Stocking Ideas!

[kfryman]

No idea never researched it. Having fake plants in my opinion isn't a biotype, if you don't have live plants.

Anways, what are stocking ideas/ numbers I can have them in?

I was reading online and numerous sites say that because tetras are so popular, especially the neons, they are suitable for my water. They have been bred to adapt by breeders Si that means I van in fact get neons.

[kfryman]

Oh darn cant edit...

How many neons could be in the 16 gallon tank with a dwarf flame/neon gourami?

[Olympia]

I'd say around 10-11 should be fine.
You might want to add some tannins in the water anyways, it should improve their colours ;)

[thekoimaiden]

Neons and cardinals live around 10 years in captivity under ideal conditions. Yes, the captive bred varieties can adapt to harder water, but your fish are going to suffer. Scientists have opened the bodies of neons and cardinals that lived in hard water and found significant kidney blockage as their kidneys are adapted to soft (less mineral content) water and have to work much more in hard (high mineral content) water to keep proper osmoregulation. The energy your fish have to spend on this is energy they won't spend on a strong immune system. I strongly recommend going with a hard water fish. Guppies and platys aren't the only varieties. Aquabid often has some really neat and strange livebearers like the goodeids. Try looking for a fish called the Tequila Splitfin. There are also some rainbow fish that can live in hard water. You could also look at the possibility of a cichlid tank.

For some other hardwater fish ideas, this is a great article: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwhardness.htm

[Olympia]

Small cichlids.. There are these ones that live in shells.. called shell dwellers. They are plain, but it's cool that they live in shells, I'm sure a few could live in a 16 gal.
I saw these really cool swordtails on aquabid- green with white spots. Koimaiden is right, livebearers come in some crazy colours online :)

[kfryman]

Meh, live bearers poop so much. The only ones I would really consider is endlers. I will look on there again though.

What kind of shells would I use though? And do they dig as well like normal cichlids? I have seen them before and they are cool but if they are plain I don't want them. I am looking for fish that will look good on display. Plus with livebears I wouldn't know what to do if some babies survive. I will look into Sherlock dwellers. I guess it also helps I know someone on YouTube that has some.

So I could do neons but they will live a bit shorter and have a lower immune system? What do cray tetras look like? If they are the invisible ones like the names suggest, I don't mind them but I want color in the tank.

I read through that page. I might do shell dwellers.

[Pitluvs]

I have a Dwarf Gourami in pH 8 water, he's doing fab! I started him out in a 15g tank, with 5 Glowlight Tetras and 6 pearl Danios and an apple snail. He now lives in my 29g community tank with my other fish. I'be had him for about 6months now.

[kfryman]

Pitluvs, are danios fine in higher pH? If so I may get them as I cannot find a place to buy brevis cichlids.

[LittleBettaFish]

Most of the schooling fish like rasbora, danios, tetras etc. come from soft water or lower pH areas. Popular fish in the hobby are usually from places like South America or SE Asia.

I definitely agree that some fish do not do well in water that is vastly different from what they would experience in the wild. I also believe that you will often see the best colouration and most natural behaviour in fish kept in tanks that mimic their natural habitat.

Have you tested the KH of your water? You might have a high GH which will give you a high pH reading, but if the KH is low, you could more easily manipulate your pH to give you a lower reading.

I wondered if there are any native species you have over there, which would do well in hard water?

You could try a smaller species of rainbowfish, but even then they might grow too big depending on your tank's footprint.

[Pitluvs]

I have Danios in 8pH water as well. They are the oldest fish I have :)