Macrognathus pancalus pH?

[elbozo]

I've found various conflicting info on the pH preferences of these fish. I've read both slightly alkaline and slightly acidic . My tank is slightly blackwater with a pH of ~ 6 and a TDS of around 150. Would this be alright to keep in? I also have no experience in keeping any freshwater eels so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[WRWAquarium]

Did some research and all I found was from maidenhead aquatics, research gate, wetwebmedia:

Neutral to hard water 7. 0 - 8.5 PH but will accept a PH of 6. Says they will do better in hard alkaline water. More susceptible to ich and fungus in soft water.

Can inhabit brackish waters with specific gravity of 1.005 to 1.010

Apparently brackish water enables them to heal skin abrasions quicker.

Temp 20-27c

Feed mainly on insect larvae in the wild.

 

[MacZ]

Considering the widespread distribution (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal) and the fact they sometimes occur in brackish water as well, they can be counted as generalists. Try to avoid extreme readings (below 6.5, above 8) and you should be fine.

I would also make it dependend on the provenience to decide whether to put them in brackish or not. If you get specimens from, let's say a nepali population, acclimating them to brackish might even not be possible at all. On the flipside a specimen from Bangladesh might be brackish, so no way of keeping it in blackwater.
When you get such widespread species it's always good to try and find out where they were caught. If not possible and not to be expected farmbred (I would expect wild caught for this species in almost all cases.) better leave it.

I'd probably settle for a malaysian or indonesian species instead.