15 Gallon Tank Tetras that tolerate high dh

[ToOthleSS04]

Which tetras can tolerate a high water hardness?

 

[Fisch]

Neons do....it may not be perfect for them, but they live in my tank since over two years with pH 8.2, and high GH/KH (I am not testing this one regularly, so the numbers skipped my mind).

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

Buenos Aires Tetras are some of the hardiest fish in the trade and tolerate most any conditions. Black tetras are also very hardy and tolerant,

 

[DoubleDutch]

Red Eyed Tetras

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Black neons, diomond, lemon, penguin and glolight tetra are small and tolerant

 

[Itiwhetu]

No Tetras will be happy in hard, Alkaline water. Think of another species maybe some of the Barbs could suit you.

 

[ToOthleSS04]

Black neons, diomond, lemon, penguin and glolight tetra are small and tolerant

Thanks!

 

[chromedome52]

No Tetras will be happy in hard, Alkaline water. Think of another species maybe some of the Barbs could suit you.

Incorrect, there are several species that come from hard water. Buenos Aires Tetras are often found in brackish, and Blind Cave Tetras from Mexico, as well as their sighted cousins, are all found in hard water. Other species found in Central America are hard water fish.

 

[A201]

I've kept Columbian & Diamond Tetras healthy & thriving in hard water w/ PH of 8.2 for years, no problems. Here's a recent pic of the Columbians schooling near big limestone rocks.

 

[Itiwhetu]

Incorrect, there are several species that come from hard water. Buenos Aires Tetras are often found in brackish, and Blind Cave Tetras from Mexico, as well as their sighted cousins, are all found in hard water. Other species found in Central America are hard water fish.

My comment was a generalization, I was trying to be helpful. The chances this member has the tank set up for either of the above species is minimal, considering they are asking the question about hardness and Tetras.

 

[chromedome52]

OP asked which Tetras tolerate hard water with no info about how his tank was set up. Your answer was not a generalization, it was a flat "no Tetra", which is as far from a generalization as you can get.

I did not go into detail on the common aquarium species that can or have adapted to living in hard water. Fact is, there are several species that have been commercially bred in Florida for long enough to have made such adaptations.

Given your remote location, I can understand that you might not be as familiar with the group as other hobbyists. I realize that you were trying to be helpful, but in fact, you were confusing the issue.

 

[coralbandit]

Which tetras can tolerate a high water hardness?

What is your hardness? It might not be as hard as you think? Maybe it is too high, need to know...
If you really know that shot out your water parameters as much as possible.
What size tank you got? Tank size matters also as some tetras are larger compared to others.

 

[MacZ]

If we're talking objectively hard (GH and KH > 10-15°) species from Central America (Northern Venezuela/Colombia to Mexico) are the only option I could recommend with a clear conscience.

Fact is, there are several species that have been commercially bred in Florida for long enough to have made such adaptations.

Though even tankbred specimens a. do better in softer water and b. have their limitations.
For them I'd set a safe upper limit at GH 15° and KH 5-7°. It's not like they immediately drop dead, but the permanent strain on their systems will show effect after some years. I doubt Characins as primary freshwater fish can adapt that well in only some decades or at most a century.
That said, most tetras that reached the age of 2 in an aquarium already surpassed all their wild conspecifics which barely survive more than 1-2 seasons.

 

[ProudPapa]

I have hard 8.2 pH water. Serpae tetras, lemon tetras, black neon tetras, and pristella tetras have all done well for me. I struggled with neon tetras, cardinal tetras, and black phantom tetras.