My tap water is ph 7.1 and tds around 120 (gh 7 kh 3). Would this be suitable or do they require blackwater. Also what temp do you keep them. Planetcatfish put the range at 72-78 but as usual it is not clear to me what they prefer. I have two tanks i keep around 76 during the winter and 79 during the summer and I'm thinking that after i move I might try adding them to one of those tank (one is a 40b that will become a 120 around 4x2.5x18) and the other is a 29 that will be moved into a 180 (4x4x18) (l,w,h ft,ft,inch) that has the 5 sterbai.
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I have this amazing story i like to tell about pygmy cory but i find it so amusing even if it is a bit off topic. So i had a group of 10ish pygmy cory in my 40b and i had kribs in the tank for a while - while the kribs were forming a pair they bit the tail off of a couple of pygmy and killed one. But after a pair formed the kribs cleared the area in front of their chosen cave (a piece of drift wood they dug under). The pygmy learned that the area in front of this cave was always clear (it was near the front glass) so they would settle there out in the open because no other fish dared to get near. After about a week the kribs just accepted them as part of the landscape. In fact they were so acceptance they would allow their frys to mingle with the pygmy with no hostilities which i found very interesting - no other fish was allowed near their frys but the pygmys were totally accepted. [fyi the tails did regrow on those pygmy that lost them].
72-78F is correct, I keep mine between 74-76F because the farlow species needs warmer.
They come from Rio Solimões, which is a white water, silly river. They can handle a GH up to 268ppm and your pH is just fine. I do keep them with a little bit of tannins at least now though, just not heavy like before.
My parameters are GH 7, KH5, pH 6.4 from tap but bring it up to 7 with Seachem Neutral Regulator or else it swings dangerously due to road work a few months ago. Used to be 7.6 out of tap.
The biggest downside you will face with these guys is locating them and the price. You can expect to pay a pretty high price for them.
Pygmies are great, I keep them too
they're so cute. And they're docile to a fault, very good tankmates as long as they're not attacked themselves. Though they can be fairly shy as well.