What is soft water when talking about fish?

Question

i want to get some neon tetras but it talks about the tetras preferring "soft" water. what is that? can they live in a normal fish tank with other fish?do they really need to have the "soft" water? what other fish can i put in with them that will only grow about 2 inches big?

Answer 1

water softness or hardness is on how many minerals the water has. You need to get a test kit to find out the hardness or softness of the water.  

Answer 2

All Tetras need soft water.  Which is water that has few minerals dissolved in it.  Tetras can live in a community.  Be sure to get 4 or more Tetras so they can school together.  Just don't get big aggressive fish that will eat them.  I would suggest:

Gouramis (Honey, Pearl, Blue, Opaline)

Barbs (Tiger, Green Tiger)

Smaller Catfish (Otocinclus, Corys)

Livebearers (Balloon Mollies, Mollies, Platys, Swordtails, Guppies, Endler's Livebearer)

Other Tetras (Rummynose, Bleeding Heart, Harlequin Rasboras, Cardinal, Glo-Lite, Black Neon)

Danios (Giant Danios, Zebra Danios, Glo-fish)

Avoid:

Angelfish

Killifish

Larger Catfish

Any other aggressive meat, large, meat eater fish.

Answer 3

it the condition of the water. You could add salt to the tank and that will soften it.

Answer 4

hardness referes to kh, but it usually doesnt matter what level it is as long as its stable, so just tap water levels will be ok usually

and my favoreite fish that stay around 2 inches big and would live good with them are  hatchet fish, and i know guppies stay small and are pretty so you might want to research them