So, what I need to find are fish that prefer soft water with neutral pH? Anybody know where I can find a site that will let me plug in those parameters to get a list of appropriate fish?
Nasty Female Molllies
- Thread starter AmyB
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TheMightyQueenPixie
Best Invention EVER!
Interesting....Here is a site that may help unwrap the mystery of your water, or atleast give you a better understanding... http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/waterchemistry.htm
Tetras, most South American fish, Congo Tetras, discus, angels, dwarf cichlid, most South American catfish. Rasboras and danios and most barbs.Mollies are native to brackish streams in Central America, Mexico and the US. Like I said, they can thrive in straight sea water. I've seen them in canals all over Tampa.
You could keep mollies in their own tank with a little bit of sea salt added over a shell substrate
I worked at a tropical fish wholesaler, we would put some newly mixed up sea water in molly tanks when we did water changes. Black mollies would be practically purple with health. We never saw them shimmy there.
You could keep mollies in their own tank with a little bit of sea salt added over a shell substrate
I worked at a tropical fish wholesaler, we would put some newly mixed up sea water in molly tanks when we did water changes. Black mollies would be practically purple with health. We never saw them shimmy there.
That would explain why four out of six zebra danios have survived since last January--maybe they are better adapted to the neutral pH. But, I did loose all four of my bleeding heart tetras that I acquired last November with the last one dying last month. As per the typical death pattern of my fish....swimming happily (and apparently healthily) one minute....dead the next. But that could have been due to the pure R.O. water that I hadn't fixed up with the Kent stuff yet.
So, it would appear that I will need to change the type of fish that I am putting in the tank, and maybe they will fare better than the ones I had been trying.
Is there any type of water test that one can buy that tests the water chemistry (other than the typical pH, hardness, alkalinity, etc...) for the necessary minerals, etc?
So, it would appear that I will need to change the type of fish that I am putting in the tank, and maybe they will fare better than the ones I had been trying.
Is there any type of water test that one can buy that tests the water chemistry (other than the typical pH, hardness, alkalinity, etc...) for the necessary minerals, etc?
Mollies actually don't need salt. Its a myth. In the wild they are usually found in freshwater, even drainage ditches. During storms thye get washed into brackish water and even out to sea. Highly adaptable to freshwater, brackish, or full saltwater, it doesn't matter whihc one u have but they don't NEED salt. What they need is minerals in the water. Cichlid salt would therefore be a better addative than sea salt. The myth about salt and mollies started because mollies and other livebearers will live longer in cruddy water conditions if salt is added. So since so many hobbyists have crappy water conditions, they think the salt is needed.
I find mollies to be one of the most placid peaceful fish available. Mollies sometimes will peck at the slime coat of larger slower fish like goldfish. If a fish is sick and dying, any fish willl harass it. It sounds like your male molly was dying anyways. Do you do water changes? And are chemicals being added to your water to soften it? Also, if there is no chlorine used there could still be chloramine.
I find mollies to be one of the most placid peaceful fish available. Mollies sometimes will peck at the slime coat of larger slower fish like goldfish. If a fish is sick and dying, any fish willl harass it. It sounds like your male molly was dying anyways. Do you do water changes? And are chemicals being added to your water to soften it? Also, if there is no chlorine used there could still be chloramine.
I do a 25% water change and vacuum the gravel twice a month and change the carbon filter once a month.
There are no chemicals added to the water through the R.O. process. The well water is run through two different filters, which somehow separates the bad stuff from the water, stored in a holding tank, and then it goes through a carbon filter prior to entering the house.
After this whole process, I think there is nothing left of the "good" minerals and such once the water hits the house.
There are no chemicals added to the water through the R.O. process. The well water is run through two different filters, which somehow separates the bad stuff from the water, stored in a holding tank, and then it goes through a carbon filter prior to entering the house.
After this whole process, I think there is nothing left of the "good" minerals and such once the water hits the house.
Well, that's what the Kent stuff is supposed to fix but I really haven't used it. You could of course try the water outside but I don't know if it will help. I would ask about what type of filter you use but considering the fact that your text kits show 0 on both ammonia and nitrites I would say your tank is cycled. I wonder if there's not some kind of disease in your tank or something. You know like maybe a couple of your fish brought it home and it has continued to infect new fish? Just a thought, I could be totally wrong.AmyB said:
