Re: hardwater

[Wright Huntley <jwwiii at pacbell_net>]

> Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2002 10:39:46 +0530
> From: "drajitathale" <drajitathale at hclinfinet_com>
> Subject: hardwater
> 
> This question may be off the plants topic, nevertheless, I would like to
> know
> which fishes cannot be kept in planted  tank with lot of hard water.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> drajit athale
> Baroda, India

I know of *no* fresh-water species that cannot be kept in quite hard water, 
Some will not readily breed or some eggs will not hatch reliably in it.

There is a lot of mythology in this area, so I expect to be handed my head 
for making such a radical statement, but I have bred Neon Tetras in water 
that was 450ppm+ and over 300 ppm CaCO3 equivalent hardness! Likewise with 
several species of SA dwarf Cichlids that supposedly needed "soft" water.

Hard water is often also high pH water (carbonate/silicate buffering), so 
ammonium -> ammonia is more problem (if plants don't get it all first) and 
some precautions need to be used to protect some species from Oodimium or 
Costia infections (Velvet). Otherwise all fresh-water fish can be slowly 
acclimated to it and should do quite well. Some may need a little salt 
added, as cell metabolism apparently requires that the Ca/Na ratio not get 
too high. [That's a guess and not a proven fact, here, BTW.]

Wright

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Wright Huntley -- 209 521-0557 -- 731 Loletta Ave, Modesto CA 95351

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