Hardwater tank candidates

[Wills]

There are a few of us on the forum at the moment with very hard water (250ppm or 15 degrees +) and I know a few of us are keeping lists individually so I thought it would be good to set up a 'master thread' that we can all contribute to and hopefully it will be good resource for us to refer to.

I'll keep an eye on the thread and as suggestions get added to the list I will update the first post with each mini profile - I dont think we should have long profiles here just common and scientific name, ph, hardness, temperature, origin location and a link to the source (usually likely a Seriously Fish profile but others are valid too). If the list starts to get quite long I will break it into sections - eg characins, cichlids, catfish but for now lets get as much info in here as possible. I'll start with the Rummy Nose Rasbora

Common name: Rummy Nose Rasbora
Scientific name: Sawbwa Resplendens
Ph: 6-8
Hardness: 54-268ppm
Temperature: 18-22c
Origin: Lake Inle, Shan, Myanmar
Source: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sawbwa-resplendens/
Comment: Lake Inle is known to be even harder than 268ppm with some species recorded to 357ppm.

Wills

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Forktail blue-eyed Rainbowfish
Scientific name: Pseudomugil furcatus
Ph: 7-8
Hardness: 258ppm-536ppm
Temperature: 24-28c
Origin: Papa New Guinea
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: Only suitable in community with fish of comparable size, disposition, and requirements with many cyprinids, gobiids, eleotrids, and smaller melanotaeniids suitable.

 

[AilyNC]

I've lots more I can format tomorrow to for the list style

Woohoo! Thanks for this @Wills

(Edit typo)

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Endler, Endler's Livebearer
Scientific name: Poecilia wingei
Ph: 7-8.5
Hardness: 268-626ppm
Temperature: 24-30
Origin: Laguna de Patos
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: can crossbreed with guppies so be careful when adding both to a community & don't mix genders.


Common name: Guppy
Scientific name: Poecilia reticulata
Ph: 7-8.5
Hardness: 143-563ppm
Temperature: 17-28C
Origin: South America and the southern Caribbean
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: be careful not to much genders if in tank with Endlers as will cross breed. Don't keep with nippers.

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Platy
Scientific name: Xiphophorus maculatus
Ph: 7-8.2
Hardness: 179-537ppm
Temperature: 20-26C
Origin: Atlantic coastal plain of Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: Needs minimum tank dimensions of
24″ x 12″ x 12″ (60x30x30cm). Best kept 1 male to 3 females.

Common name: Molly
Scientific name: Poecilia sphenops
Ph: 7-8.5
Hardness: 268.5-537ppm
Temperature: 21-28C
Origin: It’s native range runs north from Venezuela and Colombia to Mexico.
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: Needs minimum tank dimensions of
36″ x 12″ x 12″ (90x30x30cm). Best kept 1 male to 3 females.

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Swordtail
Scientific name: Xiphophorus hellerii
Ph: 7-8.0
Hardness: 179-447ppm
Temperature: 16-28C
Origin: Native to southeastern Mexico, central Guatemala, southern Belize, and northwestern Honduras.
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: Needs minimum tank dimensions of
47" x 12″ x 12″ (120x30cm). Can crossbreed with Platy.

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Cherry Barb
Scientific name: Puntius titteya
Ph: 6-8
Hardness: 36-357ppm
Temperature: 20-27C
Origin: Sri Lanka
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: schooling fish kept in groups of 6-10.

 

[AilyNC]

My toddler decided not to sleep tonight so thought I'd get some well known fish out of the way

 

[itiwhetu]

My toddler decided not to sleep tonight so thought I'd get some well known fish out of the way

Aren't you lucky to have a toddler that's a distant memory, enjoy while it lasts

 

[CassCats]

Ive got a list for cories! ill add those suitable for over 250ppm from my list here.
My full list is here, it has other cories listed for up to 215ppm on it

Corydoras for Hard Water List

In general, it's easy to say that most bottom dwellers are from softwater habitats, but there are a few exceptions if one does enough digging around. This is a list of corydoras suitable for ranges 200ppm and up, but be aware it may vary availability for your particular water as some are...

www.fishforums.net

Common name: Bronze Corydoras
Scientific name: Corydoras Aeneus
Ph: 6-8
Hardness: 36-268ppm
Temperature: 21-26C
Origin: exact origin of farmed aeneus is disputed. South America. Original from Trinidad.
Source:

Corydoras aeneus – Bronze Cory (Corydoras schultzei, Corydoras venezuelanus) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Comment: variable, many varieties. Some sources say schultzei and lasers are also aeneus, while others claim separately. Domestic bred fish more adaptable, however wild caught individuals should be avoided for hard water.



Common name: Green Gold Corydoras
Scientific name: Corydoras Melanotaenia
Ph: 6-7.2
Hardness: 36-268ppm
Temperature: 20-23C
Origin: Rio Meta Columbia South America
Source:

Corydoras melanotaenia (Green-gold Cory) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Comment: colder water cory.


Common name: Spotted Corydoras
Scientific name: Corydoras Melanistius
Ph: 6-7
Hardness: 36-268ppm
Temperature: 23-26C
Origin: Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana South America
Source: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-melanistius/
Comment: note there are other species of corydoras with the common name "Spotted" corydoras, be sure it is this species you are buying.


Common name: Elegant Corydoras
Scientific name: Corydoras Elegans
Ph: 6-7.5
Hardness: 18-268ppm
Temperature: 20-26C
Origin: Western Amazon Basin, South America
Source: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-elegans/
Comment: a relatively commonly available Corydoras.


Common name: Sterba's Corydoras
Scientific name: Corydoras Sterbai
Ph: 6-7.6
Hardness: 18-268ppm
Temperature: 24-28C
Origin: Bolivia, Brazil, South America
Source: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-sterbai/
Comment: warmer water corydoras!

 

[AilyNC]

Oh lord @NCaquatics - I had been using water company figures but consistently my tap water comes out as 14dh or 250.6ppm....

Could it... Does it... Can I have Cories?

 

[CassCats]

Oh lord @NCaquatics - I had been using water company figures but consistently my tap water comes out as 14dh or 250.6ppm....

Could it... Does it... Can I have Cories?

Ones on this list yes

 

[AilyNC]

Ones on this list yes

I'm a bit scared but I'll do some research on this. They always look like such fun but I hope I can feed & care for them properly.

 

[AilyNC]

Going by ph I think Bronze are my option

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Silvertip Tetra
Scientific name: Hasemania nana
Ph: 6-8
Hardness: 89.5-358ppm
Temperature: 23-28C
Origin: Tends to inhabit creeks and tributaries away from the main river channels.
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: keep in groups of 6-10. Can get a bit nippy*.

*Edit to add this as members report nippiness