Stocking options for high ph/gh

[FishOverseer909]

Recently I've been trying to pick out a new fish to stock my 26 gal with but everytime I feel like I've landed on a choice I find conflicting information and it worries me so if anyone could suggest something that's not livebearers it could be much appreciated. I am also open to people maybe giving me some clarity on a few of my selections: Kuhli Loach, Black Tiger or Scarlet Badis, Hillstream Loach, and potientially garra rufas though I'm pretty sure they are off the table.
ph : 8.0
gh : 180ppm potientially higher so Im getting a better test kit.

 

[Fishadict512]

As we both don't live on Earth, we seem to have very similar water. I suggest investing in a RO system. I also have a water softener but I don't know how good it is for a aquarium. The water sure does tase good though!

 

[BlockHead1981]

Recently I've been trying to pick out a new fish to stock my 26 gal with but everytime I feel like I've landed on a choice I find conflicting information and it worries me so if anyone could suggest something that's not livebearers it could be much appreciated. I am also open to people maybe giving me some clarity on a few of my selections: Kuhli Loach, Black Tiger or Scarlet Badis, Hillstream Loach, and potientially garra rufas though I'm pretty sure they are off the table.
ph : 8.0
gh : 180ppm potientially higher so Im getting a better test kit.

List Of Fish Suitable For High PH And Hard Water | Think Fish Tropical Aquarium Forum
Personally, I would go with Neocaridina for a 26 gal aquarium

 

[tinylostwine]

flagfish ?

 

[GlennO]

Some desert gobies would be fun. Chlamydogobius eremius – Desert Goby (Gobius eremius) — Seriously Fish

 

[ProudPapa]

There are several tetras that will be fine in that water, since they've done well in my 8.2 pH water that's harder than yours. Lemon tetras, serpae tetras, and pristella tetras have done very well.

One of the smaller rainbowfish might also be an option, and celestial pearl danios do well in my water if you're interested in trying out nano fish.

 

[A201]

My water also has a PH of 8.2 and is rich in minerals. Here is a list of fish I keep that would fit in your tank.

Giant Danios, Rosy Barbs, Tiger Barbs, Black Ruby Barbs, Buenos Aires Tetras. YoYo Loaches & Kubotai Loaches.

 

[tinylostwine]

My water also has a PH of 8.2 and is rich in minerals. Here is a list of fish I keep that would fit in your tank.

Giant Danios, Rosy Barbs, Tiger Barbs, Black Ruby Barbs, Buenos Aires Tetras. YoYo Loaches & Kubotai Loaches.

I would think most (all?) of those would be too large for a 26 gallon.

 

[toeknee]

I higher PH is fine fore pretty much all but the most sensitive of fish. The majority of fish can adapt to the majority of common PH ranges. A stable PH is more important than chasing a certain PH level.

 

[_Fried_Bettas_]

It is my experience that all the fish I've tried that are not explicitly stated as needing acidic water below 7.0 pH will do fine in very hard water. I think people worry about this much more than necessary. I think more caution is warranted for wild-caught fish, like many apistogramma.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Thanks everybody, Im surprised so many responded since most of my threads get like one reply rn I dont have a set pick yet but youve all certainly opened a lot of options for me

 

[TClare]

Even though some species that have been bred in tank situations for many generations will obviously be much less sensitive to water parameters than wild caught specimens, I believe that its always best to match your water conditions as closely as possible to the natural habitats of fish, this will give them the best chance of long, healthy lives.

You might want to look at some of the smaller rainbow fish, they should do Ok in harder water.

 

[kansas]

I could of saved myself a lot of stress by getting different fish or getting an RO filter 2 years before I did.

 

[tinylostwine]

I could of saved myself a lot of stress by getting different fish or getting an RO filter 2 years before I did.

It is a flip coin; if you want soft water fishes then yes an ro system is not a bad approach; but if you want hard-water fishes then an ro system isn't going to help at all. After all if you put a common domestic guppy [there are soft water guppy species] in ro water it won't last very long.

Also an ro system is not a free thing as some people can't easily install on or pay the cost.

 

[FishOverseer909]

So yesterday I posted about needing high ph/gh tolerant fish for my 26 gal and now I think I know what I want but would like any advice or warnings before I go ahead.
I think it would be cool to have some dwarf synodontis pertricola in with a few sparkling gouramis. I hope to at least see one of either species breed so Im going for ideal conditions not just barely suiting needs. Thanks in advance

Ive posted a new thread about my fish selection if anyone would be willing to give their thoughts there

 

[FishOverseer909]

Could I keep either blue or red neon badis in my 26 gallon? By keep I mean like thrive, so breeding proper colors etc
I have a gh of 268 and a ph of 8

 

[chromedome52]

IME, Badis are soft water species, and your hardness is not suitable for them, nor is the pH appropriate for them.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Yeah figured I wanted to hear it from someone with exoerience though

Ive got a 26 gal with a ph of 8 and a gh of 268ppm and have been going half crazy trying to find the perfect fish for my tank. At the moment Im condsidering some sparkling or croaking gouramis with some rosy loaches can anyone tell me if this would work and if they would breed. Thanks in advance : )

 

[Fishfur]

Could I keep either blue or red neon badis in my 26 gallon? By keep I mean like thrive, so breeding proper colors etc
I have a gh of 268 and a ph of 8

Just fyi, I’m not aware of any Dario dario, which is the species name for these fish, having been bred in any colour variants.

The terms red neon or blue neon are probably just marketing descriptions - the male fish certainly do have blue markings of a very bright & vivid hue that could easily be called neon or electric blue but only on their fin edges. They are by no means a blue fish.

Their red body stripes are not as bright as, say a neon or cardinal tetra. They are definitely red but not as bright as the word neon makes it sound,

Frankly, if a premium price was being asked for ‘neon’ Badis, I wouldn’t pay it.

They have done reasonably well for me in my local water, which is around 196ppm GH & about pH 7,5 but I could never obtain any females to attempt breeding them.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Just fyi, I’m not aware of any Dario dario, which is the species name for these fish, having been bred in any colour variants.

The terms red neon or blue neon are probably just marketing descriptions - the male fish certainly do have blue markings of a very bright & vivid hue that could easily be called neon or electric blue but only on their fin edges. They are by no means a blue fish.

Their red body stripes are not as bright as, say a neon or cardinal tetra. They are definitely red but not as bright as the word neon makes it sound,

Frankly, if a premium price was being asked for ‘neon’ Badis, I wouldn’t pay it.

They have done reasonably well for me in my local water, which is around 196ppm GH & about pH 7,5 but I could never obtain any females to attempt breeding them.

Theyre their own species badis badis also known as chameleon badis and badis ruber also referred to as burmese badis

 

[Fishadict512]

You might get away with pearl gouramis but GH might still be too high. I would suggest you invest in a RO system. I have very similar water to you and I mix I in my water to lower the GH.

 

[FishOverseer909]

I have a 26 gallon tall tank with a ph of 8 and a gh of 268ppm and after many of my other stocking ideas failing I was wondering if could house either rosy or inle loaches with hillstream loaches happily to the point where either will consider breeding. i know I've posted a lot of threads today around similar topics but just bear with me here. Thanks in advance ; )

 

[Fishadict512]

Hillstream loaches need a bigger tank and are difficult to breed.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Oof

Well what about just inle and rosies togethee?

 

[chromedome52]

Actually, a couple of species of Hillstream "Loach" have proven to be quite easy to breed. I did so in a 15 gallon tank using a powerhead on a large sponge filter to provide the necessary current. However, Hillstreams aren't really a loach. They used to be sold as Hong Kong Plecos, and they definitely aren't that, either. Generally anything named as a Loach is very difficult or impossible to breed naturally.

 

[Fishfur]

Theyre their own species badis badis also known as chameleon badis and badis ruber also referred to as burmese badis

I have some of those but have never seen them referred to as neon.

 

[FishOverseer909]

I have some of those but have never seen them referred to as neon.

Well would you say they could breed in my water?

 

[Fishfur]

Well would you say they could breed in my water?

Seriouslyfish says their range for GH goes from 54 to as high as 268ppm with pH to 7.5 but many fish are fine in somewhat higher pH.

They are supposed to be easy breeders - they’re cave spawners.

I would think they’d probably do well enough.

 

[FishOverseer909]

Would you say I could instead house rosy and inle loaches together?

 

[Mudminnow]

Choprae danios are happy in hard water.

Odessa barbs come from hard water--reportedly pH 11.0.

 

[FishOverseer909]

So I know the golden wonder and flagfish exist but imo they aren't as eye catching as these guys do you think they could thrive in my 8.0ph and 268 gh setup the tank is 26 gallons and I keep seeing conflicting sources so would appreciate it if someone could help. Thanks