Can Neon or Cardinal tetras be kept in hard water?

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XimeD

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Hi all, I am a newbie to this hobby and have had my 20g tank set up for 2.5 months, after crappy advice at the LFS and great advice here it is finally cycling :D

I went the cycling with fish route because I didnt know any better and I also got fish that will eventually get too big for my tank, I am planning on getting a 55g when that happens hopefully 8 mo - 1 year.

Here's what I have in my tank right now:
2 giant danios (2in and 1.5in)
1 pleco (2in)
2 red tail tinfoil barbs (2 in and 2.5in)

Here's my water parameters:
ammonia - 0.50ppm
nitrite - 0.25ppm
nitrate - around 7ppm
pH - 7.4
Temp - 76F
kH - 100ppm (6 drops on the API test kit)
gH - 200 - 400ppm (18 drops on the API test kit)

ammonia. nitrite and nitrates should have gone down since I just did a 30% PWC. I live in socal so my tap water is pretty hard, I have access to DI water (I work in a research lab) but it is very cumbersome to carry the buckets from work to home.

I loooove cardinal tetras and would like to have some (maybe 5 or 6) but I read that they need soft acidic water. Ive also read about keeping the water params constant sometimes being better than messing with a lot of additives.

Also I have read mixed things about keeping tetras with barbs.

So here are my questions (on a side note I will be waiting until my tank is fully cycled before adding any fish, just wanted to start geeting some ideas):
1) Can I keep either neon or cardinal tetras (preferably cardinals) with my current tank occupants?

2) Is it even possible that they can adjust to my water hardness levels so I don't have to mess with more additives to my tank (which is lightly planted - some swords and anubias only) or tap water....

3)Assuming the answer to Q1 is yes and Q2 is no would significantly softneing the water (very gradually, yes I know) be an acceptable stress for my existing fish? - I really love those tetras but my current fish should not suffer, I can always get another tank later on.

4)Any suggestions for other fish I could get? I like tiger barbs but most of what I read suggests it is not a good idea to mix them with my danios

Thanks for any replies :biglol:
 
Good job doing your research :)

Although for my own comment... I really think the red tail tinfoils would be better in a 75gal. They can reach 8" (I'm sure you know this as you seem to have done your research) and a 55gal is not even twice as wide front-to-back. A 75gal on the other hand is 18" front to back. IMO 2x fish length front to back is minimum (unless it is a sedentary fish like a pleco), especially for an active fish like the RTTF barb.

Also, if your pleco is a common pleco it will need to be re-homed eventually, or moved into a 180+gal if you are going by standard sizes :(

Now, if these tank sizes are possibilities for you, then you are a lucky man! :D If not I am not going to get all fish-gestapo on you ;) but I would suggest re-homing the red tails and pleco (if it is common) once they get bigger than around half the width of whatever size aquarium you end up with. For the moment, they are okay in your tank, however it is never too soon to plan.

Also, I would advise against keeping anything larger than 3.5-4in the 20g.

Okay, on to your questions at last :lol:

Tetras with the RT tinfoil barbs are a big question mark. RT tinfoils are known as quite peaceful, but they get very large. They do eat smaller fish in the wild and have been known to eat small fish in aquaria. Most sites suggest to keep them with similar sized occupants.

However, there is no reason you couldn't keep them in a cycled aquarium with your water parameters. Once you free up the 20g they'd be a great choice. Just make sure you buy from an LFS that has had them for a while and they are acclimated to the water conditions of SoCal.

Now, if I were you... (devil's advocate here)... I'd finish cycling. Keep your aquarium stable, do regular water changes, just be successful for a little bit so you feel comfortable moving onto phase two of my master plan :D

Phase two being, to go ahead and get a 75g tank. Move over the tinfoils, pleco, and danios. And then, add some firemouths, or a jack dempsey, or another of the myriad other amazing cichlids. Although you may not have planned it, tinfoils and giant danios are two common species that are suitable to keep with the large, aggressive cichlids. I'd take it and run with it :)

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the replies :)

Taylorodw: My pleco is indeed a common pleco (like many newbies I learnt my lesson on doing proper research after I got my fish - the LFS people are idiots because they knew the size of my tank and still every single fish they sold me will get way too big, I was too naive thinking they would know)

I'll look into getting that 75g but it might be too big. Assuming I get a python would you say there is a difference in the time needed to care for a 55g vs a 75g tank?

I like your master plan but my fish might get too big before I can implement it so I will start looking for homes for them.

Thanks again
 
Those dang LFS liars! :lol: I made a similar mistake, with completely unsuitable fish for my first 10g.

The only difference, time-wise, is that a 75g takes ~40% longer to drain and fill compared to a 55g, assuming the same flow rate.

Here's a sizing chart to help you out: Aquarium Sizes and Weights - An Aquarium Sizes and Weights Chart

The big (negative) difference, IMO, is equipment cost. However, as far as fish you can keep, a 75g and a 55g are worlds apart. The 55g is the smallest of the "big" tanks, the 75g gets you into territory to keep almost any reasonably sized common aquarium fish.

Now, all of this is if you do go the big route. If you decide this is all a little too much, or too soon, etc... there's no shame in re-homing your fish (shouldn't be too hard on craigslist) and starting over with the 20g. Everyone makes mistakes.

Let me know if you need any advice making your decisions. In case it needs to be reiterated, you can have cardinals once your tank finishes cycling :D
 
The tinfoils will hit a foot, get them out while you still can.

In my experience although tetras will live in hardwater they do not tend to do as well. I prefer to only keep them in softer water. However, I consider barbs like a hardwater version of a tetra. They are small, schooling, colorful, hardy, peaceful, and even help clean the bottom. I prefer rosey, gold, checkerboard, cherry, and albino cherry barbs. Not bigger or nippier types like tinfoil or tiger.
 
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