Hypothetically, if you could choose only one..

[johnski]

Type of fish and one type of plant, for every future scape or tank that you ever do, what what you pick?

Me, I'd have to go with the good old Harlequin Rasbora, and Hygrophillia Difformis.

Great lookin' fish, and constantly active in all water levels. Just great fun to watch all the time. Not to mention relatively cheap to buy.

And HD, I just love the patterns it grows in and the soft green colour tone. It's also not very demanding either.

 

[Dexie]

I'd go for the Harlequin too as for the plant I'm not sure the only plant i've had success with is the Java Fern. But will be set up my first planted tank soon so hopefully that will change

 

[pariahrob]

Ooh, that would be a close call between Celestial Pearl Danios and Ottos.

As for plants, I'd either go for Blyxa Japonica or Pogostemon Helferi.

I hope that I would never have to make that a reality though!

 

[jbirley]

I would have to go for Ottos for fish, not sure on plants.

 

[Wallace]

For me it would be Cryptocoryne Wendtii Green, and either Ottos or Harlequins.

 

[awtong]

I would definitely have Crypt Wendtii brown, and I would have to have L270 chocolate Zebra plec. I could not own tanks without a plec!

Andy

 

[Ady34]

If only one....Cardinal tetras and Microsorum pteropus 'petite'. Guaranteed to deliver every time!

 

[George Farmer]

Great question. Limiting to a single species is tough but your suggestion of harlequins and H. difformis is a great combo! Great fish and the plant can be pruned to form a nice design. They're also from the same continent so you could loosely base a biotope.

One of my favourite combos has been cardinals and hairgrass (E. acicularis).


cardinals2 by George Farmer, on Flickr

 

[Stickleback]

Sticklebacks, pond weed.

 

[BigTom]

Probably Microsorum pteropus 'trident', and erm....Betta macrostoma.

You could do an excellent blackwater scape using just wood and leaves with the fern for highlights.