What is the best tropical fish?

fishdude · May 4, 2003

This is a poll but since there are so many fish I couldn't make it a poll so tell me which fish is the best.

CFC · May 4, 2003

Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum the tiger shovel nose catfish :lol:

All you need is a 200 gallon tank and your laughing.

No seriously the choice of fish is pretty much up to the individual,the fish that i or anyone else like may not be to your taste and vice versa

Alia · May 4, 2003

fishdude said:
since there are so many fish . . . tell me which fish is the best.

You said it yourself -- there are so many fish, and so many are the "best" for a particular situation. How big is your tank, what are your water parameters, what kind of fish do you like, how much can you afford to spend, what level of care are you prepared to give them, etc. etc. :blink:

General questions like yours make aquarists head spin! :fun:

Can you be a little more specific? Then I'm certain you'll get some great answers! :nod:

Pufferpack · May 4, 2003

Striped Sea Bass with a nice Lemon Dill sauce is my fav.... :lol:

bigfish · May 4, 2003

Has to be livebearers as you can get sooo many different colours and vareties. I currently keep male and female guppies, male & female platies. May be transfer to Swordtails but i'm going to get a much bigger tank.

fishdude · May 4, 2003

tropical 90 gallon.

Alia · May 5, 2003

tropical 90 gallon.

Hmm, that's a start. And your water is:

hard/soft/in between (there are tests for this, but people with hard water usually know they have it)?

acid/alkaline/neutral (again, there are tests -- this is pH)

nitrIte? ammonia? (should be 0 after cycling) nitrAtes? (you guessed it, tests) Important because some fish should only be introduced to a mature and stable environment, but given that, they are quite hardy.

Fish you have seen that you thought were cool?

Cichlids are awesome parents, come to the glass and "interact" with you, and come in lots of cool patterns and colors. But, some have tricky water requirements, most are territorial, many can be downright aggressive, and few are really recommended for beginners/community tanks. Still, some are not that hard and with a big tank like yours and the right setup, you could definitely have them.

Tetras run the gamut from difficult and shy to brazen and hardy, hitting every step between. Their water needs vary as well. :blink:

Danios are peaceful, pretty, and hold up fairly well, but have a bad habit of jumping out of the aquarium. :-(

White Cloud minnows and rasboras are often suggested for the beginners/community aquarium.

Barbs, like tetras, run the gamut. One of the prettiest barbs, the tiger, has a terrible reputation, but there are those who love them like no other. :lol:

Gouramis are a particular favorite of mine (we all have them) and can be delightful in a community aquarium. they are large and slower moving, but very graceful and attractive.

Angels and discus are beautiful, but not the best choices for beginners or community aquariums, though no doubt there are those who have been successful with them. :huh:

Catfish, plecos, and loaches each definitely have their own following, and for good reason. They come in some of the most interesting shapes and sizes of all the tropicals, and they are the workhorses of the tank, always cleaning up after the the other fishes (food, not waste). Many are ideally suited to community tanks, where the bottom is scarcely inhabited without them. :nod:

Livebearers (like guppies, mollies, and platies) are ever popular because they are pretty, prolific, peaceful, and inexpensive and they add color and interest to the tank.

Who have I missed? Sharks? Killifish? Bettas and paradise fish? I'm sure I've missed many people's faves and they will now have to put a word in. :hyper: