determine the pH, along with CO2, and attempts to adjust the pH while ignoring the GH (especially when we've no idea what it is) is more likely to cause a fluctuating pH, and this is far worse on fish. When we have the GH, and if it is necessary to adjust it, the ph will follow suit. Wood will not usually affect pH unless the GH/KH are very low to begin with.

While waiting for the GH...gourami are not good tankmates for any danios because the danios are too active and gourami are sedate fish that need quiet tankmates. Rasboras make good tankmates for gourami, and there are some tetras. But as you have the danios, we need to be looking to find suitable fish given their activity as a definite. We first need to pin down the GH.

Thank you for responding! The water hardness is around 75-150 ppm. I used the API 5 in 1 test strips to measure hardness but the test strip jumps from 75 to 150 ppm. It’s somewhere in between that range. I actually don’t like the test strips much, so I use the regular API test kit to measure the other water parameters but the strips are the only thing I currently have that measure hardness.

 

[Byron]

Thank you for responding! The water hardness is around 75-150 ppm. I used the API 5 in 1 test strips to measure hardness but the test strip jumps from 75 to 150 ppm. It’s somewhere in between that range. I actually don’t like the test strips much, so I use the regular API test kit to measure the other water parameters but the strips are the only thing I currently have that measure hardness.

GH of 75 (= 4 dGH) to 150 ppm (= 8 dGH) is soft water. That opens up a great many more options. However, the active nature of the Zebra Danios does rule out sedate fish like gouramis. My suggestion here, considering this is a 29g [which I assume is the standard 29, being 30 inches (75 cm) length by 12 inches (30 cm) width] would be to consider other similar shoaling fish. They need to be similarly active. Some of the peaceful barbs, like the Black Ruby Barb, in a group of 9-10. There are some tetras that would work. For the substrate, you could have a group of Corydoras catfish. Or one of the "dwarf" species of loach, also in a group.

 

[k.ing44]

GH of 75 (= 4 dGH) to 150 ppm (= 8 dGH) is soft water. That opens up a great many more options. However, the active nature of the Zebra Danios does rule out sedate fish like gouramis. My suggestion here, considering this is a 29g [which I assume is the standard 29, being 30 inches (75 cm) length by 12 inches (30 cm) width] would be to consider other similar shoaling fish. They need to be similarly active. Some of the peaceful barbs, like the Black Ruby Barb, in a group of 9-10. There are some tetras that would work. For the substrate, you could have a group of Corydoras catfish. Or one of the "dwarf" species of loach, also in a group.

Thanks for your recommendation! Some black ruby barbs would be great! I haven’t seen any recently at our local store but I’ll be patient and ask. If not, would rosy barbs be an okay substitute in a group of 8 or so? I was thinking of a small group of albino corys for the substrate as well. I really appreciate your help in clarifying the water hardness topic!

 

[JuiceBox52]

Thanks for your recommendation! Some black ruby barbs would be great! I haven’t seen any recently at our local store but I’ll be patient and ask. If not, would rosy barbs be an okay substitute in a group of 8 or so? I was thinking of a small group of albino corys for the substrate as well. I really appreciate your help in clarifying the water hardness topic!

You could get away with 8, but barbs tend to be more aggressive in smaller groups. In larger groups the aggression is contained to their own species.

 

[Byron]

Thanks for your recommendation! Some black ruby barbs would be great! I haven’t seen any recently at our local store but I’ll be patient and ask. If not, would rosy barbs be an okay substitute in a group of 8 or so? I was thinking of a small group of albino corys for the substrate as well. I really appreciate your help in clarifying the water hardness topic!

The Rosy Barb, Pethia conchonius, needs a longer tank. This barb will reach 3 inches and some sources say it can get to 5-6 inches, so I would look at other species.

Sometimes one has to wait for a certain species to be available, so don't be hasty into getting "something" and then later regretting it.