Any beginner can go get a book and look up the species they are interested
in, so my belief is that you should stress this heavily. :-) Any beginning
fishkeeper needs to learn that one should do the research BEFORE making the
purchase. This is true for all fish, and really helps the beginner to
advance in skill and knowledge.
Blue-Eyes are a bit more subject to their wild environments as far as
determining care. Many are brackish water fish and do best with some salts.
Some need harder water, and some will *not* breed in high pH, hard water, so
in this case one really does need to look things up.
In general, Telmatherinas are harder water fish. Also, for ALL of these
animals (including the ones mentioned above), the ones most commonly seen in
LFSs will do best in higher pH water and moderate hardness. If in doubt,
with fish found in LFSs it is best to keep them this way rather than to
assume they will handle low pH or very soft water.
Rainbows are pretty hardy in general, so suggest that all things in
moderation -- including pH and hardness -- are best. :-)
Does this help any?
Julie <'><
"Bowluvr"
>From: Paul Cezanne <pz-bulk at codewell.com>
>Reply-To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
>To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [RML] rainbowfish water parameters - general info needed
>Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 08:09:47 -0400
>
>Hello
>
>I've been keeping a few species of rainbows for a couple of years now. As
>such, I am the local "expert" in our club, the Boston Aquarium Society.
>We're having a Beginner's Talk this month, several speakers will each be
>giving short, 10-15 minute talks on a particular set of fish. I'll be
>speaking on rainbows.
>
>Rainbows aren't new to our club, we had Gary Lange as our speaker last
>year. He gave an excellent talk.
>
>So I'm putting together a short talk on rainbows looking at Tappin's web
>site and the Rainbowfish Study Group's site and I've come across some
>conflicting information.
>
>RFSG says:
>
>Glossolepis, Melanotaenia, and Telmatherina, thrive in hard, alkaline water
>but typically do not thrive in soft acid water. Iratherina and Pseudomugil
>come from swampy areas and prefer neutral to slightly acid pH but will
>survive in more alkaline water. ... Melanotaenia, Glossolepis, and
>Telmatherina have water requirements that are essentially the same as those
>for Rift Lake cichlids.
>
>
>And Tappin says:
>
>The freshwater environments of Australia and New Guinea contain mostly soft
>water, but their pH and clarity will vary depending on their sediment
>content and the terrain over which they flow.
>
>
>I've always heard that they want slightly harder water, and as such have
>always kept a bit of crushed oyster shell in my filter to keep the calcium
>up.
>
>So what can I talk my listeners in this very basic intro. Half the group
>will be beginners but the other half will know the difference between
>hardness and alkalinity. (Note, I count myself in the third half, the ones
>that aren't beginners but find some chemistry confusing!)
>
>Thank you.
>