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unusual fish

James_Kye

Member
Joined
9 Feb 2009
Messages
57
ok this is a question that seems to cause some problems on past forums lol.
as much as i like the run of the mill usual fish species. i also enjoy having that something little bit special.

most of you are aware of my set up and the conditions etc so i would like if possible ( get the old gray matter working here folks ) species of unusual / oddball fish..

i will start with what appears to be unusual these days

Farlowella ( twig cats ) sorry if this incorrect but its what i have seen it named as on several sites.

so its now over to you to come up with something that will be suitable in my set up no L number plecos though. ( don't mean to offend pleco lovers out there but there just not my cuppa tea ).
 
maybe if you ask nicely enough lol.

tank 2 ft x 1.5 ft x 2ft ( 130 L ) PH 6.8 South American biotope ( apart from a few plants that i want to add soon lol )
temp 75 F. that about covers it
 
James_Kye said:
maybe if you ask nicely enough lol.

tank 2 ft x 1.5 ft x 2ft ( 130 L ) PH 6.8 South American biotope ( apart from a few plants that i want to add soon lol )
temp 75 F. that about covers it
Current inhabitants?
Filtration/flow levels? (some fish like stream conditions others prefer lower flow)
 
if you had read my other posts you would have known i dont have any fish at yet , as i am wanting to get things right with plants first. and the weather dose not allow fish to be bought . and i dont buy anything from a pet supermarket ( P...@...E ) so i am getting all my fish mail order from Tri - Mar.
as for filtration thats eheim liberty the largest one thats for tanks 200 L.
again i have explained flow previously i have a hydor 1 and the flow from filter so these 2 give near 2000 LPH

fish stock will be:-

8 emperor tetra eventually 10
6 corry ( 3 peppered and 3 other )
pair of triple red dwarf cichlids
and possibly a farlowella.

so would like ideas on possible an other shoaling fish thats slightly smaller, not rummynose or neons or bleeding hearts i am wanting something a bit less common. and if there is nothing else people can come up with then i will just add further emperor tetra so its as near 20 as i can get ( as there low in stock at the moment )
 
Personally I'd boost the numbers of emperor tetras. I like a bigger shoal of one type of fish. In the same vein I'd get 6 of the same type of cories, they'll probably be happier if they're all the same, while different types do shoal together it's not a given.

Assuming you want to keep the biotope then there's always the option of hatchet fish or ottos, neither of which in it's common form is really unusual but you might find some less common variants.
 
i think i might have somthing you would like. :wideyed:
glass catfish-these are odball i think(they should be) or odball catfish.i plant to have a shoal of these in my planted setup...i love them, they are so different (as you say)to the usual tetras and rummy noses and they shoal quite tightly.
i have 5 in my smaller tank atm and they are amazing to look at, with a blue and red vein running down the spine, and when they get fed bloodworm you can see the redness in their stomach. :lol:
 
how often do you see your glass cats though mate ?.
my only experience in seeing these are in horrid fish shop tanks where they have nothing to hide in or feel secure and usually in with fish that bully them.
so i have only ever seen them sitting on the bottom against a corner looking worse for ware and not moving much.
and how many would you recommend in a shoal ? say 6 / 7 possibly ?.
 
James_Kye said:
ifish stock will be:-
8 emperor tetra eventually 10
6 corry ( 3 peppered and 3 other )
pair of triple red dwarf cichlids
and possibly a farlowella.

You list sounds about right for stocking a 130 litre planted tank. I'd consider much more than that as overstocking.

How about a group of Otocinclus sp. as an algae crew? There's a few varieties if you want something a bit different.
 
I agree about the fish suggestions. I'd also say to just get six of one type of Cory, both to be fair to the fish and aesthetically etc.
 
i forgot to mention that otos were on the list of fish to be added lol.
i had fancied 20 amano shrimps also but someone who keeps tropicals on the marine forum said i cant keep a single shrimp unless i raise the PH to 7.8.

when you say there are a few oto sp how many ? and how available are the others ??,
i ask as i have only ever seen the zebra otos available and the normal ones.
pics of the other otos would be fantastic if anyone has any links / pics :)
 
James_Kye said:
someone who keeps tropicals on the marine forum said i cant keep a single shrimp unless i raise the PH to 7.8.
Hearsay mate, i bred Crystal Reds at 7.2-7.4 ;)
 
James_Kye said:
if you had read my other posts you would have known i dont have any fish at yet

again i have explained flow previously i have a hydor 1 and the flow from filter so these 2 give near 2000 LPH

With the greatest of respect, if you want people to give up their time and energy to help you, you have to give them a bit more respect. They dont have to help you. This forum would cease to exist if it wasn't for the goodwill of those who run and contribute to it. You cant expect people to do the work for you and you didnt provide a link to your journal, which I've just checked and which makes no reference to your filtration. Are we expected to search all your posts? The questions asked were perfectly reasonable in order to provide you with correct and usable information.

A little respect for others goes a long way.

Sam
 
James_Kye said:
how often do you see your glass cats though mate ?.
my only experience in seeing these are in horrid fish shop tanks where they have nothing to hide in or feel secure and usually in with fish that bully them.
so i have only ever seen them sitting on the bottom against a corner looking worse for ware and not moving much.
and how many would you recommend in a shoal ? say 6 / 7 possibly ?.
i see my glass catfish all the time, they shoal around the base of my bulb plant quite hapily and they get on well with my altum's and plec.
i think they are mostly active when feeding and squeez together when not feeding as they are shy and timid.
they are like clown loach for stocking levels...i wouldent have any less than five as this can cause what you see in the shops- "against a corner looking worse for ware"-with this fish definatly think 'the more the merrier' when buying :lol: 6/7 is fine :)
 
lol i def cant buy a lot locally. one local shop has decided to put it upon them selves to limit 3 fish MAX per any purchase.
even if you are buying neons they only allow 3 fish max. there reason to this is NO absolute NO filter can handle more than 3 fish being added at any one time and will not sell any further fish to someone until a month later.

which i have been told by other shops is complete rubbish. and also the same shop now orders you fill out a question air that others say the same name shop in england do not make you do lol.
 
James_Kye said:
lol i def cant buy a lot locally. one local shop has decided to put it upon them selves to limit 3 fish MAX per any purchase.
even if you are buying neons they only allow 3 fish max. there reason to this is NO absolute NO filter can handle more than 3 fish being added at any one time and will not sell any further fish to someone until a month later.

which i have been told by other shops is complete rubbish. and also the same shop now orders you fill out a question air that others say the same name shop in england do not make you do lol.
I can understand that, there's been a lot of shops who have received bad press because of them selling silly numbers of fish to people with new tanks.

Definitely look up fishless cycling (if you haven't already) and then when you approach the store explain what you've been doing and the fact that you're running planted. Sometimes it just takes a gentle word to let them know you're not a complete newbie and that you do have a tank which is ready for them. I remember them having similar issues when I started up and while I didn't stock all in one go they did let me buy more than they would usually let people buy (I think about 10 fish).

A Questionnaire might be pushing it but I suppose it's a good way of asking the relevant questions quickly and calmly. Probably also a way of them covering their backs if something goes wrong.
 
sadly Helen they do not budge on there 3 fish limit for anyone or any reason, yet they them selves set up tanks in the shop and just walk over to the holding tanks grab a net full of fish and dump them into the tank they had just finished filling. so they are going against there own advice in effect lol.
 
IMG_2257.jpg


Something a bit different, oil cat/driftwood cat/Centromochlus perugiae :D :D

I have a tank full of these little beauties

JOHNNY
 
oooo they are lovely little fish.
you got any info on them mate ?
how much did they set you back if you dont mind me asking.
 
James_Kye said:
lol i def cant buy a lot locally. one local shop has decided to put it upon them selves to limit 3 fish MAX per any purchase.
even if you are buying neons they only allow 3 fish max. there reason to this is NO absolute NO filter can handle more than 3 fish being added at any one time and will not sell any further fish to someone until a month later.

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
 
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