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Ultimate unusual planted tank fish

Garuf

Garuf

Member
Joined
30 Oct 2007
Messages
5,644
Location
Copenhagen
I've got a new 60x45x45cm tank on the way and I'm starting the search for fish for ideas, what are the most unusual fish suitable for this tank? I plan to have the usual shoal but I'd like something unusual or different.

I'm thinking stiphidon gobies, oddballs, feature fish like aspistos, unusual cats or even unusual shoalers.

Any suggestions, I'd love to see some pictures of possible additions.
 
Hi Garuf

I've recently set up a Lake Inle planted biotope with Yunnanilius brevis and Sawbwa resplendens. Both nice fish that are a bit different. Pity you're not local as they need a good home ready for my next project...

The Y. brevis is an interesting loach that shoals midwater and the male S. resplendens is one of the most underrated fish in the hobby, commonly known as the Asian rummynose for obvious reasons.

Both prefer cooler harder water, 22-24C, pH 7-8, GH 10+.

I'll get some shots up if you're interested.
 
I am interested, yes! The swarbas are a fish that I've been looking at and was won over by, they don't have scales like a normal fish either do they?
 
Maybe something like barbs, they arent used an aweful lot. Or Glass catfishes. :wave:
 
I fancied odessa barbs since they're a very very pretty fish but was told they're powerful swimmers and need long tanks. I've seen freshwater pipe fish which I liked the idea of too. Channa's are pretty nice too but not really small fish or small tank friendly.
 
Yea, i see what your saying, no point in having a fish if it isnt really happy in the tank. Channa's would be good, but on their own, tell you one thing, have some of those and say goodbye to your shrimp :twisted:
 
Exactly, I'm saving the species only tank for crabs once my life has settled down.
 
Unusual feature fish... How about a pair of blockhead cichlids? Ugly, colourless and amazing! They have a reduced swimbladder and so hop around the bottom and rest off the bottom in plants and on hardscape to see what's going on - fantastic cichlids. Go for Steatocranus casuarius as they're not as agressive as the other species IME.
 
:wideyed: They're so ugly!!! Remind me of flowerhorn (?) cichlids. Nice idea though. Keep them coming :D
 
with reference to the stiphidon gobies, they are excellent!

Couple of things though, they like to dig! this can be a tunnel under a rock or a tunnel under your HC!

I have 5 in one of my tanks and they are very active fish, once settled.

I would recommend, if you want some pics let me know, also know of an excellent website.

Also, they can be difficult to come by.
 
I'd love for everyone to post pictures, it makes a richer thread for other people to read and look back on as a reference :)
 
Ok Garuf

may of posted some of these before but here we go:

Stiphodon Sp.

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I have got an excellent video, i will get it uploaded over the weekend and post.

thanks for looking :thumbup:
 
Gobies are allways good, Brachygobius aggregatus one of my top 5 gobies I must keep before I die a true fresh water bumble bee goby that actually schools. (not my pic)

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also got your twig catfish in the background Adam.

Or Yunnanilus cruciatus a really great andentertaining small loach that does school from time to time.

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Or a fish I've allways wanted too keep Hyalobagrus sp. a schooling catfish growns to around 4-5cm. There were some at a local maidenhead aquatics a few weeks ago but didn't have any room for them. :mad: http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en ... q=&start=0
 
Cheers guys, shaping up to be a great thread! Keep the suggestions coming, I wish I could get hold of those Gobies, so pretty.
The bumblebees and the neons particularly.

Some of my choices if anyone has any feedback.
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Microphis smithi, freshwater pipefish

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Brachirus panoides Freshwater flatfish.

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Hara Hara - Anchor cat.

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Nothobranchius rachovii
 

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Nothos need very particular conditions (often needing some salt in the water to prevent velvet) and are quite aggresive (I breed a less aggressive species than the one you've pictured but it's still not a community fish IMHO).

The first two are very hard to keep long term if I remember rightly. They need lots of live foods and are often in bad shape after being imported. I think people may have had more success with the soles recently though.

The Hara hara should be fine but you won't see too much of it.

If you're thinking cats why nopt look at the little wood cats,
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=367

There's a whole world of unusual beautiful and interesting cichlids you could keep but I'd take up a whole thread detailing those. Look at other Pelvichromis than pulcher, Nanochromis, Gobiocichla, Orthochromis, Teleocichla, Teleogramma, but none are easy to find or keep.
 
Hi All
Love the pipe fish and the anchor cat. My LFS had some FW flatfish not sure if they were the same species but they got to around 6in and were supposedly actively piscivorous and need quite a deep sandy sustrate.
The Badis Badis (Chamelon Fish) can change colours at will which would be pretty cool.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myfish/174-Badis_Fish_Badis_Badis.html

Regards

Ollie
 
Yeah I've read that the flatfish are hard and tbh I fully expect that, unusual species are unusual because they're hard to keep compared to guppies. :rolleyes:

When I visited London they had freshwater pipefish in and the sign said they'd got them accepting flake/pellets and tuberflex worms so I live in hope that should I find them they'll be pre-weened.

Hara's are really nice, Pet city has them in all the time and though they're boring and sort of funny looking I like that they hide in full view and agrued amongst themselves in the tank.

Kills, now they're a issue, I've seen Nothos kept in normal water, and was told they'll accept most parameters with them being seasonals as long as the water is warm...Goes to show really, don't trust the shops on everything.

Tatia's I really like but I don't much like the idea of having to put tubes and tunnels into an aquascape, it's a crime akin to the terracotta plantpot. :lol:
 
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