Fish For Hard/alkaline Water?

[GoldenRoses]

Hello all,

I've been having a difficult time having fish that would be suited to my water source. The water here has a pH of 8-8.6, GH of 150 and a KH of 80-90. So, it's fairly hard and quite alkaline.

What types of fish do well in these parameters, specifically ones that are suitable for 20 gallon tanks? (Tall and long) I'm interested in celestial pearl danios, as someone I know breeds them in hard water as well. Rainbowfish also caught my eye. What species are small enough for a 20?

I've had more than my fair share of livebearers, so those are out of the question.

I'm open to all suggestions.

 

[fluttermoth]

What are the dimensions of your tank, GoldenRoses?
 
(Love your user name, btw! I have a gold/apricot coloured rose, called 'Lady Hillingdon' that I love to pieces

)

 

[GoldenRoses]

Thanks, Fluttermoth!

I have both a 20 gallon high (24×12×16 inches) and a 20 gallon long (30×12×12 inches) that are awaiting inhabitants.

 

[DreamertK]

CPD shoal would work well, though even I think that pH of 8 is pretty high. Generally mollies/guppies/platy's and ciclids work best in alkaline/hard waters, but of course for a 20g you would want to keep dwarf peaceful ciclids with CPD's if any other fish at all. They're pretty skiddish.

 

[GoldenRoses]

What cichlids would you recommend? Dwarf cichlids like rams, apistos and kribs are all soft water fish. I've kept bolivian rams in the past, although I feel they would've done better with soft water.

Shell dwellers were brought up for the 20 long.

 

[fluttermoth]

Some of your options, for the 20g high, would be: the CPD, dwarf emerald danios (don't keep those two species together, though; they can hybridise), featherfin/threadfin rainbows (you see them under both names, but they're the same fish), a trio (1m, 2f) of shell dwellers, dwarf neon rainbows, bumblebee gobies, blind cave tetras, X ray tetras, Florida flag fish (only a pair though)
 
For the long you could look at (as well as all the ones I've already listed!); Celebes rainbows (never look much in pics or in shop tanks, but are gorgeous), Indian glassfish, Odessa barbs, rosy loach.
 
That should give you some ideas to mull over

 

[GoldenRoses]

Thanks so much, Fluttermoth!

The flagfish are gorgeous. Are American flagfish the same as Florida? I know my LFS has American flagfish, which is why I ask. Are they good in communities?

By glassfish, do you mean the tetra looking fish here: http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/parambassis-ranga/

Or glass catfish? The catfish caught my eye, how would they do in the long tank?

Do you know anything about lizard loaches?

Thanks again!

 

[fluttermoth]

Thanks so much, Fluttermoth!

The flagfish are gorgeous. Are American flagfish the same as Florida? I know my LFS has American flagfish, which is why I ask. Are they good in communities?

Yes, they're the same fish, Jordanella floridae. They're not a community fish really; they're very cichlid-like in behaviour.

 

By glassfish, do you mean the tetra looking fish here: http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/parambassis-ranga/

Yes, those are the ones I meant. Unfortunately, you often see them dyed, so keep you eyes open for those (and avoid them).
 

Or glass catfish? The catfish caught my eye, how would they do in the long tank?

They prefer soft water, I'm afraid. They'd also get a bit big for your tank, IMO.
 

Do you know anything about lizard loaches?

Again, they prefer softer water; medium hard water would be the limit, they won't do well at the levels you have.
 

Thanks again!

You're very welcome