Favourite Aquarium Fish??

Hi folks,

I'm surprised as yet that there is not a 'Favourite fish' thread already on here, as none showed up on search, but the search doesn't seem to like me on any forum I use! So if this is already done, excuse me, if not.....

A few questions....

What is your favourite (none Blacklisted) Tropical Aquarium fish?

What made it become your favourite?

How did you discover it?

I'll start the ball rolling....

My favourite fish varies according to what mood I'm in, but would have to include many different Apistogramma Species, some Killies (particularly Simpsonichthys Sp.), some Blue eyes (pseudomugil Sp.) and a good few loaches, but the one that I always find myself coming back to is the Emperor tetra (Nematobrycom Palmeri).

No matter what tank I am setting up (except breeding tanks) I always consider these first!

One of the things that I like the most about them is the way they wriggle their pectoral fins like little boxing gloves then dart a bit, stop and wriggle them again!

The other thing of course is their rather striking colouration.... Brown on top, whitish belly, with a contrasted black band along their side. To add to this, the blue/green tinge that shimmers along their back, changing colour as they move around and the light catches them. Quite simply stunning! The green/Blue eye is also very striking, and contrasts well with the brown/black base coloration of the body.

I only discovered the true beauty of this fish around four years ago when I spotted them in an LFS. I'd seen some before (or something similar) but not with this much colour!

So now I'm addicted to this fish, and whilst I occasionally stray to other fishees, this one will always make my top few fish consistently.

So, whats your favourite??

Cheers
G!

 

Two for me.
#1 Ctenopoma ansorgi "Striped bush fish"
A anabantoid or labyrinth fish.A bubble nester from west Africa.
I have two pares,found them at a friends LFS.He incorrectly I.D.'d them as cichlids and I corrected him.He then just gave them to me.
What I like about them:very peaceful,although a ambush predator by nature,very shy.Brown and dull colouration changes to dark stripes when the males squares off in territorial disputes.I call them my chameleons.I consider them to be rare,because I have never seen them in any LFS since I got them.

#2 Congo tetra. Micralestes interruptus
I have a school of 15 in my community tank.
From Africa and as the name suggests,a tetra.
What I like about them:Often when you see them at the LFS,the juveniles are very drab and not very attractive.As they approach adulthood,the colouration changes completely,the fins changes and becomes one the most beautiful aquarium fish in my opinion.Many people just walks past them not knowing what they are missing.
Thats it for me.

 

Mine would be: Oscars .Why? Because they have a nice attitude and they are just like me,if they don't get what they want they sulk and can be very full of s### but the best of all is each one has a unique attitude and gets used to its owner.
Discus: Nice fish and get used to its owner
Clown loaches : just adorable little buggers
and last but not least Black ghost knives: they are unique.Mine is only out from 3 to 5 am(I actually stayed awake to watch him).In this time he eats and plays in the plants and races around doing aerobatic tricks like barrel rolls and just looks like a little kid for the first time in a park snd then at about 5 am he goes back into hiding(He hides so well that you cant see him at all)

 

Oh, completely forgot due to lack of head working properly today... My other favourites would have to be Sturisoma (Whiptail Catfish) and Zebra Otocinclus (Lil' Algae eaters)!

I'd also agree that Congo's are stunners, but I just haven't found any quality ones as yet! Looking to get some at some point though?

Regards
G!

 

No one else gotta favourite??

Surely there must be more than three people with favourite non-Blacklisted fish of some sort?

Cheers
G!

 

Mine would be panda cories. Because they are awesome
First saw some very little ones at the local lps.
Just love cories caracter and they look cool in black and white.
Have a small school of 5.

@Rudi did you ever breed those striped bush fish? They are really good looking.
Know @solex69 was looking for a pair to breed.

 

I think mine is . . . Discus. (That took some thinking)
Saw them for the first time when I was 17 in a LPS, fell absolutely in love with them and it has lasted for 20 years. Second would be a Black ghost knife, with a Fire eel short on its tail.

 

O and my other equally favorite would be stiphodon gobies. Have 2 rainbow stiphodons.

 

Kribensies of course.
I have at 3 breeding pairs in my community tank.
They always care for their fry and manage to rear 10 -20 % of their offspring to adulthood.

 

Hmmmmm this is a toughy! I think every fish has its advantages and drawbacks. I love malawis but they hate plants. Tetras look awesome but have the personality of a brick wall. Corys are cool but so far I havnt found any that blow me away looks wise. Angels are also cool but always seem kinda dozy if you know what I mean. I think this is why I love my community tank it combines personality and looks into one big ball (tank) of fun

 

Yer, with the difficulty of this question, I was actually thinking of changing it to 'What would be your top 5 fish'? Maybe I'll start a new thread for that question?

Cheers
G!

 

Uaru!! Because they are awesome, intelligent and have loads of personality..

The first time I saw these fish I knew I had to get some. I searched for a while before eventually getting a few from Altum. So far I've got Uaru Amphiacanthoides but would love to get some Uaru Fernandezyepzi one day..

 

I have plenty lol....

But if i had to choose 2...definitely angels! Love them to bits. Hopefully when i get my lekke breeding set ups i will breed them.
Then it will be keyhole cichlid. Although i have only had 2 i love those shy buggers!

 

Can you show or point to a good picture?

 

Tough call... usually African Butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi) is my first answer, I've owned a few since starting out and despite their (beautifully) drab colour and rather inactive behaviour; there is just something about them that fascinates me.

Otherwise archerfish, freshwater morays, shovelnose catfish, Hoplo catfish, giant gourami and snakeskin gourami come into my 'favourites' list.

 

Do a google search for 'Congo Tetra', and then click on images... They still stay silver fish, but they develop these golds, blues, purples, bronze shimmers on their sides that catch the light in all sorts of wonderfull ways! As Juvi's though, they show very little of this 'shimmering' colouration, and look really plain! They also do not develop their tail extensions until they are adult too, which also add to their beauty!

Cheers
G!

 

Yeah, I have done that. A lot of beautifull fish. But I want to know which spesific look Rudi likes / is talking about and is available locally.

 

Not quite sure what you mean? They all look like that with all the colours showing on them... They change colour as they swim around and the light hits them at different angles.

But I'll leave Rudi to comment further?

G!

 

@Tom.K,
I went through some of the photos I took in the last 2 years of the Congo tetras I have.
I hope it shows what I like about them.

 

This, I think, is a better one.
You can see both,the juveniles and the adults.The difference is very clear.