Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping => General Fishkeeping Chat => Topic started by: Robert on March 01, 2014, 09:58:23 AM
-
What is your favourite fish and why?
Personally, I'm a big fan of Angelfish (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/angelfish.html) - perhaps it's the extended fins and various colours they come in, but the Ruby Shark (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/ruby-shark.html) runs a close second.
What about you?
-
My favourite fish to look at has to be discus. They are just so elegant and colourful.
It is very hard to choose a favourite among the fish I own. I bought them all because I like them ;D
-
It is very hard to choose a favourite among the fish I own. I bought them all because I like them ;D
Can't argue with that! :D
-
I have to say Siamese Fighter as my daughter put it when we got ours "he is majestic" and they have so much character. Joint second would be Angelfish and the Silver Shark, pity there not really compatible with my lovely Fighter or I well happy.
-
I have to say Siamese Fighter as my daughter put it when we got ours "he is majestic" and they have so much character. Joint second would be Angelfish and the Silver Shark, pity there not really compatible with my lovely Fighter or I well happy.
Ah yes, just checked out this page here about the male Siamese Fighting Fish (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/siamese-fighting-fish-male.html) gorgeous looking thing! :)
-
My favourite would be the Black Ghost Knife fish. The way they move is fascinating to watch! :)
-
Cool fish! :)
#Invalid YouTube Link include https#
-
I have to say Siamese Fighter as my daughter put it when we got ours "he is majestic" and they have so much character. Joint second would be Angelfish and the Silver Shark, pity there not really compatible with my lovely Fighter or I well happy.
Ah yes, just checked out this page here about the male Siamese Fighting Fish (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/siamese-fighting-fish-male.html) gorgeous looking thing! :)
That's why I always have one in his own small tank! There are pics of a few of mine from over the years in here (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,289.0.html)
-
Cool fish! :)
There are a couple of photos of my ghost knife in the gallery section - Eco 100 Tank - 200L Project. He's about 10cm now and named Ripple, although when he gets bigger he might have to be called Wave :D
-
Nice guys! :) :cheers:
-
They may not be the ultimate wow fish on their own, but I think a nice big shoal of Cardinal Tetras is an impressive sight.
On a more practical note, I'm also a big fan of Cory's (any variation)!
-
Yay!!! Another cory fan....I LOVE 'em ;D
-
Yay!!! Another cory fan....I LOVE 'em ;D
They're great fish - always busying themselves around the tank. I have some Peppered Cory's at the moment which might seem a bit bland visually to some on first glance but as they've matured in the tank they've developed some lovely iridescent green markings.
-
I have some peppered cories and some panda cories. The peppered ones are just lovely...they really sparkle, and like you say, as they settle in to their home, their sheen really develops, and the pandas are so cute. They both have fantastic characters...and yes, they do bumble around the tank all the time. :) I wouldn't be without them. :)
-
Yay!!! Another cory fan....I LOVE 'em ;D
I have recently bought a small group of leopard cories for the 200L tank, they help complete the tank as the bottom can always seem a little bit inactive without them! :)
-
Ooo...pictures of them, please :D
-
I went into my LFS yesterday to stock up on RO water, and they had a new batch of Panda Corys in. They're soooo cute. My tank's pretty well stocked (the Community Creator says 79%) and a small group of Pandas would take it to 90%......... must... be.... strong.... must.... be..... strong.......
-
Get some!!! They are UBER-CUTE....you were obviously meant to go yesterday and see them....you can't fight Fate!!! Mine make me smile everyday with their bumblings :D
Everyone should be able to get corys.....especially pandas on the NHS ;)
-
Corys are very cute!
I can't really comment on this fairly as the only fish I've owned are my little endlers!! Hopefully one day my dream of a gorgeous big tank will come true!
-
Ooo...pictures of them, please :D
Hi Resa, pic as requested :)
-
I know they're not everyone's cup of tea, but my favourite fish are my kuhli loaches. There are so many hiding places that I don't see them often, but when n I do see them chilling out under the cryptocorynes it is a real treat.
I also love my harlequin rasboras, cardinal tetras and bronze corys.
-
For me the impossible dream since I started is K.Bichirrus The African Glass Catfish. I just cannot provide them with the space and compatible species. Maybe one day.
-
mine as to be pandas
-
Good choice....they are so-ooo cute!
-
Good choice....they are so-ooo cute!
Hi Resa! How are you. It's been a while since you have been around, I hope you are keeping wekk. We have missed you.
-
Hi Steve :wave:
Aar....that's nice....I've missed you mad buggers too ;) It's good to be back....I had a bit of a spell in hospital, and then have been mad crazy with work....and all the mad English tourists :)
Now I just have to try and catch up with what's been happening in the fishy world.
Anyway, I think I'm in the wrong thread....and that Steve fella is a stickler for that....don't want to get in trouble as soon as I'm back...do I? :rotfl:
-
Corys - no contest. I swear one of my Julies winked at me today (quite a feat without eyelids) x
-
:fishy1:my fave is my aggazzis apistogramma flame red male, goes by the name of flash.
a truly beautiful fish, much nicer looking than the double red variety.
he also has two females for company, cheryl one and cheryl two.
they can get a little territorial when spawning but not really aggressive with other fish.
the two females have had their differences in the past but they have now buried the hatchet and get along ok.
........talking about hatchets i have just increased my group from 4 to 7 hoping they will feel a little more secure and swim a little lower in the tank. cute little fellas zipping around on the surface and sometimes venturing lower down. sometimes lined up in a row, sometimes 3 of them will follow themselves swimming in circles. :fishy1:
-
Hi Folks,
The title of this thread needs no further explanation. So, I'll kick off by mentioning one fish species only with more to follow when time permits. The first on my list is the Panda Garra. For anyone who is not familiar with this fish, here it is:
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/garra-flavatra/
Why do I like them? Well, first of all because they are attractive. Secondly, they are fascinating. When I first look into our community tank on a morning, this is the first fish to greet me. He comes to the front panel and looks me straight in the eyes. Quite extraordinary. Then, I usually get a wink from him. I chat to him (much to my wife's amusement). Although he has a partner, she just sits on the substrate resting. Now, here's the best bit. As soon as my wife or I put our hands in the tank, they are both on our hands and arms. They are ultra tame and seem to be fearless. An absolute gem.
JPC
-
I have a group of 6 panda garra in the river tank. Their endless bickering is entertaining, and they are very active fish. They also scoot around the substrate using their fins almost like legs, and they have awesome pecs - when they are on the glass and you can see their underside they look like they spend at least an hour a day at the gym. :rotfl:
I think I have to admit to having built the river set up around one fish species that I waited around 2 years to get. It's one of the hillstream loaches.
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sewellia-lineolata/
They have a massive amount of personality for their size, and are completely unfazed by pretty much anything. Their markings are stunning and their little faces are adorable. When they are on the glass you can see their little hearts beating, which may not appeal to some, but it is fascinating. The males battle for dominance by clashing chest-to chest, like rays, but most of the time they glide around the tank, and graze on rocks. Occasionally they land on the head of a resting bulldog plec, before moving swiftly on. The way that they move around the glass & decor is also quite an unusual sort of wiggle. Their flattened bodies almost look like a wide figure 8, and the way they move when not swimming is very Beyonce "Single Ladies" in tempo and style. :rotfl: Possibly the weirdest way to describe a fish, but accurate. :D
-
the way they move when not swimming is very Beyonce "Single Ladies" in tempo and style. :rotfl: Possibly the weirdest way to describe a fish, but accurate. :D
We'll make a scientist of you yet!! :isay:
I'm very jealous of your hillstream loaches, my next tank will 100% contain these fish!!
Personally I have to go with ram dwarf cichlids. They are such beautiful fish with such interesting behaviour/personalities. The behaviour of a fish is a big factor for me. I would never pick ..g cardinal tetra for example as whilst an absolute stunner in the looks department, they can be boring to watch. They are also small which fits my personal criteria for small fish in a big tank. I don't like seeing discus being kept in the 220 litre tank I have for example... makes it look like a cage to me. Anyway rant quickly over, Rams are not the easiest fish to keep though. They often don't last long in the home aquarium. They need soft water, large weekly water changes (to keep nitrates as low as possible), they need good floor space and need to get on with their tank mates (same species or otherwise) as stress is a significant factor too. Breeding them is equally challenging as brood care has largely been lost due to farm breeding techniques (also impacting genetic quality hence the care difficulty). So they are a challenge be a, but very rewarding. There is also a bit of a community following for these fish which is nice when researching them etc.
Fiah that didn't quite make the list (to demonstrate it was not an easy decision!):
Pencilfish
Sparkling gourami
Ember tetra
Lots of other dwarf cichlids - agassizi, Nannacara Anomola...
-
Personally I have to go with ram dwarf cichlids. They are such beautiful fish with such interesting behaviour/personalities...Rams are not the easiest fish to keep though. They often don't last long in the home aquarium. They need soft water, large weekly water changes (to keep nitrates as low as possible), they need good floor space and need to get on with their tank mates (same species or otherwise) as stress is a significant factor too. Breeding them is equally challenging as brood care has largely been lost due to farm breeding techniques (also impacting genetic quality hence the care difficulty). So they are a challenge be a, but very rewarding.
Hi @Matt
You may recall that I keep German Blue Rams (GBRs). They are certainly beautiful - particularly when light strikes them from the side. Their iridescent scales catch the light and it is a sight to behold. I currently have two males and four females in my community tank. Five of them were raised from a spawning in this very tank. It is a challenge raising the fry but, now that I know what to do, I am confident that it could be done again. The key to success lies in the feeding. Between my wife and myself, we raised no less than 41 healthy fish of which we sold 25 to Maidenhead Aquatics.
The community tank GH is currently 9.5dH. Temperature is a modest 26.5C. They are in a planted tank with CO2 injection. The plants take care of the nitrates and the water is only changed when I clean the external filter - about once a month. By closely monitoring water parameters, I find that this regime works very well. And I do have a good filtration system including media for removing dissolved organics.
JPC
-
Could you remind me the size of your tank @jaypeecee ? I have it in my head as 125litres... I want to keep them in greater numbers than I have had previously (max 3) when I try them again to disperse any aggression as it seems you have. I'm thinking similar numbers to you in a 220 litre. But was unsure if I was over-egging it... thoughts?
I'm not blessed with such soft water but it just within their recommended range...
-
Could you remind me the size of your tank @jaypeecee ? I have it in my head as 125litres... I want to keep them in greater numbers than I have had previously (max 3) when I try them again to disperse any aggression as it seems you have. I'm thinking similar numbers to you in a 220 litre. But was unsure if I was over-egging it... thoughts?
I'm not blessed with such soft water but it just within their recommended range...
Hi @Matt
You are spot on with the size of my community tank - 125 litres. I don't use tap water. Remineralized RO/DI* water is my choice. It can be tailored to the tank inhabitants' specific requirements. I used to have my own RO setup but it is out of the question if you're on a water meter as is now the case. I get my RO/DI from MA.
Yes, a GH of 9.5dH is a tad higher than I would normally keep it. I recently wanted to increase the sulphur content of the water for the benefit of my plants. So, I used Epsom Salts, which raised GH from 8.0dH to 9.5dH (because of the magnesium content).
I think you'd be OK with six GBRs in a 220 litre tank - particularly as no doubt there will be plenty of plants in there! If ever you fancy breeding GBRs, let me know and I will try to help with advice on feeding the fry.
JPC
*DI = deionized
-
but the Ruby Shark (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/ruby-shark.html) runs a close second.
Hiya Robert, when I had fish years ago, I had a Ruby who lived for 8 years called Sharkey, so original, and will also be my favourite.
But now it has to be my pearl gourami, I love how they'll eat from your hand and check you out with their feelers.
-
When I was in china, I found a lake with hundreds of Koi carp, huge fish. They'd swarm by the side of the lake and go crazy for the food you could buy from the little outlet. :)
-
Mine is still the humble goldfish. I still miss mine hugely.
One used to be in a tank in a room in line with the front door - she was so sociable that she used to go into a frenzy to greet me or anyone, and not just if she expected food. This veiltail had beautiful flowing fins.
Another (a common/comet) used to inhabit the living-room - he was less sociable with others and would either like (come out and interact with) or hate (hide behind a silk plant and keep a watchful and almost disapproving eye on) visitors. He was constantly vying for my attention including 'following' me with one eye firmly fixated on me as I moved around, used to spit stones against the glass to get my attention, behaved in a certain way or located himself in a particular position in the tank depending on what food he wanted, and would interact as though in conversation with me by taking turns to interact during pauses of me talking to him.
Besides feeling unfaithful if I were to get another goldfish, I now am a lot more knowledgeable and feel wretched for having kept them in what I now know to be too-small tanks. There is less of a bond with my tropicals which reduces the broken-heartedness aspect. Having said that, there are and have been some individual fish in the tropical tank with sufficiently strong personalities that they have their own names and thus are my unintentional favourites.
-
Ah, there's nothing quite like the noise made by a group of koi feeding. I still occasionally buy the food to feed the koi at MA. I don't think I'll every grow out of enjoying that. ;D