Hello from Louisiana

[supremebananus]

Hi everyone, I just discovered this forum and decided to join to educate myself more on aquatics. I’m currently not an aquatic owner as I’d like to be more educated first (and finally decide on a fish) but I do have other exotics.

My main passion is herpetology and I own 2 snakes. I also have around 30 arachnids. My favorite fish are eels and sharks/cartilaginous fish in general or any neat looking predatory fish. As for what I’d like to keep, making a decision is very difficult because I’m not interested in communal/schooling fish and of the solitary beginners I know, none really grab my interest. Hoping to learn about more species here and hopefully find one I really want to own.

 

[Oblio]

Welcome to TFF!

Someone here can surely suggest/advise on a species for you.

To help out, can you post your water parameters, GH, KH, and pH? As I recall, you should take a sample of your tap, let stand for 12 hrs, then test. You can often get some parameters from your water supplier.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

What sort of snake is in your avatar picture?

I have a few hundred spiders in my place but none are pets

 

[supremebananus]

Welcome to TFF!

Someone here can surely suggest/advise on a species for you.

To help out, can you post your water parameters, GH, KH, and pH? As I recall, you should take a sample of your tap, let stand for 12 hrs, then test. You can often get some parameters from your water supplier.

Thank you! I’ll be sure to get a sample later

 

[supremebananus]

Hi and welcome to the forum

What sort of snake is in your avatar picture?

I have a few hundred spiders in my place but none are pets

Thank you! It’s a ball python (python regius). I have a lot of spider freeloaders as well lol

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Welcome to the madhouse

One word of caution regarding predatory fish...you might want to check with the local authorities since there are different rules according to different States as to which fish you can and cannot keep. I wouldn't want you to fall into the trap of finding the fish you want only to find that keeping it is banned in your region for some reason.

 

[supremebananus]

Welcome to the madhouse

One word of caution regarding predatory fish...you might want to check with the local authorities since there are different rules according to different States as to which fish you can and cannot keep. I wouldn't want you to fall into the trap of finding the fish you want only to find that keeping it is banned in your region for some reason.

Thank you for letting me know, I’ve noticed some weird bans here on “dangerous” fish that I’d hoped to keep in the future so I’ll be sure to keep checking.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to TFF...are you near the TX border?

 

[supremebananus]

Welcome to TFF...are you near the TX border?

Yes I am

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yes I am

I'm near Beaumont...nice to see a new neighbor here

 

[supremebananus]

I'm near Beaumont...nice to see a new neighbor here

Nice! I’m a little higher up but that’s not too far

 

[Rocky998]

Welcome to the forum!
I know you said you dont want schooling or shoaling fish but have you looked at odessa barbs? Their very beautiful and pretty aggressive as well. They do need a 30g minimum for a tank size but thats cause of the numbers they need to be kept in.
All the eel species require larger tanks (I think the lowest Ive seen is 40g minimum) although I could be wrong... A species that is smaller and looks kinda like an eel is a kuhli loach. These guys are a shoaling species but they do look pretty cool...
Depending on your hardness of water you may really like cichlids. They can be kept in pairs and such.
Oscars are a really good option cause they are big and aggressive just like you want BUT the downside to aggressive species is that you couldnt have anything but that species for the most part...
You should definitely look into different gourami species! Like pearl gouramis and chocolates. They are a medium size fish that are aggressive at times

 

[supremebananus]

Welcome to the forum!
I know you said you dont want schooling or shoaling fish but have you looked at odessa barbs? Their very beautiful and pretty aggressive as well. They do need a 30g minimum for a tank size but thats cause of the numbers they need to be kept in.
All the eel species require larger tanks (I think the lowest Ive seen is 40g minimum) although I could be wrong... A species that is smaller and looks kinda like an eel is a kuhli loach. These guys are a shoaling species but they do look pretty cool...
Depending on your hardness of water you may really like cichlids. They can be kept in pairs and such.
Oscars are a really good option cause they are big and aggressive just like you want BUT the downside to aggressive species is that you couldnt have anything but that species for the most part...
You should definitely look into different gourami species! Like pearl gouramis and chocolates. They are a medium size fish that are aggressive at times

Thank you for all the recommendations!! I don’t mind larger tank requirements and I’m fine with separate tanks for fish-aggressive species! I love the colors of Odessa barbs but they aren’t a species I’m interested in keeping. And kuhli loaches were my #1 decision on my starter, I still might go with them unless I find something better. I like cichlids, I’m just not educated on them. I don’t know their care or good beginner cichlids so I haven’t really considered them. I do kind of like gourami as well! Another species i need to read up on more though

 

[Back in the fold]

You are destined to have an aquarium. The Force is strong in this one.

 

[Rocky998]

You are destined to have an aquarium. The Force is strong in this one.

Very intelligent this one is. He or she will learn very quickly unlike I did lol...