What fish should I get?

[torface]

I'm having a tank rearrange soon which will free up my big display tank and I want to get some fish... What should I get? I love discus but i get the impression they're high maintenance. I also like the idea of african cichlids because of their nice bright colours. Anybody keep africans? Are they high maintenance? Any other suggestions for me? :)

[MrShrimp]

Most African cichlids is a high ph around 7.5 ish. They are aggressive with each other so finding a peaceful tank won't be easy but they are easy to keep. Discus needs a higher temp around 28 degree and they can be abit sensitive. My favourite is the rainbow fish in a planted thank. Google for pics - lacustrus rainbow fish, bosemani rainbow fish,neon rainbow,and a few others. They have a deep body when mature looking abit like a frying pan. They are easy to keep and display amazing colors when female is around. Most aquarium have them now and then. Good luck with what ever you choose torface

[Squiggle]

I have a tank full of Electric Yellows & they are easy to keep, I have coral sand as the substrate & the PH is pretty stable at 7.8, I started with 5 & now have about 15, I have marine base rock(dead live rock) as the scape, along with the coral sand, it helps buff the PH & they are very low maintenance. The base rock is very porous & acts as a nitrate filter with anaerobic bacteria inside it. Also, they are very colourful & active, great to watch. :victorious: Rainbows are also a great choice, you can go to a local creek & catch your own, they are most colourful in the morning. Empire Gudgeons & Blue Eyes are very nice natives too :encouragement:

[Ziek]

Look at Apistogrammas there awesome little fish and there are quite a few sp with brilliant colours. If your keeping the more expensive shrimp like king kongs and BB etc you'd have no problems with Discus only problem is Discus like there water around 29c as Mrshrimp said and the best ones to get would be the locally breed ones as there more tolerant and less sensitive as the ones you tend to buy from most aquariums as they are usually wild caught or imported

[Garnelchen]

I'm having a tank rearrange soon which will free up my big display tank and I want to get some fish... What should I get? I love discus but i get the impression they're high maintenance. I also like the idea of african cichlids because of their nice bright colours. Anybody keep africans? Are they high maintenance? Any other suggestions for me? :)

No no no! Get cute little fish! I don't know what everybody likes about chichlids. :stupid:

[torface]

Oh so many nice fish! I haven't even seen some of those before! Decisions decisions!

I'm yet to venture into the world of TB... but the plus is the tank is fairly well established and stable. I'd have to change it up for ciclids if i wanted to get them though cos of the higher pH... nothing a few magic rocks couldn't fix though i think ;) Heating the tank is no problem, that tank is a constant mission to keep cool for the CBS I have in it at the moment so any fish that I do get would have to be tolerant or like fairly warm water as I dont want to buy a chiller for this tank...

[torface]

No no no! Get cute little fish! I don't know what everybody likes about chichlids. :stupid:

LOL Garnelchen! I do love the little fish, i'm a big fan of ******* and endlers BUT this is the first opportunity i've ever had for fish in a big tank so i'd like to get something a little bigger :)

Not too big though. I had a giant oscar once and didnt like him much lol

[Garnelchen]

What about some nice little schooling fish. I find fish that move along together very attractive!

I saw some very interesting fish in a pet shop last week. Ghost catfish (never heard of them before) they were completely "see through" and moving around in the tank in a very tight group. It was love at first sight although the were neither cute nor little nor colourful! :)

I sooo need a larger tank too :(

[torface]

Why on earth did "guppys" get censored out? That's a bit silly?!

I've seen the ghost catfish, they're cool! I also like the ghost knife fish too. One road i could go down is having a real "community" tank with little AND big fish. Maybe angels? Im so indescisive LOL

[KiwiBigD]

African Cichlids are great to keep, but I'd suggest finding a 'lake' or 'species' you like then adapt to it. Depending on the lake such as Malawi,

Victoria or Tanganika really has an impact on the fish you keep. Yes they all require higher Phs but depending on the lack itself can add

another 0.5Ph on top of that. My favourites are from Tanganika, some beautiful fish with both small and large species. Some of the peacocks

are stunning and you only need a small group to really make an impact.

Do be aware though you'll want lots of rock and they do tend to move the substrate a lot as well. I'd recommend putting down a piece of

inert cloth then add a small amount of gravel, then your large rocks, add more substrate then any smaller rocks. Take it slow to build a good

solid foundation. Bonding cement is also a good option, then fill you tank once you're happy. Also, there aren't many plants that'll grow in

the higher Phs.

[torface]

Thanks Kiwi :)

I'm over my plants, so I don't need plants lol

Are they one of these fish that have to all be added all at once because they are territorial? Or can you build a collection as you go?

[KiwiBigD]

Really depends which you go with. I always found only keeping a couple of species was the best option, and males will fight regardless of the species. I've

kept and bred Neolamprologus brichardi and leleupi without any issues. Prefer brichardi as they don't fight as much as some species. Also get to 10cm and

just look great imho. They do prefer a good hard water with a Ph around the 8.4 mark though.

You also have other species like Julidochromis Marlieri, well pretty much any of the Julidochromis really. Most are beautiful fish and easy to keep and breed

on the whole. Plus lots of character.

[durro68]

Why on earth did "guppys" get censored out? That's a bit silly?!

Has to do with the online shop of the same name ....

[torface]

Figured that, but seems silly considering it's a type of fish that we could potentially want to discuss?

[torface]

I like this guy, but i'm not sure it really exists in this colour??

[Loach]

well if you ask me, you should be getting loaches :) Sorry if i missed it but how large is your tank? A school of boesemani rainbows or red rainbows and some yoyo loaches would be great!

[torface]

Well it's not HUGE, but it's the biggest tank i've ever had :) it's approx 150l (not including sump) (roughly 78cm(l)x 40-45(w)x 50(h) i can never remember, but it's a weird size!)

[MrShrimp]

well if you ask me' date=' you should be getting loaches :) Sorry if i missed it but how large is your tank? A school of boesemani rainbows or red rainbows and some yoyo loaches would be great![/quote']

Yes , go the rainbows :)

[Daydream]

Sand sub 1 boy 3 girl redhumps schoolof 8 corys 2 boy bristlenose school of 20 white fin ornatus. Add some twisted timber and you got 1 attractive active tank.

[2OFUS]

I like this guy' date=' but i'm not sure it really exists in this colour??

these exist

me and Jess kept nyererei before shrimps

we had the python island variant

[torface]

Do you know what this pink and purple variant is called?

Daydream, that sounds like a nice mix. I'm considering something like that too :)

[2OFUS]

Yes it's the Makobe island variant

Pundamilia nyererei

[CNgo2006]

Super Red Arowana!!!! Allllllllll the way! You can do it!

[torface]

LOL aren't they super mega expensive?!

[CNgo2006]

yes around 20 Blue Bolts for a little baby if you are lucky...that's even if you can find one. But I know you can do it so don't give up! I had one around 10 years ago, I came back from school and found he had knocked the 10mm thick lid off the tank (that had a 1kg weight on it for precaution) and did a suicide jump! I was so depressed and crushed, he was the best fish ever, with great personality...:sorrow: Must have gotten spooked somehow...