Hardwater tank candidates

[ClownLurch]

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. Considered one of best tetras for community tank.

A few on here have mentioned they can get a bit nippy.

 

[AilyNC]

A few on here have mentioned they can get a bit nippy.

I'll edit mine to add that in.

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: Porthole Catfish
Scientific name: Dianema longibarbis
Ph: 5.5-7.5
Hardness: 17.9-358ppm
Temperature: 24-28C
Origin: Peru & Brazil
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: group in 3-6.

 

[CassCats]

Common name: Upside Down Catfish
Scientific name: Synodontis Nigriventris
Ph: 6-7.5
Hardness: 90-356ppm
Temperature: 24-28C
Origin: Congo, Cameroon Africa
Source: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/synodontis-nigriventris/
Comment: Must have groups of 4 or more. Easily confused with other Synodontis as juveniles, others get much larger.

 

[AilyNC]

Common name: White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Scientific name: Tanichthys albonubes
Ph: 6-8.5
Hardness: 90-357ppm
Temperature: 14-22C
Origin: White Cloud Mountain, Kwangtung, China & other regions in China.
Source: source - seriously Fish
Comment: Be mindful of temperature requirements when considering this with a community tank. Longfin version is particularly pretty.

 

[Colin_T]

A lot of these fish you lot are posting should not be kept in hard water.

Most tetras and barbs (including white clouds) come from soft water and are more likely to become egg bound if kept in hard water. They also don't live as long in hard water with a GH over 200ppm.

As a general rule, most tetras, barbs and South American catfish should be kept in soft water with a GH below 200ppm.
Livebearers should be kept in water with a GH above 200ppm.
Rift Lake cichlids should be kept in water with a GH above 300ppm.

 

[Wills]

A lot of these fish you lot are posting should not be kept in hard water.

Most tetras and barbs (including white clouds) come from soft water and are more likely to become egg bound if kept in hard water. They also don't live as long in hard water with a GH over 200ppm.

As a general rule, most tetras, barbs and South American catfish should be kept in soft water with a GH below 200ppm.
Livebearers should be kept in water with a GH above 200ppm.
Rift Lake cichlids should be kept in water with a GH above 300ppm.

I understand the general rules of the groups of fish but from research there are exceptions which is what I am hoping to clarify in this thread. Taking the blanket rule of barbs and rasboras only in soft water mean that essentially people like myself shouldnt keep fish where as you find clear examples that are contrary to this like rummy nose Rasbora galaxy Rasbora etc and I actually have options other than just African cichlids

 

[AilyNC]

A lot of these fish you lot are posting should not be kept in hard water.

Most tetras and barbs (including white clouds) come from soft water and are more likely to become egg bound if kept in hard water. They also don't live as long in hard water with a GH over 200ppm.

As a general rule, most tetras, barbs and South American catfish should be kept in soft water with a GH below 200ppm.
Livebearers should be kept in water with a GH above 200ppm.
Rift Lake cichlids should be kept in water with a GH above 300ppm.

I've taken all information from SimplyFish and provided links. The website uses references in their fish profiles. If these are incorrect where should I look as a reliable source? I understood that website to be evidence-based.

 

[Colin_T]

Find out what river the fish come from and try to find the water chemistry for that river.

Generally anything in the mountains where there is snow or regular rainfall, the water should be soft. Whereas fish that occur in areas near the coast usually have harder water.

The water can also change chemistry between the wet and dry season. In the wet season more rain goes through the system and lowers the GH but can raise the pH. In the dry season the GH might increase and the pH can decrease.

----------------------
For sights claiming such a wide variation in GH for a particular species, they need to state when the GH was measured and if they are talking about wild caught or captive bred fishes. If they believe captive bred fishes can tolerate a higher GH, they need to state that.
eg: During the dry season, wild caught cherry barbs were found in water with a GH of 100ppm. However, we have 10th generation captive bred cherry barbs have been kept for 2 years in water with a GH of 300ppm.

 

[AilyNC]

Find out what river the fish come from and try to find the water chemistry for that river.

Generally anything in the mountains where there is snow or regular rainfall, the water should be soft. Whereas fish that occur in areas near the coast usually have harder water.

The water can also change chemistry between the wet and dry season. In the wet season more rain goes through the system and lowers the GH but can raise the pH. In the dry season the GH might increase and the pH can decrease.

----------------------
For sights claiming such a wide variation in GH for a particular species, they need to state when the GH was measured and if they are talking about wild caught or captive bred fishes. If they believe captive bred fishes can tolerate a higher GH, they need to state that.
eg: Wild caught cherry barbs were found in water with a GH of 100ppm. However, we have 10th generation captive bred cherry barbs have been kept for 2 years in water with a GH of 300ppm.

The website definitely clarifies this for the Cherry Barb.

From advice on this forum SimplyFish is regarded the most accurate & so that's why I used it in my own research and for any entries added here.

 

[CassCats]

If we all say to rely on Seriouslyfish as a reputable backed up source of information, scientists putting this info on there, but then turn around and say its wrong when there's something you don't believe, isn't that cherry picking?

That said, Seriouslyfish does mention specific cases where things do better at the lower end or higher end. Seriouslyfish ALSO says guppies can handle as low as 143ppm and least killifish (a livebearer in the same family as guppies) is better in SOFT water.

 

[Essjay]

When I look at Heterandria formosa it doesn't say it's better in soft water, just that the GH range is 5 to 20 dH. That includes very hard water.

 

[AilyNC]

Worth noting that for Heterandria formosa "Males are much smaller than females and possess an enormous gonopodium."

 

[CassCats]

When I look at Heterandria formosa it doesn't say it's better in soft water, just that the GH range is 5 to 20 dH. That includes very hard water.

Yes but I meant its range is lower than most other livebearers, so its one that does better softer than others who need over 15-20DH like platies and mollies for example. Thats what I meant.

 

[Freddo96]

I understand the general rules of the groups of fish but from research there are exceptions which is what I am hoping to clarify in this thread. Taking the blanket rule of barbs and rasboras only in soft water mean that essentially people like myself shouldnt keep fish where as you find clear examples that are contrary to this like rummy nose Rasbora galaxy Rasbora etc and I actually have options other than just African cichlids

You can get water softener to enable you to keep most of these