Question about water hardness

[Cyborg]

Hi,

I set up a new tank and the rainwater we use tested at 4.2 dH, I just want to know if this is fine for Polypterus delhezi and a black ghost knife.
Thanks in advance.

 

[magpie]

I have exceptionally soft water as well and have a Delhezi with no problems. I can't vouch for the ghost knife.. I did get him from a LFS though, even though he was wild caught I think this helps as it was not a shock when introducing him to my tank.

My problem is keeping my pH stable with water this soft - it wants to tank quickly. I've been using crushed coral to help with all of this, I've also had to use alkaline buffer in the meantime, but am using it less now with the coral.

I would not have thought much about pH and it's relation to dH so I just thought I'd throw that out there in case you hadn't either. Mine comes out of the tap just around 7, and before I started using coral it would drop to nearly 5 in a few days. (!) With the crushed coral it's staying between 6.5 and 7 now.

 

[Cyborg]

Thanks for the info. I'm getting some crushed coral tomorrow for the exact same reason.
What other fish do you keep with him?

 

[magpie]

Congo tetras
Ctenopoma acutirostre
African butterfly fish
Rope fish
Pleco x 2
And I'll possibly be adding another smaller bichir. (Or 2, unsure yet!)

In a year or so I'll be upgrading and knives are on my stock list at that time.

 

[Cyborg]

Very nice list.
I'm thinking of 4 three-spot gourami, a black ghost knife, 2 banjo cats, 1 or 2 severum, 2 polypterus delhezi, maybe a fire eel and a ropefish.

 

[magpie]

We have similar tastes - nice list!
You must have a bigger tank than I do for the fire eel. Another on my eventual upgrade wish list.
I'd also love severum at some point, but really the first on my cichlid wish list for this tank is paratilapia polleni.

I'd recommend at least 3 rope fish. Mine definitely enjoy each others company, and from what I've read they are more active with buddies. Mine swim around all the time. They also snuggle with the Del.

 

[Cyborg]

Yeah looks like it
I have a few 10g tanks that I'm using for grow out, as well as 150g, 200g and a 250g and outside a 6600g pond
Want to buy another 150g, or see if I can fix another 200g I have laying around

Our LFS aren't as fully stocked in fish as I'd like it to be, I've never even heard about a Ctenopoma acutirostre or a Paratilapia polleni

 

[Cyborg]

I might get some buttflyfish as well, do you have any advice on them?

 

[kno4te]

They are pretty easy to care for. Provide some floating plants. Can be kept in groups. Should take some floating fish food without any trouble. Won't do well with aggressive fish.

Water is a little soft but the fish should tolerate it. The crushed coral will help.

 

[magpie]

Yeah looks like it
I have a few 10g tanks that I'm using for grow out, as well as 150g, 200g and a 250g and outside a 6600g pond
Want to buy another 150g, or see if I can fix another 200g I have laying around

Our LFS aren't as fully stocked in fish as I'd like it to be, I've never even heard about a Ctenopoma acutirostre or a Paratilapia polleni

I might get some buttflyfish as well, do you have any advice on them?

Nice! I wish I had a 200g tank "laying around" hahaha...

I know about fish just by dorking out in the forums and researching online. Of course you can get fish shipped to you too if your LFS isn't great.

I love the butterflyfish - I have 3. They are unusual looking creatures. They do seem to enjoy each others company with a few quibbles once in a blue moom which just entails chasing. I'd definitely get a group as mentioned vs. one as they'll be more visible. They're not very active except at feeding time so if you just have one it might not be as noticeable in the tank. I started with one but when I got the other 2 they became more bold and seemed to help settle each other. I do have floating plants, which they like. For wild caught fish they eat literally anything I put in the tank at the top, from flake to floating cichlid pellets to bloodworms to thawed fish or krill. Love watching their huge frowny mouths open up to gobble up food. They'll even eat small pieces of frozen food from my fingers.