Yes, that's what I had always heard Bob. See comments above though and perhaps they can adjust.

Because we have definite wet/dry seasons, I would have to collect all the rain in the summer and save it through the winter. It seems like it rains algae in the summer, at least that is what my pool guy says. Plus, the more I think about it the more I don't want to give up the space for large rain barrels. I suppose I could add some PH down to the water, let it sit and then top off the ponds with it.

I have always found that the PH adjusters for aquariums have very shot term results , and are not worth using. Plus when you have hard water it throws off the results of PH test. I used to make distilled water to use in the tank , but then you need to add electrolytes back in.

Yeah, and in this case it is for a large pond not an aquarium so much more water is needed. I think I need to find out from the local fish guys if anyone has been successful with them in an outside pond. Many fish can adjust if the change is slow, perhaps they can.

My old betta passed on a few months back, leaving one of my small aquariums empty. I've been trying to decide what I wanted to do with it. Also, I re-homed a few fish, Celestial Pearl Danios, because they were munching my shrimplets, and over the months I went from probably 70 shrimp to under 10. So I have been moving a few fish around and I think I finally have everyone settled now, and found that left my 15 tank lacking inhabitants. Only 5 Otos in there right now with the few shrimp that are left and one cory cat that a neighbor gave me when he tore down his tank. I've been trying to find a better home for the Cory as they like to be in groups and my 15 is not really big enough for one Cory, let alone a group of them. I belong to a fish / aquarium club, and sooner or later, I will find someone who will take him (or her?).

This week, I will be getting in a few fish in a mail order. Neat fish, unlike what I can find in any of my local fish stores. I am going to get some more red cherry shrimp to bolster up my numbers, 10 Sawbwa resplendens (Asian Rummynose), and 10 Petruicthys sp. rosy (Rosy loach). Both fish are said to like higher PH and hard water - which I have. I've never seen either in person and there is not a lot of info online about them. Will be interesting to see what they are like. The seller recommended the Rosy Loaches. She said they are really fun fish to have. I'm looking forward to getting them!

That might seem like a lot of fish for a 15 gallon, but they are small, and it's heavily planted which makes a difference. My tank is just shy of 3 years old, so well established and I have a lot of filtration.

Rosy Loaches are supposed to get to 1" as adults
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Asian Rummynose will also be around 1" The seller said the males will shine silver and intense sky blue if happy and fed a variety of foods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

looking back, the last photo I posted of my 15 gal tank was over a year ago - so here is a photo I took a week or so ago. The little red fish are Boraras brigittae “Chili Rasbora” which I moved to the 5 gallon yesterday. My camera does a terrible job with blowing out the plants where the lights hit them. I've tried all sorts of settings and just cannot get a good photo. So frustrating.
The back of the tank has anubias, crypt, some stem plants, but I left most of the front open now for swimming and for feeding.

This is a wide photo, so please click to enlarge.


Edited to remove details about seller... I did not mean to make my post sound like an advertisement.... (blush)

Beautiful planted tank. Really gorgeous. I like the rummynose, they are a really nice blue.

Thanks! I am enjoying it. I wish I could handle larger tanks - I'd love a 40 or a 90 but the 15 is more what I can take care of.

The tank looks great. Hope your new fish do well.

I am with you on a 15 tank! When I look at people's pictures or sometimes browse through the fishing forums I got so envy and have all those dreams and ideas and plans on how to buy a bigger aquarium and make it look awesome. But when I move my head, look at my 15 and think how much time I need to properly clean it, to make sure every fish is safe, that plants go unharmed and...well I am cured immediately ;)

to ATP, Liara!!!

I just love the rosy loaches! What neat fish - very active. I see more glittery gold on them than rosy, though - maybe as they get settled in they will show more red tone. They never skipped a beat when I added them to my tank. I didn't do quarantine because the only thing left in the tank were Otos… so all the new fish went in together. A few days before the new fish came, I moved out the fish that had been in there to my other small tank, and spent time trying to net out the remainder of the fire cherry shrimp I had in there too. Glad I did because the new cherry shrimp are red, but not nearly as red as the ones I had before. Now, with the old group in the other tank at least I can keep the two lines separate.

The Asian rummy nose - well I am not so sure about them. They seemed stressed by the shipping or something. They were all alive when I got them, but one died within a few hours and 2 more over night. One does not have a tail, yet I am sure that the place I got them from would not send a fish like that - so I wonder if it happened in the shipping bag. I can't imagine it happened in the tank, with all the plants for cover and to break lines of site for males. I think this one is a female though. It seems to be doing ok. I've been watching it carefully and no signs of fuzzy spots or anything, and today I swear the tail area looks like it is starting to grow back. Photos of the fish online show them with a red nose and tail tips, and shining a blue cast on the body. Right now, mine are sort of an opalescent milky white with transparent fins. They seem to like the plants and eat well, so I imagine they will color up soon.

Might be that the colors if both kinds of fish don't show under my LED lights.

Either way, the tank has lots of activity now. I rarely saw the Otos before - and they seem to like the little loaches. They are swimming all over together.

Tiffany, what kind of fish do you have?

extranjera said:Yes, that's what I had always heard Bob. See comments above though and perhaps they can adjust.

Because we have definite wet/dry seasons, I would have to collect all the rain in the summer and save it through the winter. It seems like it rains algae in the summer, at least that is what my pool guy says. Plus, the more I think about it the more I don't want to give up the space for large rain barrels. I suppose I could add some PH down to the water, let it sit and then top off the ponds with it.

Please take a look at this info. http://www.simplydiscus.com/li...

extranjera said:That is sounding positive, I will ask around here. I've seen Discus but only at aquarium shops in tanks. I want to put them in a pond, outside. The temps should be fine but it is the PH I was worried about. Of course, they aren't as beautiful in a pond because you can't see them from the side. I found that with the Angel's I have in a pond. I just don't have room, or time, for an indoor tank right now. Outside, they will get rain water, which has a slightly lower PH, half of the year but I will need to top off with well water the other half. I'm going to start questioning the aquarium guys I know here and see what others have done. I just assumed it would not be healthy for them.

I personally think the worst thing you could do is ask a salesperson in an aquarium store. Even when I was first starting out with aquariums I knew more than the average aquarium salesperson. It's actually quite frustrating to have them trying to tell you the 'right' way to take care of your fish when they are feeding you all bad info. I really think you need to read up on that simply discus forum and you'll see all the good advice is repeated over and over and usually goes against what most fish store people will tell you.

Fish store associates are usually poorly trained and / or are only told what to say to help sell you as much product as possible. Hence the 'need' for water conditioners and other chemicals. They don't care if they sell unhealthy fish because then you go back numerous times spending lots of money on expensive medications for the $5 fish. Then when they die you go back and buy more unhealthy fish and repeat the cycle. I have only had luck since not cross contaminating any pet store fish with my Discus that I got from a Discus breeder that breeds in her own home and takes pride in health and the quality of her fish.

Great article and it's good to get some reinforcement that most tropical fish can adjust to water that stays relatively stable. I've had Angel fish in my outside ponds for 5 years, all the same fish. They do fine in my water with lots of rain in the summer and well water in the winter. The pond is mature though and deep so the temp fluctuations are not that great and they happen slowly.

I'd like to find homes for the cichlids that breed like bunnies in my indoor pond. They are too aggressive for me to add any other kind of fish. Even the Mollies I had in there were attacked until I pulled them out. They breed so much that the pond is always in danger of getting too many even though it is 17' long and about 3' wide and 2.5' deep. I finally took all the rocks out so it is bare hoping they would not breed as much, it hasn't worked. The discus would be great in that pond as it is more visible but I will probably try them in the roof pond that is new. I only have some Mollies and long tailed guppies to put in that one so far. Unless I give in and let the cichlids move into it too.