# Ultimate unusual planted tank fish



## Garuf (14 Jan 2010)

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.


----------



## George Farmer (14 Jan 2010)

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.


----------



## Garuf (14 Jan 2010)

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?


----------



## AdAndrews (14 Jan 2010)

Maybe something like barbs, they arent used an aweful lot. Or Glass catfishes.


----------



## Garuf (14 Jan 2010)

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.


----------



## AdAndrews (14 Jan 2010)

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


----------



## Garuf (14 Jan 2010)

Exactly, I'm saving the species only tank for crabs once my life has settled down.


----------



## Ed Seeley (14 Jan 2010)

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.


----------



## Garuf (14 Jan 2010)

They're so ugly!!! Remind me of flowerhorn (?) cichlids. Nice idea though. Keep them coming


----------



## AdAndrews (14 Jan 2010)

twig cats: http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/sto ... &prod=2412

these are pretty cool also: http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/sto ... 4&prod=984


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (14 Jan 2010)

Garuf

A barb tank - 

Checker barbs
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_oligo.php

FiveBranded barbs
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Punt ... tazona.php

Scissortail Rasbora
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Rasb ... ineata.php

Regards#Paul.


----------



## andyh (14 Jan 2010)

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.


----------



## Garuf (15 Jan 2010)

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


----------



## andyh (15 Jan 2010)

Ok Garuf

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

Stiphodon Sp.



















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

thanks for looking


----------



## OllieNZ (15 Jan 2010)

Hi All

Garra Flavatra




http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=garraflavatra
They have these in my LFS under the name burmese log sucker and they are an algae eating sucker fish by nature but will eat most foods. 

Regards 
Ollie


----------



## afroturf (15 Jan 2010)

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)




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.





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.  http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en ... q=&start=0


----------



## Garuf (15 Jan 2010)

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.




Microphis smithi, freshwater pipefish




Brachirus panoides Freshwater flatfish.




Hara Hara - Anchor cat.




Nothobranchius rachovii


----------



## Ed Seeley (16 Jan 2010)

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.


----------



## OllieNZ (16 Jan 2010)

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


----------



## Garuf (16 Jan 2010)

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.  

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.


----------



## jolt100 (16 Jan 2010)

I agree with ed that Nothos dont suit a community tank but other Killifish do work well.
I have Aphyosemion rectogoense in my 400l and the males show off really well. They are mid to upper water swimmers (nothos would keep on the bottom) and can be trained to eat dry food although I mainly feed live or frozen.
Not something you are likely to see in your LFS though  
Cheers

John


----------



## Garuf (16 Jan 2010)

I saw those in there recently, they were labled up as golden yellow panchax though. Very pretty fish.

There's so many killi's there's bound to be something out there. 





Checkerboard cichlid -Dicrossus filamentosus


----------



## Gill (17 Jan 2010)

Here are a few i would recommend:

Wood Cats
Black Line Goby
Indo Rock Goby
Indian Glass Fish
Bagrid Cats
African Glass Cats
Clown Killies
Pygmy Platties
Celebes Halfbeaks
Needle Nose Rocket Gar
Hockey Stick Pencil Fish - Always Remind me of Sea Horses, the way they flitter around.
Blue/Albino Paradise Fish
Glass Gobies
just to name a few


----------



## Garuf (22 Jan 2010)

Wow! Quiet the list, Gill. 
I looked into the hockey sticks, they're really pretty fish those!
I saw some very very pretty yellow and red finned rivine loaches in pets at home but no one in the place knew a scientific name and they were labled as clown loaches.


----------



## Themuleous (22 Jan 2010)

Ive kept S.resplendens, years ago, beauty little fish 

Sam


----------

