Is The Ph Ok For Rams Or Shellies?

[fishwatcher]

My pH is 7.0 in my 20-gal and 10-gal tanks. I'd love to get german rams (20 gal) or some shellies (10 gal), but I'm not sure if this ph would be ok. If not, how do I change it without using lots of chemicals, or should I even try to change it at all?
Here's my plan:

20 gal-
pair of german rams
5 harlequin rasboras or 5 green tiger barbs
maybe a few rainbow fish or small group of some kind of tetra
2-3 cory cats

10 gal-
2-3 shellies (depending on what kind they have)
5 danios

Would these set-ups work? I'd really love to do this if I can make it work without stressing me and the fish! lol
Thanks for any help/advice!!!

 

[mamafish68]

7.0 is too low for shellies imho and too much of a pain in the A** to bring it up with chemicles.

check into crushed coral for a substrate, limestone for rocks, both will help to buffer your ph.

 

[fishwatcher]

That's a great link! I've already learned more! The only question I have now is whether I can put a few danios or harlequins in with the shellies? I'm thinking since the shellies are prtty much bottom-dwellers then the danios, especially, should work ok?
Thanks!

 

[RadaR]

pH 7 is fine for Rams, the water should also be soft for them to do well.
I wouldn't put Harlequins in with Shellies becaue Harlequins are so small and delicate that the Shellies when breeding would really cause mayhem. Danios could be OK, but a 10g just for Shellies is better with nothing else in it.

 

[fishwatcher]

How many shellies would fit, if nothing else were in there?
Would the harlequins work with the rams then? Also, will the tiger barbs be ok with the rams and harlequins?
Thanks!!!

 

[RadaR]

You could have a small group (4-5) of Neolamprologus multifasciatus or a pair of Neolamprologus brevis. Neolamprologus ocellatus can be a bit boisterous in a small tank so they are best left out.
Harlequins would be fine with Rams. Tiger Barbs are OK, might be a bit boisterous towards the Harlequins but if there are enough Tiger Barbs then the aggression is spread equally among themselves, so I would get about 6 Tiger Barbs.

 

[fishwatcher]

would it be better to go with danios or the harlequins with the rams and tiger barbs?

 

[RadaR]

The Danios would cope better with the Barbs because they are similar in behaviour (fast and boisterous).

 

[fishwatcher]

ok cool. thanks!!!