My tapwater is pH 8. Should I make the water softer and more acidic for my Neons?
While acidophilic fishes prefer soft, acidic conditions, if you live in a hard water area, your shop will probably have acclimatised them to hard, alkaline water. While some shops lower their pH, most keep their community fish in adjusted tapwater. If you want to keep trickier fishes like Discus, Rams or certain anabantoids, it might be necessary to change the pH and hardness before buying fish. Always ask your retailer about their water when getting new stock for your tank. If you want to breed fish from softwater areas, you’ll need to reduce the pH and hardness to get them to spawn. There may be a link to the chemistry of the water and the number of healthy eggs or fry produced.
