Low pH and Soft Water Aquarium Stocking Ideas: These Are Some COOL Fish!!

Hello Everyone,
In this video we look at fish that do well in water with a low pH and soft water.
Want more information on some of the fish featured in this video? Check out these species profiles!
Discus: • Discus Fish Care and B...
Geophagus altifrons: • The Ultimate Centerpie...
Geophagus tapajos: • Geophagus tapajos Bree...
Angelfish: • Angelfish Care and Bre...
Apistogramma mendezi: • Apistogramma mendezi B...
Bolivian Rams: • Bolivian Ram Care and ...
Panda Cory Cats: • Panda Cory Catfish Car...
If you want to see more of the fishrooms featured in this video check these out!
Apet Tour: • The Most Important Fis...
Freshwater Exotics Fish Room: • Freshwater Exotics Fis...
Aquatic Clarity Fish Room: • Aquatic Clarity Fish R...
Flip Aquatics Fish Room: • Flip Aquatics Fish Roo...
Prime Time Aquatics Fish Room
Part 1: • Fish Room Tour 2021 Pa...
Part 2: • Fish Room Tour 2021 Pa...
Our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch
For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics
For more cool behind the scenes stuff consider becoming a member!
/ @primetimeaquatics
If you want to see all the cool stuff Joanna does with other types of scapes check out her channel!
/ @thesmallscape
Check out flipaquatics.com if you are looking for Panda Corys!
We would like to thank our channel sponsors for 2021: Flip Aquatics and Fritz Aquatics. For 2021 our fish are being fed Northfin Foods from flipaquatics.com! They help make what we do here possible and are worth checking out!
Thank you so much for watching!
#aquariums #aquariumfish #fishtank

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Want more information on some of the fish featured in this video? Check out these species profiles! Discus: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYPCYWyIir6kldE Geophagus altifrons: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2W5lJmAmZeMb7s Geophagus tapajos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TafGycnJKXgK8 Angelfish: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boi7d5mli9iSebM Apistogramma mendezi: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5_WgKqcq8p2h5I Bolivian Rams: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5mZZ3aOjth4fpI Panda Cory Cats: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYCth6mNZ71sbLc If you want to see more of the fishrooms featured in this video check these out! Apet Tour: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppfahqCLpdijmK8 Freshwater Exotics Fish Room: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIubindsh8Z8h7c Aquatic Clarity Fish Room: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoeloq2NqK-Kj80 Flip Aquatics Fish Room: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5uknp1noduZrZI Prime Time Aquatics Fish Room Part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2q4iqRsiJuqhrM Part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ61l4Z4ntqpgMU Our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics For more cool behind the scenes stuff consider becoming a member! kzbin.info/door/YVN7EN0ALL6CE4U7NpMUTAjoin If you want to see all the cool stuff Joanna does with other types of scapes check out her channel! kzbin.info/door/PEZk1MpOTGiBVh6BtWjlRg

[@mrfish.-]

Could you guys do fish with the longest and shortest lifespans? That would be cool :) 👍

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

@Matt Gimble not particularly. they can be a skittish cichlid at times and can squabble in groups

[@GenRN]

I have high pH and rock hard water…but here I am. I just have to watch. Love y’all!!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you ;-)

[@kurtbrutting5118]

Great list and great video! I would love to see a part 2, keep up all the great work. I love your channels.

[@amymandeville8342]

Rams have been my favorite small cichlid for a long time now. I did find out the hard way that my Bolivians and German Blues definitely have differing water requirements. They are a fantastic, fish, though. So much personality and attitude in a small package!

[@markhunter2244]

Happy soft water Monday. Excellent the perfect video for my water parameters and so many cool fish 🤩

[@courtlouluvsq]

Part 2? Yes please! With crushed coral everywhere (filter, substrate, and mesh bag) highest I've got is 6.8. I'm in Charleston SC. Water is super soft as well. This video helps out the south east big time! Thanks guys! Shout out to Small Scape, thanks girl! I watched a lot of aquqscape how to videos and yours, for me at least, were the most helpful. I appreciate what ya'll are doing for the fish community!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you for being here!

[@giftofthewild6665]

Same here. My tap water is RO water with a tiny bit of mineralization and 0-1 KH so it drops to pH 6 in a tank with driftwood and plants quite quickly. Super easy for me to make soft acidic tanks, really hard to make a nice hard water tank, which is a shame because I love livebearers and really want a sailfin molly tank but it's just too difficult to keep the water good for them so sticking with soft water fish for now.

[@adkgaladkgal1799]

This is so helpful, thank you-

[@monaangela4667]

Very helpful video, thanks. 🤗💞

[@kdr1048]

Awesome video! I love Apistogramma 🙂

[@bensk8363]

Great video idea!

[@OniTreefolk]

Thanks for all the information =) I started my aquarium hobby with you two and have recently branched into doing house calls for my friend's aquariums. Thanks for being a great channel for solutions, and from a guy obsessed with guppies: thanks for all the information on rams and cichlids!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@shesellsfish]

Super list. You guys come up with the most comprehensive lists and the best info on water parameters for the fish and plants. Looking forward to hearing all about Aquashella. 👍❤👍

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@FKJ_WORLD]

insightful, you got my attention bro

[@darrylmoore5847]

I always like your choices.

[@SlickNick3]

Great choices! I kept a GBR for a little over a year before he passed awesome personality. I now have a male Apisto Borellii who is not a fan of the camera and skittish. My male GBR used to purposely swim in front of the camera when taking pictures of my plants. I set up a new 29g a couple months ago and plan on getting another one

[@invaderjoshua6280]

Tefe Greens will always be my top softwater fish. Bumblebee pattern with red polka dots, and blue outlines is so pretty. I like keeping them with altum angels, and German rams.

[@apss5736]

cool stocking ideas

[@sergeiz.5815]

Happy Monday 😄

[@aarondehart1060]

This is the video I have needed. I have low ph (low 6) and low gh and kh. Just got a 105 gallon acrylic and I want to get rams

[@NihilusTheGreat]

Part 2 would be sweet!

[@scott02127]

You guys rock thank you for sharing. I am putting together my first planted tank. I wanted to buy fish and shrimp that are happy 😊, with the water parameters in my home, instead of trying to change those parameters. There are natural ways to change those parameters but it is much easier to get fish that would be happy with your natural water parameters. My pH is a 6.0 with soft water. This information has been so helpful. You rock 🤘. Thank you for sharing 😎 ✌️

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Have fun!

[@nsenthilkumaran]

Love from Chennai India

[@tysenp8193]

Great Video! I made the mistake of running my tank water through a sink-mounted “zero-water” brand filter. It completely filtered out particles and almost all chlorine and chloramine. (Still used prime just in case.) I originally thought this was a great idea, until I tried growing a bacterial colony in there. After 4 weeks I was seeing some nitrates but my ammonia never went below 1 ppm except for within 1 day of doing a water change! Turns out most of the big-brand bacterias need a minimum hardness in order to grow! My tank’s pH would also fluctuate wildly depending on the day. I’ve since been slowly transitioning to regular tap water (with conditioner), but hardness’s effect on the cycle is something I never knew about.

[@karenaubrey5737]

Good Morning.

[@davidbowman2501]

I'm setting up a 40g breeder and going to try to get the hardness & pH lower for my Ivanacara adoketa. I'm hoping to breed them soon. They are almost to mature adult size. I have been growing out my Ivanacara adoketa in northern Indiana water. 8.0 - 8.2 pH & pretty hard water. I doubt they will breed, but I'm planning to set up an RO system soon. All time favorite for cories are C. duplicareus & C. melini.

[@EVERYTHINGGUY226]

I just subscribed buddy

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Glad you are here!

[@aesopcarl]

Perfect video for my area - ph 6.8 water hardness - very soft.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Lucky you! I would love to have those water parameters.

[@Jenny12j7]

@@PrimeTimeAquaticsI have 5.5 ph can I be successful with that ph with lower ph fish

[@flamefox8989]

I like this lady talking about fish. I wonder if she does her own fish talks?😃🐠

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Her you go! www.youtube.com/@thesmallscape

[@johnwood738]

For some fish I wish I had this problem. Leopard frog pleco and Orange laser Cory cats are two that take softer water then my well has. But I am grateful that I don’t have city water and have to deal with those problems.

[@marlonf.naranjo6102]

The last live stream you guys talked about fish that move their eyes. My Chinese Golden Alge Eater moves it's eyes round and round

[@terenjacobsen1628]

I have been binging your channel and you have inspired expanding my hobby! I’m planning a 75 gallon with a tapajos as my center fish. Will my guppies be to small to add in as they are out breeding their current tank? Thanks! ❤️ watching you guys!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Ya, the guppies will probably go missing. :-)

[@susaz7694]

move house and i went from a pH of 8.2 to a pH of 6.0. this video sure came in handy :)

[@MissBeth19]

How about a video on your favourite cheaper fish and your favourite expensive fish?! I know it depends where you live but would make an interesting video :)

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Love it!

[@kater.6765]

Thanks- my water is 6.8 and I wanted a betta and platies but that’s too low for platies. Looking for a replacement tank mate for my betta.

[@brianp6180]

Awesome fish. I wish I could keep discus. My tap water is high like yours. I tried for years using Seachem ph buffers but it was hard to get to to 7ph. 6ph would be impossible to maintain without RO water. 2 years ago I started keeping African cichlids. They love my water!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I do the same!

[@GenRN]

I’m on my 1st cichlid…shellies; Neolamprologus multifaciatus. I live in north Texas and have hard water and they have gone crazy. Have you tried shellies? What should be my next cichlid to try?

[@brianp6180]

@@GenRN I keep lake Malawi peacock and haps and a few lake Victorian haps. They can be aggressive so you have to be careful. I’ve had to pull 2 fish out that did not play well with others! I have them in a 60g grow out tank I have. Oddly enough they haven’t killed each other yet.

[@GenRN]

@@brianp6180 I have a 270 gallon (in addition to 5 other tanks) goldfish tank but if I ever switch the goldfish out, I’m going to do some type of cichlids.

[@snowballstrikethebudgies9698]

i have 1 german blue ram with a 7.5 ph and he lives in a tank next to a mbuna tank with 8.5 ph. our water is very eay to change i just use crush coral in the hob filter for the mbunas. when i got the german blue ram i expected it to not do well cause all the videos i watched said they arent hardy. i can do a 50% water change with him and he isnt bothered nd hes always swimming and interacting with me. he probably comes from genetically good parents. i love him so mcuh

[@caroleinwv]

The Discus bug is lurking on my horizon as well. I have an empty 125 that may go native, may go Discus. It's going to be just plants for awhile.

[@invaderjoshua6280]

I suggest Tefe Greens if you do. The bumble bee look, with the red polka dots, and blue outline stripes are gorgeous.

[@cherylduarte4399]

Have you talked about Celestial Pearl Danio's and have a video?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Not yet 😀

[@caroleinwv]

Native fish do well in lower pH. Save on heater cost too!

[@billlooker2689]

Do a video on setting up a air system. Pump pvc size extra please

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

This may help? kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGipgquHndWCmas

[@Psalm13923]

Hmmm glad to see angels on here. I’ve had a time with pH consistently being 6. We’ve lost several fish but 3 angels are thriving in a 36 gallon. No ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. Not sure why it’s not any higher. I have a 55 gallon, same tap water. PH consistently 7.6-7.8. Cycled now so high nitrates. No fish in here yet.

[@michaelmathes1991]

Try Chocolate Gourami. Need them in groups. They get up to a 2 to 3 inches. They need to be kept very peaceful fish. When they get dark brown their color is great '

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Had them a couple of years ago. A really beautiful and peaceful fish. I kept them in a 128 liter together with some Croaking Dwarf Guramis and a school of Chili Rasboras. A really nice and peaceful aquarium. 😊👌

[@stevescarsfish2175]

I love my GBR’s. I call them my little Gremlins.

[@rainbowfishtalk4573]

I notice the advice tends to be for 'low PH/soft water' OR 'high PH/hard water'....but I somehow have a tank that is very "hard" (GH), yet also low PH (ranging in the 6.3-6.6 range usually). Are the plants and fish that like soft-hard water? High mineral content but mildly acidic?

[@fishdaddyjackaquatics664]

Have you thought about German bred discus fish? They have been bred in harder water. I hear a lot of the Asian bred ones are bred in harder water. I'd love to get some, but I don't have room for a larger tank or the money to afford the fish. Lol!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Ya, I just need the tank to dedicate to them. :-)

[@thefinestmusicforeverytest643]

Can i run 10 gallon to 75 gallon only sponge filter without any issue

[@2tardi]

🥰Geophagus, lovely! Why didn’t you mention kili fish and Parosphromenus? Yes, absolutely no fishes for beginners (ph 4.5-6.5; kH0-3) as they are harder to keep (peat!). But these guys are gorgeous and many of them are on the brink of extinction (destruction of environment). Luckily my tap water has kH of 5. but I still add some rain water (kh0), if not possible use a peat canone. Restriction: living on the more rural side for clean rain and no copper.

[@waterlover]

I want altum Ángels now

[@UpperAquatics]

For the algorithm!

[@redogcody2652]

I can’t find 2 platys I’m pretty sure there dead in the filter but I keep checking and now I have small white creatures growing all over the glass

[@monchug]

Can i keep Ram with these water parameters? Tap Water is: PH of 7.0 1 KH 4 GH

[@wisconsinaquatics]

I cam only imagine the lengths I would have to go through to keep some of these fish, I live right on the Niagara Escarpment (geology people will know) and maybe Jason lol, look up the Niagara Escarpment and you'll understand my water

[@michaelyciano2123]

I’m having trouble with keeping samurai Gouramis. Their care says keep at PH 4 to 5 . . I can’t keep a stable 4 to 5 ph. Tried everything. RO water and tannins . Looking up distilled water .

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

It can be a real challenge.

[@thequiltedkitchen]

can you have one aquarium with a mix of apistogrammas ?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Possibly if the tank is large enough so the males won’t fight. Also, any fry from the tank shouldn’t be sold since they could very well be hybrids.

[@angelasigmen8544]

What about water with a lower pH and hard water? What is better, to raise the pH or lower the hardness? How do you keep it stable? Especially for the Borneo loach...

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Probably adding some RO and bringing the hardness down a little.

[@trackstarflash]

Question: Another Aquarist stated that having an aquarium below 6.5-6PH pushes the bacteria in the tank to change over from Nitrate/Nitrite cycling... to one that uses CO2 to break things down... and they were saying this was found in Tannin tanks that were acidic and etc.. is that true or common? What's the ecology like in these situations?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I would probably need more context. Ammonia and Nitrite are used as an energy/electron source for Aerobic Chemolithotrophs. CO2 has almost no potential energy and is not used as an energy/electron source. The source of CO2 in an aquarium naturally comes from the breakdown of organics as an energy source by chemoorganotrophs. Excessive CO2 can produce carbonic acid, which lowers pH. I think the two pathways they are talking about are two unrelated biological processes.

[@shelleyk2639]

We have a 29 gallon tank with a gh of 4-5 and a ph of 8.0-8.2. What fish would be choices?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Check out the video we did on high pH fish - that should help!

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

would you guys please do a video on fish that can live in an unheated tank , in the winter I let my house get to 60 degrees in the summer I try to keep at 68 or so . I keep several species in. 110 gallon tubs with no heaters the water usually stays above 64 even in the winter and in summer it gets into the mid 70s , there's a skylight above the tubs. so right now I have guppies , platy's , zebra danios , rosy barbs and some feeder goldfish {6 inches now } I bought to raise and keep them from being eaten. but I don't know what other fish I can keep like this. oh I also keep a few different native fish from here in Texas. anyway HAPPY MONDAY everybody !

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Yep - it is definitely on the list!

[@jimmynorton1001]

I have 6.4 out of the tap

[@matthewzito6130]

A lot of the Rasboras prefer soft water.

[@amymandeville8342]

This question is a bit off topic, but are there any shrimp i can keep in the tank with my Bolivian Rams and Corys?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

WIth the Rams I wouldn't chance it. They usually eat most inverts.

[@amymandeville8342]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you!

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

bamboo or vampire shrimp can work

[@schulergelb]

Could I clarify what you mean regarding the checkerboard cichlid not being from South America and being from West Africa instead? I thought you were referring to different species I've never heard of, but you did specify them as Dicrossus sp., which as far as I'm aware, are entirely South American. Thank you!

[@apss5736]

Yeah checkerboard cichlids are definitely south American

[@Dudelzack]

Clear mistake. Happens when you do so many videos. They are from the upper to mid Orinoco, Rio Negro etc.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Yep - I sure did mix that one up!

[@schulergelb]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics thanks for clarifying! :)

[@edwinmoreno717]

My water is 6.8ph and very soft water is that okay? I want to put a red tail catfish and a arrowana in my tank

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Those parameters are ok. For the red tail cat I’ve seen them 4ft long and maybe 100lbs so a tank of at least 2,000-3,000 gallons is advisable.

[@edwinmoreno717]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics yea there gonna go in a 55 gallon but there all gonna be baby’s I already have a pond built for them use to be a koi pond but now I want a predatory pond

[@_KingQuinn_]

You forgot the most beautiul fish of all, the betta!

[@caroleinwv]

I have plenty of GH but struggle with KH/pH. I have even killed plants this way. I am getting better with this management but it was an expensive learning process. I had followed someone's advice to monitor TDS and not chase pH. That probably does work for some, not for me. Know thy water source.

[@DaNiElLl430]

I've got weird water as well...pH is about 7.6 7.7, about 7dkh and 0-1dgh...pH stays nice and stable but the water is missing gh minerals that plants like

[@caroleinwv]

@@DaNiElLl430 Wow! Interesting. Sort of the opposite of mine. It really does pay to know our water. I think there are product you can buy that can provide some GH.

[@galejohnson8086]

I live in Oregon, soft water, and i suspect low pH. Thanks, because this is never addressed.

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

11:06 I'm sorry are you saying that higher ph constipates them ?

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

I am sorry I just couldn't stop myself.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

@@thehairywoodsman5644 too funny

[@lostcanadian1240]

Our water is at 0 GH and KH so I always laugh when I hear some of our neighbours spend money on water softeners for their homes

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

You can sell them water. Haha

[@ragnos28]

My watching this clip while my water is > 22 dGh and Ph 8.00...hmm interesting :P

[@TDREXrx9]

I get the RO/DI units can be pricy, but please do not buy aquarium RO/DI look at a Hydroponic grade one they are cheaper and far better quality and the filters are cheaper(I say this after mistakenly buying an aquarium RO/DI for hydro use). the scale at which hydroponic equipment is sold is insane. If you have a hydro store in your area I highly recommend you check them out even is you are just after air/water pumps they will have the best prices for that kind of stuff.

[@mauricematla8379]

Mjaaa 6-7 not really THAT low.

[@92083Barb]

put peat in your filter it will lower your ph

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

It doesn't for us because our KH is high as well.

[@_ctg1_]

It's really messing with my mind that you both are sitting on the wrong sides of each other...

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Too funny 😀