To be honest, at this point your options are to either just see if the CRS will acclimate to your tank, or get a new tank setup for them.
Folks mix neos with Caridina but usually only when you get Caridina from breeders who raise them specifically in neo parameters. Adults are less likely to adapt.
I wouldn’t use chemical additives to chase pH at this point.
I’d like to note that though I can’t speak to the science, you can’t just measure the bag water and claim the seller was wrong.
TDS is a measure of *total* dissolved solids. This just means that perhaps in transit they were stressed and producing a lot of waste. The low pH actually keeps the ammonia as ammonium so it’s less toxic.
I’m not sure how to offer help but maybe the info will give you ideas. I don’t think the seller was wrong about parameters. I also wouldn’t try to mix neos with Caridina unless the Caridina were specifically raised in neo parameters.
Chasing the dragon when you probably should have acclimated asap and just got them in the tank. I expect the ones that do settle in you’ll be able to start a colony.
Seems like whatever you’re doing is the best option. If you lose a couple hopefully the rest in time will adapt and eventually a colony you’d raise would be perfectly fine. It’s really annoying that you even inquired before hand about parameters, specifically the pH cause that is a huge difference. Best of luck, I do have faith that you can still reap success from this
It sounds like you have done the best thing you could.
As someone else posted the TDS of the bag water is not a reliable measure at all as it could have been raised by any number of things before or during transport.
Marcy-4020 
To be honest, at this point your options are to either just see if the CRS will acclimate to your tank, or get a new tank setup for them.
Folks mix neos with Caridina but usually only when you get Caridina from breeders who raise them specifically in neo parameters. Adults are less likely to adapt.
I wouldn’t use chemical additives to chase pH at this point.
I’d like to note that though I can’t speak to the science, you can’t just measure the bag water and claim the seller was wrong.
TDS is a measure of *total* dissolved solids. This just means that perhaps in transit they were stressed and producing a lot of waste. The low pH actually keeps the ammonia as ammonium so it’s less toxic.
I’m not sure how to offer help but maybe the info will give you ideas. I don’t think the seller was wrong about parameters. I also wouldn’t try to mix neos with Caridina unless the Caridina were specifically raised in neo parameters.
6.0 isn’t really good so I’d just acclimate them to your Bette riff tank slowly
Chasing the dragon when you probably should have acclimated asap and just got them in the tank. I expect the ones that do settle in you’ll be able to start a colony.
Seems like whatever you’re doing is the best option. If you lose a couple hopefully the rest in time will adapt and eventually a colony you’d raise would be perfectly fine. It’s really annoying that you even inquired before hand about parameters, specifically the pH cause that is a huge difference. Best of luck, I do have faith that you can still reap success from this
It sounds like you have done the best thing you could.
As someone else posted the TDS of the bag water is not a reliable measure at all as it could have been raised by any number of things before or during transport.