# In your opinion what is a "must have fish" ?



## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Hi,

Just trying to create a fun thread where people can express their opinion on a favorite fish or a must have in an aquarium.

My contribution goes to the Otocinclus. In my opinion it is a must have in a planted tank as it plays a major role in the clean up. Unfortunately, I just poisoned mine a few days ago due to excessive Co2. Will be picking up new ones today because I see the little strings of algae beginning to grow.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I'd add siamensis to the list, but I'm sure 90% of people would agree. Most of the rest is personal preference. I've tried about everything out there from pirhanna to apistos.

A nice Ram or two is my new favorite - fun mannerisms, stunningly beautiful.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Every planted tank I setup now has Otos and Caridina Japonica (Amano) shrimp. The choice for the rest of the fish depends on the particular aquascape... I recently setup up a 250l tank with a school of 45 Rasbora Heteromorpha (Harlequins), 12 Otos and 30 Amanos.


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## Mellonman (Nov 2, 2005)

JerseyScape said:


> Hi,
> In my opinion it is a must have in a planted tank as it plays a major role in the clean up. Unfortunately, I just poisoned mine a few days ago due to excessive Co2. Will be picking up new ones today because I see the little strings of algae beginning to grow.


In my opinion, fish should not be put in a tank only for their use...
Fish are not cleaning accessories...

Moreover, you talk about "your" otocinclus, which makes me think it was the only one in your tank. This species is gregarious and should be kept in group of at least 5 fish...


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Mellonman said:


> In my opinion, fish should not be put in a tank only for their use...
> Fish are not cleaning accessories...
> 
> Moreover, you talk about "your" otocinclus, which makes me think it was the only one in your tank. This species is gregarious and should be kept in group of at least 5 fish...


I had two of them. 
It's just my opinion as to why I like them.....they make great cleaning accessories to a planted tank (in my opinion)

I have to try the amano shrimp like everyone is recommending.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

I really don't have a 'planted tank' specific fish, or 'must have,' I just pick whichever fish I like whether the tank is going to be planted or not.


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## SnyperP (Dec 10, 2004)

Amanos and Oto's much more than just a clean up crew. They're neat little additions to the fish tank. Oto's tend to school in groups of 3 or larger. Amanos are generally big enough to have more agressive fish also in the tank.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

I'm sure you've seen me talk about it a million times on here: Puntius denisoni. 
They are by far my favorite "new" fish to the hobby.

I think mollies are a must too. They eat surface scum, all kinds of algae (even BGA!) and have great personalities.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Gumby said:


> I'm sure you've seen me talk about it a million times on here: Puntius denisoni.
> They are by far my favorite "new" fish to the hobby.
> 
> I think mollies are a must too. They eat surface scum, all kinds of algae (even BGA!) and have great personalities.


A lot of the mollies I've seen tend to be on the larger side. Do they have smaller ones?


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## Veneer (Jun 12, 2005)

Not, perhaps, 'must-have', but a favorite nonetheless:

Ossa Knife - _Rhamphichthys rostratus_ (images not mine):


Within bag
Closer in-bag shot
Within aquarium


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

SnyperP said:


> Amanos and Oto's much more than just a clean up crew. They're neat little additions to the fish tank. Oto's tend to school in groups of 3 or larger. Amanos are generally big enough to have more agressive fish also in the tank.


without being bias...well, they are the friendly clean up crew, everybody i know uses them as worker fish/shrimp...

let's just say they'd never be the show fish/shrimp in the tank. useful but unpretty.

honestly i wouldn't even bother with them when i can have nicer looking fish and shrimp. zebra otos, cherries, CRS are nicer IMO...


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Ottocinclus are a must have in all of my aquatic garden style tanks. There's nothing wrong with keeping fish for their usefulness over their attractiveness. All the same, I like them in schools of 5+ because they're so darn cute swimming around interacting with eachother. Again, unless it's a biotope I tend to "need" some sort of Apistogramma in my tanks too. 

Regards,
Phil


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Cory's, Cory's and more Cory's are my musts.


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## Overfloater (Apr 2, 2004)

In a planted tank, this guy is a must unless you are trying to grow HC


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Bristlenose loved to destroy my large Sword leaves =\


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## Roy Deki (Apr 7, 2004)

Oto's, a Candy stripe pleco, Nerite snails and as many shrimp as I can. I usally try to stock 2 oto's per 5 gallons.


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## Buckeye_Robert (Mar 12, 2005)

what a great bristlenose picure


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

how big does the bristlenose get?

I presume it would not be a good idea to keep one in a 15 gallon, right?


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## fishmaster#1 (Apr 10, 2005)

I had a pair breed in a ten with a powerhead. After the fry were hatched I used a sponge filter. I got many hundreds of fry out of that pair before I sold them. They like strong current and lots of food 24-7. Mine actually would eat a 3 zuchini disks daily. Maybe that's why they ate your sword leaves.(not enough food) I only had mine eat crypt leaves and leave the swords alone. The crypts had some algae on them tho. I know how to keep algae at bay now so I don't need them. They are great fish tho


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

JanS said:


> Cory's, Cory's and more Cory's are my musts.


Jan...i couldn't agree with you more..


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

corys are a 11 out of 10 on the cute factor...my fav is the sterbai.

if only they don't mess up the fg grass...bad cories!


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## imatrout (May 12, 2005)

Jan is spot on. I didn't realize it at first, but my Corys are becoming my favorite fish!


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## Dewmazz (Sep 6, 2005)

That pleco is like one of those dogs that is so ugly, it's cute! (Except for this one: http://www.samugliestdog.com/  ) I agree with the cories. I have two "buddies" that are very cute and are fun to watch. They don't seem to mess with my microsword tho. In fact, I think they like navigating trough it.

Oh. I just found out Sam passed away. Shoot.


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## imatrout (May 12, 2005)

standoyo said:


> corys are a 11 out of 10 on the cute factor...my fav is the sterbai.
> 
> if only they don't mess up the fg grass...bad cories!


I use Elatine in the foreground and I think it's kind of cool to see them rooting around in there. They really don't do that much harm and the Elatine's defense is that it grows real fast!


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## Overfloater (Apr 2, 2004)

buckeyemolded said:


> what a great bristlenose picure


Thanks, it's one of my best.  As far as size.. mine seems to have peaked at about 4".


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Just found a new type of ottocinclus that I never knew existed.

Zebra Otto (they look rather interesting)


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Had 5 of those about a year back..but gave them transferred them to another tank... They are cute buggers.. but still cant beat the corys..lol


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## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

Are there any online sources for the Zebra Otto's?

Bill


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## raven_wilde (Nov 16, 2005)

Wow, zebra ottos, I never knew... and, just by coincidence, I was planning on purchasing some ottos for my tank, now I hope my LFS has the zebra variety. Anyway, my real otto question: Will they help take care of the algae that's growing on my anubias leaves? It's that flat, green, round spotted type that seems to like slow growing plants. My shrimp don't seem to be able to do anything about it, so I was hoping the ottos with their little rasping mouths could take care of it.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

I remember when Zebra ottos first showed up in the hobby about 3 or 4 years ago. They were fetching prices around $50-60 EACH. Now they're down to about 15-20. Very neat fish indeed.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

stcyrwm said:


> Are there any online sources for the Zebra Otto's?
> 
> Bill


I picked mine up on Aqua Bid last year. There are a few sellers who offer them from time to time there.


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## raven_wilde (Nov 16, 2005)

Wow, 15-20, maybe I'll pass. Pretty fish though.


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

imatrout said:


> I use Elatine in the foreground and I think it's kind of cool to see them rooting around in there. They really don't do that much harm and the Elatine's defense is that it grows real fast!


cories do damage if you plant in the ultra fluffy ADA powder Glosso, HC and the like... otherwise when the plants are deeply rooted then it's ok...

read that cories will starve if they are put in fully planted HG tank. food getting trapped in the dense bush and the cories can't get to it. 

i have a pair each of green[can't remember name], sterbai's and pandas. really fun bunch. crazy about their reflection and tireless!...silly and SOOO cute haha...i think my discus get dizzy watching them...

zebra otos are hard to come by. about RM30[~USD8] last time i heard from courtesy call from LFS, but by the time i got there it was all gone! [email protected]#r

nice picture of it posted.


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## georgiadawgger (Jun 14, 2004)

Overfloater said:


> In a planted tank, this guy is a must unless you are trying to grow HC


A face only a mother could love!!

Me: cardinal tetras, Harlequin rasboras, rummynosed, cories...and discus


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## T-Bone (Nov 23, 2005)

NEONS!!!

:lol: just kidding :lol: All kidding aside my tanks have 2 things in common, Ottos and cories. Then the other types of fish. IMHO my favorite cory would be the spotted cories I have.

This one









Although those zebra otto's are pretty cool. I'd snap those up in a second if I saw some.


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## TWood (Dec 9, 2004)

Goldfish.

Not kidding.

I recently switched to fancy goldfish in my 90 gallon and I'll never keep anything else. I'm eyeing a pair of these:


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

TWood said:


> Goldfish.
> 
> Not kidding.
> 
> I recently switched to fancy goldfish in my 90 gallon and I'll never keep anything else. I'm eyeing a pair of these:


Don't they eat plants? Is it true that they pollute like crazy?


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## TWood (Dec 9, 2004)

JerseyScape said:


> Don't they eat plants? Is it true that they pollute like crazy?


Pretty much ALL the conventional wisdom about goldfish and planted tanks is wrong. Mine don't eat the plants, don't poop any more than any other fish of equal size, do quite well in soft water with acidic pH, and don't choke to death on the substrate. Did I miss any?

Given that it's a large-bodied fish, that one pictured is 6" nose to tailtip, there is more nitrate production than from smaller fish, but that's to be expected. I doubt it's any different than discus of equal size.

They will eat out of your hand, and let the kids reach in and hold them. Well, they're too slow to get away, but they don't seem to mind. Makes large water changes easy when you can just put them in a bucket.

Mine are spawning regularly, but the eggs are eaten. The males sport "breeding stars" on their gillplates - little white dots.

TW


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

T-Bone said:


> NEONS!!!
> 
> :lol: just kidding :lol: All kidding aside my tanks have 2 things in common, Ottos and cories. Then the other types of fish. IMHO my favorite cory would be the spotted cories I have.
> 
> ...


these trilineatus are nice. julli, the spotted ones are also very nice esp in schools of 6 or more...

goldfish are very friendly and the world's most favourite fish according to some poll.

from xp, the dif between discus and goldfish are goldfish will eat and eat and eat till they explode.[smilie=b: or do belly flops.

discus are shy to strangers, goldfish make no distinction [they gladly feed off a burglar]...IMO they have 'feed me' permanently tattoo'ed on their heads! haha.


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## hir0 (Nov 11, 2005)

don't really have any fish that I have to have in every tank, but i really love the fucarta rainbows in a smallish tank.


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