# Looking for a pretty pet...big enough to see!



## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

I'm kinda stuck with having a tank that isn't quite big enough, or, long enough, ect, ect, but...it's the only one I have or can afford to set up. It is a 37g 30"x12"x 22"h and is planted with a dirt substrate. The tank is not ready yet for fish, so, I've been researching and trying out various combos in my mind, but now, I am just over saturated and could use some feedback and ideas. I like cichlids, but, not really into the really tiny apistos...also, like catfish such as the portholes, plecos, and oil cats.

Can't decide what I really want for fish for this tank, so, would love to hear some ideas from you all! I'd love a larger 'pet' with a few companions type set-up, as opposed to lots of tiny fish...that I probably couldn't see to enjoy anyway. Stock need to be able to live long term in this tank, be planted compatible, interesting, pretty, a pair/group/single, what companions, ect. How about it? How would you set this up if you were stocking it? arty:


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## SueD (Aug 19, 2011)

How about a single angel, school of sterbai cories and a school of either rummynose or lemon tetras.


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

I would really like an angel...I've had my eye on some very beautiful Koi angels that are all orange with just a bit of black that are just gorgeous! My problem there is I don't know if I could limit myself to just one...although the price would do that for me, lol! My original idea with this tank was to go for an Amazonian theme, and the angel, corys and tetras would do that. I am open for more international ideas, too, however...perhaps a gourami tank...the possibilities are endless!


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

how about some of the larger wild type livebarrers? i have been thinking about doing a tank with xiphophorus montezumae ojo caliente( i hope i spelled that right lol). they are very pretty, and the males tails are longer then thier body. they are are not very expensive either, $ 25-30 for 5-7 3/4- 1" juvis. One of those, rarer, but not crazy priced fish. just kind of what i have been intrested in, latly. been thinking about doing a biotope in a 40 breeder for awhile.


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

TAB, I have been looking at some of the native species and am very tempted to go with some top minnows, pygmy sunfish, darters and madtom cats! I was just looking at these and think they would be a very interesting choice and something very different from what I have kept in the past.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Forget aquariums. This one you can see both ways - in reality and when you are asleep too:










What do you say?


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

LOL! Not really interested in keeping bugs...they smell really, really bad! Had one just like that in my yard when I lived in NM. Had a blast photographing it, but, not something I wanted to cuddle up with.


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

Has anyone here tried keeping sunfish in a planted tank? I would love to keep a single long-eared, or, dollar sunfish with a school of southern red bellied dace, a couple madtom cats, a few black-lined or golden top minnows and perhaps a rainbow darter. Perhaps too much? LOL! For anyone else interested in keeping native fish, here are a few online sellers of native fish;
Aquaculturestore
BTDarters
Jonahsaquarium
Zimmermansfish


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

OK, I guess sunnies are out. I'm really not into the pygmies, and, all the others I like, orange-spots, long-ears, and, pumpkinseeds are all diggers and get too big. I still like the natives, though, and, have 6 blue-finned killies on the way. I'd like some top minnows and perhaps some darters to go with.


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

Well, I have a semi-native planted tank. Most of the fish are native to the US and the plants to the Americas. The fish are blue-finned killies, and, rosy-red fathead minnows, plus two albino bushy-nose plecos, two African dwarf frogs and some nerite snails. I had a bad algae outbreak right before I went on vacation over Thanksgiving, and when I returned, it was massive with greyish algae completely choking out the hairgrass in front, and all over the wall in back. That was while I still only had the killies. I bought the rest of the critters at Petsmart two days ago...the algae is gone! I swear, I have never bought a clean-up crew for any other tank that worked as fast and as thoroughly as 12 hungry rosy-red minnows...I didn't even know they ate algae, lol! I may have to thin their numbers eventually, but for now, I am very pleased with my cheap fish!


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