As a newb to the pleco clan I am wondering if there is a group that can tolerate my rock hard water. Sorry I do not know the exact hardness, just that I have a rock well and a lot of rust. My C.A. cichlids love it but how about the plecos? Thanks for any help you cam offer.
Hard water tolerant plecos. Which fish should I be looking at?
- Thread starter Belly up
- Start date
I recall reading in Amazonas magazine that L204 comes from harder water than what is usually expected with Amazonian fish, might be one for you to look into. Otherwise the common tank-bred bristlenoses seem to be pretty tough and tolerant. It would certainly help if you knew the hardness/TDS though.
Mainly it's going to be the common plecos and common bn. When you start getting into the fancy plecos, they like soft water.
The common plecs are pretty good at dealing with hard water. They are invasive here in Florida and are even found in brackish water.
But most plecos that are farmed in Florida would be a safer bet than wild specimens.
But most plecos that are farmed in Florida would be a safer bet than wild specimens.
I've had over 50 species of plecos in the very hard water (liquid rock from the end of the Colorado River) in San Diego without any problems. You need to put them on drip when you get them and they will be OK. Soft water may be needed if you want to breed any.