Apisto Cacatuoides with my hard water?

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bradlgt21

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I have a 29 planted with 2 syno petricola (will be moved eventually to a 55 when it's setup), 2 bn plecos, and 2 forktail rainbows. I had a german blue ram but it just passed away yesterday was sick for months. I think it was the hard water, he was in qt and never got any better until he finally passed. So I am trying to replace him and was thinking of maybe a pair of apisto Cacatuoides. But my water isn't ideal for them.

Ph 8.4
GH 20

So high ph hard water. I heard these apisto's can handle hard water but is this to hard, and the ph is very high, almost lake tang and malawi high. If apisto's won't work any other suggestions on a centerpiece fish that can handle these parameters better without being to aggressive or eating my plants. If possible I would like to get a cichlid type fish as I have a cichlid club local doing swaps during the winter. So I have availablity of good cheap cichlids I don't have to get shipped in this cold.
 

DavidZ

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Sep 20, 2007
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You can't judge by the GBRs, could be just the stock.
Did you buy the fish locally, if yes then they must be used to the water parameters.
I would just play it safe and see what the problem is first, might be just the stock.
 

msjinkzd

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mine are in ph 7.8, gh of 14 and i have about 80 fry from my pair. They can handle it. I would make sure your tank is well first (not harboring illness from teh gbr)
 

bradlgt21

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the gbr has been in qt since like October. This is why I don't think it was a illness or bad stock. I had him since April. His gills began to bulg and he got some white bumps and thats when he went in QT in october. I treated him for anything I could possibly imagine and he didn't act sick just his gills were all jacked up. He ended up out not eating for about 3 days and hiding before he died. The gills got worse the whole time, thats why I was thinking maybe hardness issues. Here is the thread if any of you are interested. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209463

The apisto's would go into the qt tank of course but it is being cleaned really good this weekend just in case. But no chances the main tank has anything wrong with it he has been seperated for almost 3 months now.
 

bradlgt21

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Cool thanks. There is a breeder called seriously cichlids local to me. I was going to drop them a line they don't show any on the website. Last time I was at the local swap meet some guy had double reds. So hopefully someone will get them again soon.

When it warms up more I think I am going to order some amano shrimp from you. I have been eying them since you posted your last for sale. Just afraid of the cold. So if nothing comes through I can always get them in the same order.
 
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