Swordtails and Softwater?

[Iron Man]

Having set up a new tank a couple months ago, I put 10 zebra danios in it and then a few weeks later about 6 swordtails. The danios are doing great but the swordtails aren't happy, or at least they don't seem happy. The tank seems to be cycled and is producing nitrates and I've been changing water religiously so ammonia doesn't overtake the fish.

The male pineapple sword seems to be kinda happy. He never hides, goes after the two female pineapple swords like crazy, and the colors of all of them are vibrant. The female fish hide or sulk in a corner at least 40% of the time, however. The red swordtails....well I've lost a female that didn't look great when I got her (she was injured on her side) and the other female sword has hidden since released into the tank and has not eaten one crumb of flake food. The male red sword tale is doing so so and pals around with the pineapple male from time to time.

After checking my tap water ph and then the tankwater ph, there is a surprising difference. My tap water is neutral.....but the tankwater is less than 6!

Why is this? I have a huge piece of driftwood in there along with a lot of plants, could that be softening the water? Is the water going to be this soft as long as the wood and plants are in there?

Could this be why the swordtails aren't very happy? I've read that swordtails even like a little salt in their water. I'm not putting salt in this tank unless there's ich somewhere.

I guess my ultimate question is....should I just take all these fish back and get angel fish like I planned before anyway......seeings how these fish may be a little more adept at softwater conditions?

Thanks!!

 

[Iron Man]

Nevermind....I've been doing some reading up and it seems the swordtails will have to go.

 

[Jen21]

It could be you just have softwater in your area. I have naturally hard water where I live, and the swordies like that.

 

[Iron Man]

Its neutral out of the tap. I have a very big dense piece of malaysian driftwood in tank though....and I believe that is what has made the water so soft....its only been in there for about 4 weeks and still releasing some tannins. It probably will for some time.

What I am thinking of doing is going to the lfs right now and getting some crushed coral to bring the ph back up. I've done this before with african cichlids which brought the ph up to 8.0 from 7.0.

Would this be ok? I would have to use very little.....just enough to raise up the ph up to around neutral.

I don't see it hurting the fish or plants....what do you guys (and gals) think?

 

[Iron Man]

Well nevermind I'm off right now to go get some.

 

[Annastasia]

I think crushed coral should be fine, as long as it doesn't raise the p.H too fast.

Are you sticking it in your filter?

 

[Iron Man]

I just got back from the store and didn't think to pick up something to hold the coral like a bag or nylon stocking. Its fairly course so I just dumped a minute amount into the Eheim canister. I figure if it doesn't do right I can pick it out....its not that much......but I think it will be enough to do what I need.

The last time I put a couple lbs in the filter and it raised the ph up instantly to 8.0 from 7.0....so I'm being more careful now. If I have to add more I have to add more.

I'm going to test the ph in a little while to see what's going on.

I figure I needed the crushed coral anyway.....ph 5.? is too low for most aquarium bred fish IMO.

Heck I may just get angelfish anyway.....as soon as I can net these wild little zebra danios.

hehe

 

[Annastasia]

Oh okay, sounds good.

Good luck getting the Danios...it took me a few days to get all mine out. They are just too fast! Or maybe I'm too slow...

 

[Iron Man]

Well just checked the ph and it looks at though its gone up a couple points....it looks like its at a steady 6 now, up from about 5.8. I'll add a little more tomorrow. Maybe things will look up for my sulking swordtails.

Thanks Annastasia....when I get ready to trade them I may get lucky and get them with the net....since right now they're not scared of it or anything else. I'll probably wind up taking everything back outta the tank though once they see me taking a couple in the net, I have way too many plants.

 

[Annastasia]

Yay, that's great about the p.H!

I went through the emptying the tank thing...and I STILL couldn't get the little guys!

 

[Iron Man]

OK...the ph all day today has been exactly 7.0! I did everything just right, apparently and I'm not touching a thing! I did rearrange the tank today though since I'm having to propagate the cabomba plant weekly.

The really funny thing is.....the little female sickly scared swordtail have been out all day today swimming around, looking for food, and pecking the algae off of everything.....the others were out this afternoon....but this evening have been hiding. I mean nothing in the tank visible at all but the danios and the one swordtail.

Its kinda frustrating to see the swordies so unhappy but I've done all I can do as far as I know now. I'll give it some more time to see if they perk up.

 

[Iron Man]

Update on the swordies. They are doing wonderfully now....all of them accept the red male swordtail. But maybe he will come around.....I've been doing a lot of reading also and see they like large numbers of their own kind....so that is definately what I was planning to give them if I decided to keep them.

Note: Anytime you need to cheer up fish....buy them some bloodworms!

 

[Annastasia]

Yay, that's great!

Yep..whenever I give my fish bloodworms, they get very perky!