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Scavenger/bottom dwellers that tolerate a high PH and hard Water


CoSpy
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I have a 55 gal tank with 5 black phantom, 2 red eye and 4 serpae tetras.  My test kit as well as the fish store's results show my pH consistently around 7.5.  I also have well water which has a hard mineral content (unsure of the number).  My tetras are doing well but I wanted to add some scavenger, bottom feeders.  I heard corydoras are fairly hardy and a good choice for  a beginner.  I had 6 (spotted, green and albino), none of which survived.   What would you choose for my tank?  The pH was the only number out of whack.  I've treated it a number of times, but I concluded it's going to stay on the high side.  The hard water is my guess for killing the corys.  Please help. Thank you.

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I have a similar experience to @laritheloud.  My PH is 8.2, and I have extremely hard water.  I've kept both Habrosus and Aeneus Corys very successfully.  The Aeneus corys have even bred and raised fry.  It can help to get 4-6+ of a single variety, since they like to school with their own kind.

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Like some of the others my well water is ph 8.2, gh/kh around 11-12 (Per the API test kit’s results) and I’ve had great luck with snails, neocaridina shrimp, various Corydoras, various Bristlenose and a few random L-number Plecos, and otocinclus. I’d maybe try some snails, bristlenose should do well in that size tank with your other fish, or maybe give Corydoras another go and possibly treat them with some quarantine meds before adding them 

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On 6/24/2021 at 2:48 PM, laritheloud said:

This is really strange. My pH is 8.2 after degassing off the tap, and I have no trouble keeping corydoras in my water. Are you sure there isn't something else going on?

Honestly, I'm not sure of anything.  I'm new at this.  I've had my water tested several times by different fish stores in case I did something inaccurate in my home testing.  The pH was the only aspect "off".  I read somewhere while gathering knowledge about what may terminate a fish's life and one other thing I should consider is the hard water.  The temperature is 80 degrees.  I have 2 filters and the 11 tetras are doing fine.  I'm afraid to get more corys and feel like a corydora assassin if they don't make it.  What else can I check besides the water content and the temperature?  I have artificial plants and all the decor were made for aquariums.  What would kill corys but not tetras?  

 

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On 6/24/2021 at 7:25 PM, CoSpy said:

Honestly, I'm not sure of anything.  I'm new at this.  I've had my water tested several times by different fish stores in case I did something inaccurate in my home testing.  The pH was the only aspect "off".  I read somewhere while gathering knowledge about what may terminate a fish's life and one other thing I should consider is the hard water.  The temperature is 80 degrees.  I have 2 filters and the 11 tetras are doing fine.  I'm afraid to get more corys and feel like a corydora assassin if they don't make it.  What else can I check besides the water content and the temperature?  I have artificial plants and all the decor were made for aquariums.  What would kill corys but not tetras?  

 

80 degrees is on the high end for most corydora species. They like cooler water, closer to 76 - 77 degrees. Tetras are usually okay with hotter water. Still, it seems odd that temperature alone would kill them all so quickly. Do you have zero ammonia, zero nitrite, 20 or less ppm nitrate? Did you notice anything about the corydoras before they passed away?

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