This is my first time keeping a "sensitive" fish, particularly one that does NOT prefer my water. This is a log for my logging benefit and for other aquarists with very hard alkaline water interested in keeping tropical fish! 
The tank:
A 10g tank set up and cycled using filter media from my other tanks, will be a species-only tank for sparkling gouramis, Trichopsis pumila.
Very low light, heavily planted with water wisteria and java moss. Some driftwood that has yet to sink, tied to stones to weigh it down. I'm impatient with my new wood!
Eco-complete substrate mixed with black gravel (I don't recommend this look!). Dead hardwood leaves scattered on the bottom.
HOB Whisper 10 filter, crammed with filter media to slow the flow of water. Nylon stocking over the filter intake. I do that with all of my filters.
Temp: 80-82 degrees. May fall to 78 degrees if it gets really cold in the house when someone accidentally turns off the central heat.
Parameters: ph 7.6 out of the tap, 8.4-8.6 after 24 hours in the tank!
Very hard water, calcium deposits on all water fixtures and on the insides of my tanks. not sure what the actual hardness is.
Other tanks: An empty 5g and numerous plastic containers for fish that need to be QTd or moved. Other fish in other tanks include blue platy fry and Endler fry, red cherry shrimp (thanks jetajockey!), pearl gourami, harlequin rasboras, peppered cories, albino cories, skunk cories, 6 mystery snails that I'm trying to breed.
My background: Keepings tanks on a college student budget in my tiny apartment.
The fish and my project:
Sparkling gouramis like warm, soft acidic water. Well, my water is crazy hard and alkaline! This will be my first attempt at keeping a "sensitive" and "short-lived" fish. After scouring forums for months, it seems that most aquarists say to try a fish regardless of your water parameters if you can't do anything about it.
I don't trust any methods of lowering the pH. I am not willing to use RO either.
I'm a little nervous trying this out because I do not like fish dying. I have yet to lose any of my current fish. I feel a little guilty purchasing these gouramis, but I feel this is important for me to try just for my own knowledge of what fish I can be confident keeping and for other aquarists who limit themselves in purchasing fish because of their water parameters.
I've learned most of what I know about fish-keeping from this forum, so I hope I can utilize your help in getting this tank started and keeping sparkling gouramis happy.
The fish will be picked up tomorrow evening.
I asked the cruddy LFS to grab me T. pumila last week. I got a call yesterday, and they thought they had acquired T. vitatta instead. They called me again today, and told me they think they are actually T. pumila. They have 6 on hold for me, which I will pick up tomorrow. If they are in fact T. vitatta, I will take them anyway and spread them among several tanks.
They will be transported in my backpack full of crumpled newspaper and 2 heating packs.
They will take a bus ride home.
Once we get home, they will drip acclimate for 1-2 hours while I get some homework done. They will go straight into their 10g with the lights off. No other fish will share their 10g, it is a species-only tank.
I am getting 6 gouramis to increase the chances of getting males and females, and to give me a little insurance in case some don't do well.
Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow night.
Thank you
The tank:
A 10g tank set up and cycled using filter media from my other tanks, will be a species-only tank for sparkling gouramis, Trichopsis pumila.
Very low light, heavily planted with water wisteria and java moss. Some driftwood that has yet to sink, tied to stones to weigh it down. I'm impatient with my new wood!
Eco-complete substrate mixed with black gravel (I don't recommend this look!). Dead hardwood leaves scattered on the bottom.
HOB Whisper 10 filter, crammed with filter media to slow the flow of water. Nylon stocking over the filter intake. I do that with all of my filters.
Temp: 80-82 degrees. May fall to 78 degrees if it gets really cold in the house when someone accidentally turns off the central heat.
Parameters: ph 7.6 out of the tap, 8.4-8.6 after 24 hours in the tank!
Very hard water, calcium deposits on all water fixtures and on the insides of my tanks. not sure what the actual hardness is.
Other tanks: An empty 5g and numerous plastic containers for fish that need to be QTd or moved. Other fish in other tanks include blue platy fry and Endler fry, red cherry shrimp (thanks jetajockey!), pearl gourami, harlequin rasboras, peppered cories, albino cories, skunk cories, 6 mystery snails that I'm trying to breed.
My background: Keepings tanks on a college student budget in my tiny apartment.
The fish and my project:
Sparkling gouramis like warm, soft acidic water. Well, my water is crazy hard and alkaline! This will be my first attempt at keeping a "sensitive" and "short-lived" fish. After scouring forums for months, it seems that most aquarists say to try a fish regardless of your water parameters if you can't do anything about it.
I don't trust any methods of lowering the pH. I am not willing to use RO either.
I'm a little nervous trying this out because I do not like fish dying. I have yet to lose any of my current fish. I feel a little guilty purchasing these gouramis, but I feel this is important for me to try just for my own knowledge of what fish I can be confident keeping and for other aquarists who limit themselves in purchasing fish because of their water parameters.
I've learned most of what I know about fish-keeping from this forum, so I hope I can utilize your help in getting this tank started and keeping sparkling gouramis happy.
The fish will be picked up tomorrow evening.
I asked the cruddy LFS to grab me T. pumila last week. I got a call yesterday, and they thought they had acquired T. vitatta instead. They called me again today, and told me they think they are actually T. pumila. They have 6 on hold for me, which I will pick up tomorrow. If they are in fact T. vitatta, I will take them anyway and spread them among several tanks.
They will be transported in my backpack full of crumpled newspaper and 2 heating packs.
They will take a bus ride home.
Once we get home, they will drip acclimate for 1-2 hours while I get some homework done. They will go straight into their 10g with the lights off. No other fish will share their 10g, it is a species-only tank.
I am getting 6 gouramis to increase the chances of getting males and females, and to give me a little insurance in case some don't do well.
Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow night.
Thank you
