Opinions on Cory Cats

[TDWagner]

Hold a secky-decky. Alkalinity is not a measure of water hardness. It's just a measure of how acid or alkaline the water is. My pH runs from 7.4 to 7.8, but my water is fairly soft at 5 dGH, not hard.

I did state in my original post that I have hard water, but didn't quantify that statement.

No way to know unless it's tested with a GH kit.

You're right, and I don't have a reliable GH test kit yet. I was basing that statement on the amount of mineral deposits i get on anything my water touches (I hate those white deposits on the inside of my tank walls...PITA to scrape off). The first test kit I got was a 5-in-1 dip strip (before I knew better) and it registered right up at the high end (300ppm = 17.54 dGH) but since then I've learned not to rely on those dip tests.

I'm pretty sure it's hard water, but I'll definitely confirm that with a good test kit before starting a cichlid tank.

 

[ghinksmon]

I side with those that have reservations on cory's doing well with a high pH and hardwater. They may survive as they're tough fish, but I don't believe in trying to adapt a fish to waters well outside of it's home range (whether or not it's wild caught or farm raised).

 

[TDWagner]

I side with those that have reservations on cory's doing well with a high pH and hardwater. They may survive as they're tough fish, but I don't believe in trying to adapt a fish to waters well outside of it's home range (whether or not it's wild caught or farm raised).

Yeah, I hear you...I have those same reservations. What exactly is it's "home range" though? I can go to 6 different fish profile websites and get 6 different pH ranges. It's so frustrating to get accurate information sometimes.

Semi-off-topic, but which fish profile websites are the most reliable? I'm guessing I'll get 6 different opinions on this question as well.

 

[ljse]

Il adda vote to the panda cories. They stay small and look great, constantly digging in the gravel.

 

[jennypenny]

albinos! ... but there is no such thing as a bad cory.

 

[gert]

I vote for bronze corys

 

[joephys]

Hold a secky-decky. Alkalinity is not a measure of water hardness. It's just a measure of how acid or alkaline the water is.

Alkalinity, at least as measured from test kits, is a measure of buffering capacity and is closley related to kH.

 

[shaunakadub]

Voted Other.

Albino and Greens for the win!

 

[fishpoor]

Pandas again.

 

[Darwin]

Alkalinity, at least as measured from test kits, is a measure of buffering capacity and is closley related to kH.

My tap water is alkaline (pH 8) and very soft (KH is 2) by my test kit (AP) and these values are pretty much the same as those provided by the water supplier on their website. So I think it is possible for a test kit to measure alkalinity separately from buffering capacity. If the pH measurement just reflected carbonate buffering then mine wouldn't be saying pH 8!!!

In any case, my little bronze cories seem to be doing o.k and they are very cute - so i'll give them my vote.