What kind of fish should I get?

[streetmorrisart]

My brain is bursting with all of this--opinions abound, right? I've been keeping fish for nearly twenty years now, mainly fancy goldfish till about ten years ago. There is nothing remotely boring about a tetra tank. I guess now that Cardinals are being bred in captivity too, they may be as hardy as Neons--that was supposedly not the case before, so much so that I kept putting off the purchase for years. I couldn't stand it after multiple visits to the Amazon Rising section of The Shedd though. So far so good. My only tropical tank is a fifteen gallon, very established, stocked with overgrown live plants and Glowlights / Cardinals. Start slowly as you establish those plants though. I wouldn't add many fish at first, ever in a six gallon. I brought some of my fish with me from Detroit in a cooler three years ago--the sloshing soaked my ass in the U-Haul actually (battery-operated air stones).

 

[Ernie]

I'm a Characin guy too. Catfishes are my first love though (my other life e-mail is [email protected]). For a tiny tank, Bettas are great. If it's not a small tank, a fun setup is an African riverine tank (very different than a rift lake tank!). Congo tetras, African longfin tetras (with the cool name Brycinnis longipinnis), African butterflys, and a mix of Synodontis! My current aquarium is Cardinals, blackskirts, golds, silver hatchets, various cats, and bleeding hearts that beat the stuffing out of each other. A challenge: all three species of Paracheirodon (axelrodi, innesi, and simulans) together!

-Ernie

 

[Heather]

Okaayy....

This has gotten confusing. Not interested in Bettas.

I think I'm still leaning towards the tetras and/or the glowfish.

A little history - I initially got the Endler's to eat mosquitos in my rain barrel but there weren't any mosquitos so I bought larvae for them. Come winter, the fish needed a home inside. Hence the 6 gallon tank.

This isn't a full blown hobby, I don't want a lot of fish, nor a lot of maintenance, I just want a few easy fish.

Thanks for all of the recommendations - I like the cardinal idea too. Still not sure what to do about the plant/snail issue at this point...

 

[cnycharles]

if you want easy and hardy, I have two dwarf albino cory catfish. they eat off of the bottom, don't get very large at all (maybe two inches at very most, maybe...) and they live in tough conditions. a co-worker gave me some guppies and a DACC about five years or so ago and that catfish and another one I got last year are the only two alive. ... and if anyone knew about my lack of abilities in aquariums (not very good at routine maintenance), for a fish to be alive after five years is testimony in itself!

a plant that is fairly easy to keep is duckweed, not the kind that grows around here in ponds but likely a tropical variety that has larger leaves. if you get extra food/fertilizer in the tank water they will soak it up and grow. can then just take out and toss the extra plants or give them to someone else. co-worker also gave me some of that and it is also still alive, much tossed out over the years ...also another plant that nyeric could keep alive

 

[Heather]

Yeah, I really don't want catfish. Not so pretty.

 

[streetmorrisart]

Corys are adorable! They're a must for me when I move to a city I think I’m going to stay in and can set up my dream Amazonian tank, which will be huge, and "layered" with the aforementioned, Discus, several kinds of Tetras…

Anyway.

One of the nicest small tanks I’ve ever seen had nothing but Corkscrew Val and Black Neons in it. Very simple and graceful. Another easy one is the White Cloud Mountain Minnow—colorful and very hardy. As with plants, you have to go with something you’re really drawn to though, or you won’t care as much. A great no-fuss plant is Anubias nana—wonderful waxy leaves. (My love of them is heightened by the fact that the goldfish don’t eat them!)

 

[practicallyostensible]

Bettas are a good suggestion but they have a short lifespan and are only beautiful at their prime.. Good luck..!

Lloyd, my Betta, lived to be 5 and regardless of if he was as beautiful as he was in his prime or not, he was a good pet. RIP my scaly friend.

 

[streetmorrisart]

Lloyd, my Betta, lived to be 5 and regardless of if he was as beautiful as he was in his prime or not, he was a good pet. RIP my scaly friend.

I know just how you feel. They do become friends and you never forget them.

 

[paphioboy]

a plant that is fairly easy to keep is duckweed, not the kind that grows around here in ponds but likely a tropical variety that has larger leaves.

Charles, I think you mean species of Salvinia and not Lemna.. Salvinia is a true water fern and grows as easily as comon duckweed.

Corys are adorable!

Robin, I absolutely agree with that. Heather, corys are the cutest catfish on the face of this planet. And there are so many to choose from. Including 'alba' varieties.. hehe..

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I am not really into freshwater anymore....just saltwater (and I find that I have far more success with the supposedly difficult SW than I ever had with FW...probably because I have to pay more attention to it....). While 6 gal is pretty small...how about a pair of dwarf cichilds? They are pretty, and have interesting behaviors...real personality. Apistogramma's might be good....but there are many other species you can use. Take care, Eric

 

[MoreWater]

:clap::rollhappy::clap::rollhappy::clap:

love this thread If I ever get interested in fish, I'll know where to look.

 

[cnycharles]

:clap::rollhappy::clap::rollhappy::clap:

love this thread If I ever get interested in fish, I'll know where to look.

oh, that reminds me - you should get seahorses!

 

[NYEric]

...also another plant that nyeric could keep alive

Wow!

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

Wow I've been away a long time!

Well Heather, I went with GloFish for my 10g moss tank a few months back. They are SUPER easy to care for, since they're just Zebra Danios. I use a 50/50 bulb which has more blue in the spectrum and they GLOW!!

They also look great next to a reef tankoke:

Jon

 

[Heather]

DUDE! Welcome Back!!! I've really missed you!

Thanks for the fishy advice.
You'll have to catch (haha, get it? I still crack myself up) :rollhappy: us up on what you've been doing (besides acquiring more critters!)

 

[NYEric]

I can't believe adults really buy those glow-fish! oke:

 

[practicallyostensible]

very nice moss tank... very ADA style.

 

[Heather]

I can't believe adults really buy those glow-fish! oke:

I can't believe a lot of things about you, Eric.

 

[NYEric]

I can't believe a lot of things about you, Eric.

Wow!

 

[dave b]

Jon, I came so close to giving you a hard time about those fish. Glad someone got you. Welcome back, and nice tanks. The reef is incredible.

I really think the moss tank needs one of those little submarines hooked to an air pump. Or maybe the bubbling treasure chest. That would be cool. See you around the club.