Even if they are adapted to soft water they would still get more calcium coming to the locality from new water flowing into the locality where the fry are . The problem in captivity in my opinion (no I haven't done any measurements to prove it ) is we don
't have water continually flowing in so especially if our water supply is low in calcium to start with, the fry will tend to "use up" the available calcium. It really is not so much the evolutionary adaptation to a preference for soft or hard as the fact
we have them in captivity and don't allow them to seek what they need of have it come to them.
.<< What happens in the wet when most
of these fish breed? >>
Most of the areas we are interested in have monsoonal weather pattern and access is really only practical in the dry.. I would dearly love to get to the Northern Territory in the"Wet" especially to see all the amphibious /aquatic plants in their submerse
forms. my guess is that the water during the wet season would be even softer and lower in TDS.
Bruce Hansen ANGFA