Need some fishy inspiration for aquariums

Cirith Ungol

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I have a 230L (60gal), 160L (40gal), 140L (35gal) and two 60L (15gal) aquariums.

What fish to feed them with? I'm looking for freshwater only. No guppies, gold fish or escape artist eels ;)

If you are suggesting any cichlids please also state whether they are Malawi, Tanganyika or south American variety, (enough to say M, T or A)

I will get Rocio octofasciata. Do you know of any similar fish?

Thanks for any suggestions!! :worship:
 

Cirith Ungol

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Indeed! I've been ogling at those little guys in the pet shop!
 

Mack&Cass

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In a 60gal I would go with a group of at least 6 Exodon paradoxus.

Similar fish to Rocio octofasciata would include a lot of the big Central American cichlids. Many formerly of Cichlosoma.

Mackenzie
 

ZergFront

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Indeed! I've been ogling at those little guys in the pet shop!
+ I'd go with a green puffer fish or vote for the dwarf. Very interesting species. They can even be kept in brackish water. I had these with a couple of bumblebee gobies. Supplement the puffer's diet with shellfish though. Their beak constently grows like a parrot's beak and a little shellfish like shrimp or crayfish can help keep it in check.

If you go for cichlids, I'd go with an oscar. They're native to Peru, Colombia, Brazil and French Guiana and occurs in the Amazon river. They aren't tolerant of cold water but hardy against diseases that effect most aquarium fish. They eat almost anything, so be cautious what you put in the tank with it and they get very large. Only fish so far I've experimented with keeping oscars successfully in the same tank was a discus. It actually put the cichlids in their place even though it looked like a silver dinnerplate! {D

Make sure it has a lid. My 2 oscars jumped out and died. :(
 

Cirith Ungol

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Cichlasoma biocellatum are very interesting! Thanks for the tip Mack.

The puffers, Tetraodon fluviatilis, are really cute guys! I think they have those at the pet shop too. So you'd feed them shellfish with their exos I'd imagine?

They also got Astronotus ocellatus at the pet shop but they will eventually outgrow the 60gal, so I'll rather wait for my next tank, a 300L (75gal). But I absolutely love those! Yeah, I've heard they can be jumpy.

I'll certainly add to my group of Balantiocheilos melanopterus, maybe by about ten fish. I just love those guys, very beautiful with their flawless silver bodies.
 

Mack&Cass

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Everything I've read on the puffers states that their beak keeps growing so you need to give them prey items with shells to wear them down. Mussels are pretty cheap but they wouldn't survive long in the elevated temperature of your aquarium.
Mackenzie
 

Lucas339

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freshwater puffers are more delicate than them seem. from what i have read, they need slightly brackish water. they do need hard substrate to grind down their teeth but even when this is providied, they sometimes require manual trimming of the teeth. it is sad how readily available, and inexpensive they are and how many people don't keep them properly and they die off. there is a puffer fish only forum that you should check out. they have a lot of good information on these animals and other puffer fish species including care and maintenance.

for me, the only freshwater fish i would consider having is the arowana. they get large and would out grow your 60gal but you could keep it for a few years before this happens. to me, they are the most interesting fish kept in freshwater aquariums.
 

pouchedrat

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I'm currently fascinated with killifish, which are like small egg-bearing versions of guppies, but I think they're far more colorful than guppies are. Unfortunately I never see them actually for sale in aquarium stores, but sometimes I see them online.

Have you ever thought of doing something creative with the aquariums, like making a fish-oriented paludarium? I'm working on a 55 gallon paludarium for tree frogs, but I've seen photos of some amazing fish-oriented ones with the "land mass" and plants positioned high towards the top of the aquarium, and it filled about 3/4ths of the way with water or more. Just an open suggestion for something besides just acquiring unusual fishies.

I also love dragon gobies, but I think they're brackish-freshwater. All the bizarre things seem to be brackish, lol.
 

codykrr

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im not keen on aquariums. As i keep only a few. I was given a 29 gallon vertical octagon aquarium about a year ago. i fixed it up and currently i keep walmart fish in it. just to give my kitchen a nice focal point.

i have 5 neon tetra(daughter picked those) 2 angle fish, 2 snails, 2 pictus catfish 1 sucker fish.

i have hides, branches and live plants for decor.

i thought about saltwater but decided it was too much effort.

i have always wanted to do a native fish tank, with crayfish, snails, striped bass, bluegill and so forth...just never had the space.
 

Cirith Ungol

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If puffers are that different in care then I'll not dare going for any at the moment.

I've been thinking of a paludarium for archerfish but that's not going to happen now, maybe never.

http://educatedearth.net/video.php?id=3938
Awesome eh? And we get a bonus invert there hehe...
 

pharaoh2653

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dwarf puffer fish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) are not hard to care for. they get no bigger than an inch and do not require shellfish for their beaks. they eat bloodworms and although they do love to eat snails it is not required( but interesting to see them hunt). they are a completely freshwater fish requiring no salt and enjoy aquariums with alot of plants
 

dtknow

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dwarf puffers are completely FW fish and in heavily planted tanks will frequently breed.
 

GiantVinegaroon

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Go with some North American natives! The sunfish are always really fun and pretty(especially the pumpkinseeds and longears!). With a 60 gallon you can house a few! They're alot like cichlids too!

Check out the darters and minnows too....they are very colorful.

I feel native fishes are alot more interesting than tropicals.

And whatever you do, do NOT house crayfish with any fish you choose to get ;).
 

Lucas339

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to the OP, check out fish forums about the puffers.

here is a couple of articles about them by people who soley keep just puffers:

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum...cus/an-introduction-to-green-spotted-puffers/

while there are true, obligate freshwater puffers, they are not as attractive as the brackish water ones with one exception, Carinotetraodon travancoricus. i hardly see these available here (US) and when i worked at a fish store, i never saw them available.

and contrary to what someone has posted, all animals in the family Tetraodontidae have continually growing teeth similar to rats. THEY MUST HAVE SHELLFISH IN THEIR DIET OR WILL DIE WHEN THE TEETH GROW TOGETHER.
 

Faing

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An angel fish tank would look very nice :D

Or severums or bala sharks if you want larger fish. It's kind of hard to tell you what fish you should get :D but advice is always great I admit.

Another choice would be to do a tank of Assorted African cichlids in one. I like frontosas.

And on a rondom note I like the looks of a Paku but that's just me. Various rainbow fish are also pretty cool. More than one tank equals many possibilities.
 

Cirith Ungol

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Go with some North American natives! The sunfish are always really fun and pretty(especially the pumpkinseeds and longears!). With a 60 gallon you can house a few! They're alot like cichlids too!
I'll catch myself some Perca fluviatilis. The only problem is, if they don't have a heavily planted tank, they'll try to break through the glass every time you approach the tank too suddenly. Eventually they'll do the opposite, hug the class in front of you waiting for foody bits. Do the slightest thing they're not expecting and they'll slam right into the glass again. ;) Luckily, where I get them there are going to be about.... 43094 megamillion of them.

One thing is for sure. They. Are. Awesome.
 

Cirith Ungol

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Thanks for the dwarf puffer heads-up! I'll check out their info!

I think it's actually C. travancoricus that they have here at the pet shop. Tiny ones. But I wouldn't know for certain, there are probably some who look similar.

I already have four Balas, I calle them silver shark above. The curse of common names ;). So for the record: Balantiocheilos melanopterus

Sadly I have to admit absolutely not geing a frontosa fan. I'm really not a fan of that nubble. :eek:

Thanks for all the info, suggestions and all!
Keep 'em coming, I love hearing more about this!!
 

Edd Eskimo

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For your 60g tank i would recommend a AAA Super Red Arowana or a AAA Golden XBack Arowana..They are really beautiful fish but a pretty high price..Due to the fact they are show fish{DYou can get some cheaper breeds but AAA or A+ sp. are really beautiful! you should check them out other Arowana sp.
 

redrumpslump

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If your into bigger fish for the 60 gal you should look into some tiger shovelnose catfish and som clown knifes. I think the clown knives are incredible looking IMO
 
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