Loaches In Hard Water?

[greenmumma141]

Hello. I am upgrading my tank very soon and so I am thinking of all the changes I want to make. I have been an admirer of loaches for quite some time now but have never had the room for them in my tank, until now .... My only problem is that i have very hard water, my ph is around 7.7-7.8 always. Bringing in water is not an option for me. I was hoping to have a group of polka dot loaches in the new tank, but wanted to see if anyone had any experience with keeping loaches in harder water; all the info i have found says they need softer water, but polka dots are undemanding and can thrive in a wider spectrum of water??

http/www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-kubotai

Any additional info would be much appreciated! thanks

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

pH and hardness do not always go hand in hand, you can get soft alkaline water for example.

I've only kept 3 species of loach to date, namely 8 Weather Loaches (in a 5x2x2); 6 Indian Red Tail Squirrels (Aborichthys elongatus, I have one male {"Mr Squidgy"} who is now ~3 years old and survived my naive start with these "hillstream loach") and more recently 7 Dwarf Chain Loaches for the last four months.

My tap water is pH 8-8.2; gH 13/14 (moderately hard at ~220ppm). Weather Loaches are very adaptable while Dwarf Chain Loaches were discovered in pH 8 water according to Seriously Fish. While I lost most of the Aborichthys group, I can safely say in hindsight that was down to the extreme heat of 2010 with far too little water rippling in their initial tank, "Mr Squidgy" has done well despite my water being a little hard in theory (living alongside other rheophilic fish such as an 18cm Synodontis decora; 25cm Synodontis notata; 14cm Synodontis brichardi; 9cm Steatocranus casuarius; 14cm Euchilichthys spp; 6cm Chaetostoma milesi).

Botia kubotai are pretty adaptable to water chemistry going on LOL (20gH) and a little more sensitive at Seriously Fish (upto 10gH), one of the classic negative sides on the internet! Providing the store uses water similar to your own tank, a 45-90 minute drip acclimitisation should be fine.

 

[greenmumma141]

Okay Thanks!!! I'm starting to have hope of getting my little loach group after all

 

[BigFish01]

I have had clown loaches in my hard water also. Have had them for 3 years now and they show no signs of problems.. Good Luck to ya!!

 

[greenmumma141]

I have had clown loaches in my hard water also. Have had them for 3 years now and they show no signs of problems.. Good Luck to ya!!

Wonderful, thank you!!!