# List of fish by water quality preferences?



## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

I'm looking to stock a small 10 gallon and hopefully some time in the next few months a larger tank (>30 gal which is what I currently have). I want to find inhabitants for the tank that suit my water parameters and wondered if there's some kind of list or list generator whereby I can search for fish by water preference. For instance, my pH is always around 7.8 or even 8 and my water is medium hardness. I kind of want a list of fish for those parameters. Anyway, maybe I'm hoping for something that i can best get by posting a "stocking suggestions?" thread on the forum and get responses by real people : )


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

I don't know of a pre-exiting list - But if you could help me understand what "medium hardness" means in degree or ppm then I can list all I can think of for this water and tank size if you like!?


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## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

Angel079 said:


> I don't know of a pre-exiting list - But if you could help me understand what "medium hardness" means in degree or ppm then I can list all I can think of for this water and tank size if you like!?


My KH is 6 and general hardness is 8. Would that be considered "medium"? I was being lazy and didn't want to go find my test results when I posted so I said "medium".

I didn't want to request stocking suggestions because so many people have been lately and I'm enjoying following those threads.

The hardness of my 10 gallon is lower but not by much (KH is 5) and pH is lower (7.4/7.6) but I think it's because I have two big pieces of driftwood in there so eventually it will probably match my larger tank). 

I would like a dwarf gourami but my tank may be too small. i wouldn't mind a group small schooling fish (i was even think of galaxy rasboras) and something on the bottom (shrimps or algae eaters). If I end up not being able to find something suitable for the size, parameters, and my tastes in aesthetics, I can just use it for a qt which is what i bought it for in the first place. I just enjoy taking care of the plants!

hmmm.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Alright to recap 10g tank, water pH 7.4-7.6 KH 5-6...I'm gonna have to say that is limiting you to some extent (tank size mainly) but I'll give it my all (and that BEFORE my coffee lol)

My pers fav for your set up: Aplocheilichthys normani - Norman's Lampeye

Pseudomugil signifer - Pacific Blue Eye 
Pseudomugil gertrudae - Spotted Blue Eye
Boraras maculatus - Dwarf Rasbora 
Rasbora spilocerca - Dwarf Scissortail Rasbora
Tateurndina ocellicauda - Peacock Goby
Carinotetraodon travancoricus - Dwarf Puffer (brackish water set up) 
Trigonostigma heteromorpha - Harlequin 
Ladigesia roloffi - Jelly Bean Tetra

Then there'd be the option of various Shrimp, various small Killi, Dwarf Orange Cray's (CPOs under my aquariums) or a group of Dwarf African Frogs (they'd love your water)

Now lemme get some coffee and I'll be back with more ideas hopefully later.


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## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

Angel079 said:


> Alright to recap 10g tank, water pH 7.4-7.6 KH 5-6...I'm gonna have to say that is limiting you to some extent (tank size mainly) but I'll give it my all (and that BEFORE my coffee lol)


Actually I think my pH will eventually rise up again to 7.8 because that's about what my tap is. I really like the peacock goby but it sounds like they prefer the lower pH. Sorry I wasn't clear about my pH as I noticed many fish on the list prefer pH around 7.4. I have that now but probably not for long.

Actually searching your allowed me to streamline my preferences:

- if i can get something that has bright colors that would be nice (they would stand out in my tank because I have light colored gravel) (is there a species of killi that would do well in higher pH and my tank size--there are so many species it's hard to tell)

- I like bottom dwellers like loaches and such. I'd go for the crays if i could mix them with another type of fish

- if i had a dwarf puffer, could i also have plants (how brackish is "brackish"). how many could i house in a 10 gallon? 

- to be honest what i really wanted was a dwarf gourami but my pH is high by .2-.4. would it adapt? i would wait until my plants became more dense, too.

i'll post a pic of my tank just to give a 'sense' about the space and everything.


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## Kelso (Oct 28, 2009)

No no no! Dwarf puffers are not brackish at all! Strictly freshwater


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## Mean Harri (Dec 14, 2009)

Freshwater puffers are cool little fish. I may consider them. Although I don't know what tank they do well in. I think I'm lucky in that I had my tap water tested at the lfs. Ph: 7.2 and I think he tested the GH: 6 one of the hardnesses was 6. And I'm going with a community tank. At least that's the plan.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

My bet, thanks for correcting me Kelso;-) , I thought they required the same set up then their big cousins (you can see you're speaking to someone who never had them before)

@ Harri - Why not set up a small spices tank for them, like a 10g? I think they may do better in there then a community with larger fish?

@Stephine 
The Peacock's ideally need pH 6.5-7.5 and Hardness 5-10 if you wanna achieve breeding them.
I see your concern there with the slightly higher pH by 0.3 degrees IF your tank water WOULD rise, odds are it'll stay lower then your tap, from my exp no tank's pH & KH is ever the same, although I have all my tanks filled with the same tap water (obviously). "Worst case" since you have such a small tank, a little peat added in there would go a long way for a steady lower pH IF it would rise a lil bit in a year or so.
Generally yes, I am a big defender getting fish within range of your water, but I do not find your tap that drastically hard for the named fish. Often the fish you'll buy have been captivity bred over yrs and are also quite far from the water needs of their natural brothers and sisters.

For Killi, I think the Norman's Lampeye would really stick out, once settled in, given good food & water quality their blue eyes are just simply piercing through the tank.
Another option could be Fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri - Steel-blue Killifish
But there again IF the pH rises far past 7.5 I'd suggest peat, they actually love that slightly darker water anyway, helps with their colors to REALLY stick out.

For the Cray (like my mentioned CPOs) if you were to get 2F/1M of CPOs and a small group of whatever fish that'd work, but if you intended on breeding the CPO's I'd suggest fine plants to be added such as stragrass or alike, for them to hide in, their baby's are SO SMALL they'll even get ate by the smallest fish.
What I know from articles on dwarf puffers ~2-3g per dwarf puffer was suggested; as I said I have no pers exp with them so I'd prop go for a group of 4-5 puffers. 
But maybe *Kelso *has more first hand exp there?

I'd def not suggest Dwarf Gourami for the tank. Not because of the water, but simply cause of the size. Even a single pair I'd not suggest for under 15g tank size; given their adult size of 3-3.5"

PS I love the looks of the tank!! Are you going to add some background on it?


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## Kelso (Oct 28, 2009)

I hope I wasn't being rude Angel, sorry >.<

But yes. DPs are freshwater, and mine thrive in my acidic water as well. My recommendation is five gallons for the first puffer, and additional 2-3 gallons for every puffer afterward. So basically a ten gallon can easily hold 3 puffers comfortably. I've heard four could be done, but looking at my tank, I can't possibly imagine a fourth one being added without serious aggressiveness revealing its ugly head. But I've seen it be done successfully. Plenty of decorations are needed, and for me I use mopani wood and purposely let it seep into the water. My fish have done well for all the time I've had em. Full little bellies and inquisitive nature. Congo, King Kong, Fahaka, Amazon, Mbu, Dwarf, Fangs and so on are freshwater: The Puffer Forum • Freshwater Puffers

There are only a few brackish puffers: The Puffer Forum • Brackish Puffers

Oops...I do believe I went on a tangent, hahaha.


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## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

If I keep puffers, could I have somethng on the bottom of the tank (loach, crays, etc.)

@Kelso what would you suggest for the male/female ratio (would this balance help keep aggression in check?) do you have plants in your dwarf puffer tank?

@Natalie okay no dwarf gourami and also, i'm going to revisit the killifish options


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

No no no, I was thankful you caught it and corrected me being on the wrong track there, now I know something new (and that actually makes ME wanna consider them now too, the dwarf one's for my 10g) 

What do you mainly feed your puffers with?


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

stephanieleah said:


> If I keep puffers, could I have somethng on the bottom of the tank (loach, crays, etc.)
> 
> @Kelso what would you suggest for the male/female ratio (would this balance help keep aggression in check?) do you have plants in your dwarf puffer tank?
> 
> @Natalie okay no dwarf gourami and also, i'm going to revisit the killifish options


I think the puffers may get after the cray's for snacks (natural behavior).

There's soooo many Killi, it actually ain't funny, my breeder I got mine from had some 25 tanks set up, all Killi and as he said He had a "FEW species there"...getting them herein the US can be troubling on SOME thou. But they sure are darn beautiful fish.


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## Kelso (Oct 28, 2009)

I've heard that you wanna keep it 2 girls to 1 guy, and that's what I have. I also read all females can work as well or just 2 males. I however don't really think that last one is a viable option. I keep live plants in that tank, a couple of crypts and something called a temple plant. I have some fake plants, mopani wood with java moss attached to it. They all got their own territories so it's worked out very well. I feed them the littlest snails I can find and mostly live black worms. Mine are very picky and I'm gonna try frozen food here soon to see if they like it. Ghost shrimp too apparently work, but my puffers don't bother with the Whisker Shrimp I have. He's about 2 inches now. I read lot's of articles that say it's hit or miss with dp's wheather they go after shrimp. I'm not too sure about cories, but I know oto's are actually advised with dps. I never tried it because they're so fragile...I just don't like fish like that because all three of mine died. Something small, drab colored, and not very active does best with dps.


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## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

Angel079 said:


> "
> 
> PS I love the looks of the tank!! Are you going to add some background on it?


yup, but first i want to get fish and i'll choose the background accordingly to make them contrast. I love the look of the tank--now while the plants are new--we'll see if i can manage to keep them healthy :-?


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## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

Kelso--can I ask what your water params are? Temp and pH? 

Right now, of the fish suggested so far, I'm torn between dwarf puffers and the steel blue killifish. Might depend on what is easiest to keep.

Thanks for making this easier for me, guys!


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## Kelso (Oct 28, 2009)

My ph remains consistently 6.1 with minor fluctuations up to 6.3. All my tanks are at 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of the tannic acid that is leached into my water from the driftwood, my ph sinks to 6 at the end of the week in that tank. Gertrudes rainbow fish or steel blue killis are the decision im trying to make for when I get my 75 for what I'm going to put in my 28 gallon!


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

My dwarf puffers never bothered with ghost shrimp, but then again I never really got small enough ghost shrimp for them to consider food. They ate pond snails, ramshorns, live blackworms and various frozen foods. At one point, though, they just stopped eating frozen brine shrimp even though they were going to town on it before. Pretty strange little fish.


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## stephanieleah (Oct 31, 2009)

Kelso said:


> My ph remains consistently 6.1 with minor fluctuations up to 6.3. All my tanks are at 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of the tannic acid that is leached into my water from the driftwood, my ph sinks to 6 at the end of the week in that tank. Gertrudes rainbow fish or steel blue killis are the decision im trying to make for when I get my 75 for what I'm going to put in my 28 gallon!


Then would dwarf puffers even be a viable option for me with my pH in the upper 7's?


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## Kelso (Oct 28, 2009)

Mhm. They are hardy little fish that would probably experience a vast array of pH in their natural habitat. I'm sure any of the puffers that are near estuaries would be fine as would the puffers further inland in the slower and more boggier waters. I had to slowly acclimate mine to my water, because the lfs where I got them from had a pH of 7.2...quite a difference from my 6.1. The dwarf puffers can be comfortable in a pH range from 6-8, just make sure you slowly acclimate them, even a slow drip would be good.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

stephanieleah said:


> Right now, of the fish suggested so far, I'm torn between dwarf puffers and the steel blue killifish. Might depend on what is easiest to keep.


What sometimes also helps to MAKE a choice there: What's available to you locally ;-)


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Kelso said:


> steel blue killis are the decision im trying to make for when I get my 75 for what I'm going to put in my 28 gallon!


Please steel blue's....they're so awesome lil buggers and in a 28g you could have a wonderful large group, add to that a lil peat or DW or something to stain the water lil brownish....priceless set up right there :-D


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