New here and could use some advice

[Random_irish_guy]

Hey first post here
So im expanding my breeding decided and im going to add 2 or 3 pleco species id really appreciate some recommendations

I mainly keep shell dwellers and livebearers i basically have 8ph liquid rock water but a ro unit isn't really a option long story

But im looking for some species that wont breed like crazy like super reds but not crazy difficult like zebras

Appreciate any suggestions thanks in advance

[bekateen]

Hi Random_irish_guy,

First, welcome to Planetcatfish! As for your question, I want to start by ensuring I understand the situation. You're asking advice to pick 2‐3 pleco species for breeding at pH 8. Is that correct?

Cheers, Eric

[Random_irish_guy]

Hi Random_irish_guy,

First, welcome to Planetcatfish! As for your question, I want to start by ensuring I understand the situation. You're asking advice to pick 2‐3 pleco species for breeding at pH 8. Is that correct?

Cheers, Eric

Yes exactly i was talking with a friend who breeds a good amount of plecos and he wasn't sure what i could do with that high of a ph and having liquid stone water

[MarcW]

Hi,

Do you have access to a TDS meter? They are relatively inexpensive ~$15, that will give a bit more information about the makeup of your water, if the TDS number is below say 300ppm, then your water may not be quite as bad as you think.

Other thoughts:

- Have you got any local fish stores, you could ask them if they keep the fish they sell in local tap water. If they do, take a look around at the catfish they have, if they don't appear thin/lethargic/diseased, then those species may be a good starting point. Maybe they were locally bred, or in the store for a few months, so accustomed to the local water. In this case it would probably be best to also purchase from the local store rather than buy those species in from elsewhere which might have very different water.
- Is collecting rain water a possibility (or even permitted where you are)? Since I have started collecting rain water my RO unit hardly gets used, certainly over the fall/winter/spring.
- If you have a local fish club that may be another good source of information and/or fish, a good starting point would be finding some locally bred catfish for sale, through a club, that may thrive in your water.

Good luck, and welcome to Planet Catfish!

[MarcW]

One thing I forgot to mention earlier, try filling a glass with your tap water and leaving it overnight then test the pH again. In some areas (in the UK at least) water companies put additives into the water to raise the pH, at least partially in case there is any lead piping in the network. The higher pH helps to prevent the lead leeching into the water.

For me doing this the pH drops from around 8 to ~7.5.

[Random_irish_guy]

Hi,

Do you have access to a TDS meter? They are relatively inexpensive ~$15, that will give a bit more information about the makeup of your water, if the TDS number is below say 300ppm, then your water may not be quite as bad as you think.

Other thoughts:

- Have you got any local fish stores, you could ask them if they keep the fish they sell in local tap water. If they do, take a look around at the catfish they have, if they don't appear thin/lethargic/diseased, then those species may be a good starting point. Maybe they were locally bred, or in the store for a few months, so accustomed to the local water. In this case it would probably be best to also purchase from the local store rather than buy those species in from elsewhere which might have very different water.
- Is collecting rain water a possibility (or even permitted where you are)? Since I have started collecting rain water my RO unit hardly gets used, certainly over the fall/winter/spring.
- If you have a local fish club that may be another good source of information and/or fish, a good starting point would be finding some locally bred catfish for sale, through a club, that may thrive in your water.

Good luck, and welcome to Planet Catfish!

Thanks for taking the time to respond i appreciate it

I did but it broke i have another one normally it was 400-600 TDS

Yeah local shops are a no go within 2 hours of me i have 4 shops 1 in 2 years been 4 times every tank has ich where owner just says eh its fine thats part of the hobby 1 that only has cichlids but never heard of shell dwellers 1 petco 1 only saltwater

Not allowed to collect rain water and ive tried letting water sit doesn't change

[MarcW]

Sounds like a frustrating situation if you want to keep South American fish. I'm not sure I can recommend any pleco for that water myself, I do see bristlenose (Ancistrus), especially the common types such as

Ancistrus cf_cirrhosus

, in tanks with cichlids and livebearers often, they could be an option.

Maybe you should take a look at catfish from areas with a higher pH/harder water, something like Synodontis? There are probably many other catfish happy in hard water but I'm not sure of any plecos.

[Jools]

You could try Panaque albivermis and most tank raised Hypancistrus from whitewater will live and bred in higher pH. As others have said, there is not a lot of scope for South American fishes with your water.

Jools

[Random_irish_guy]

Sounds like a frustrating situation if you want to keep South American fish. I'm not sure I can recommend any pleco for that water myself, I do see bristlenose (Ancistrus), especially the common types such as

Ancistrus cf_cirrhosus

, in tanks with cichlids and livebearers often, they could be an option.

Maybe you should take a look at catfish from areas with a higher pH/harder water, something like Synodontis? There are probably many other catfish happy in hard water but I'm not sure of any plecos.

Thanks i appreciate the help ill check them out

yeah its been very frustrating i mean its perfect for my lake tanganyika shell dwellers but thats but now that i want to expand more its become very frustrating finding something that would work in my water

[Random_irish_guy]

You could try Panaque albivermis and most tank raised Hypancistrus from whitewater will live and bred in higher pH. As others have said, there is not a lot of scope for South American fishes with your water.

Jools

Thank you ill check them out i appreciate the advice ill look into them