# Community Species Special



## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I am looking to showcase the fish I am currently keeping in my community tank. It might be refreshing to take a break from talking about bettas all day. I plan on doing a 'species special' whenever I get a chance, hopefully weekly. I have enough variety in my tank to keep this thread going for a while. 

I encourage the bettas-only keepers to start a community tank. If you already own one, you might be interested in keeping some of the fish I will be discussing. I am always open to suggestions if anyone wants to recommend something for my tank.

It won't bother me if there isn't an audience for non-betta discussions. I am just looking for a place to share my experience (or inexperience). I don't have anyone to talk fish to as all my friends think this hobby is lame.

To begin, I'd like to talk about the tank itself. It's a 90 gallon planted community. This tank is heavily overstocked. Some of you will may even bash me for it. Without spoiling too much, I have posted a older photo of my tank. I have since populated this tank even more and the inhabitants will continue to change as time goes by.

Just a disclaimer: I will not be researching any of the fish in advance. This isn't meant to be a fact sheet. I am almost certain that any information I provide will have mistakes. Anything I say will just be my opinions and experiences


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

*Roseline Shark*

To start things off, I'd like to introduce my all-time favourite fish, the Roseline Shark. They are the centre of attention in my tank. 

I have about 24 of them. I wasn't kidding when I said my tank was overstocked. These guys grow to a size of 6 inches or so. I have one that is fully mature and rest are quickly catching up.

They remind me of a larger version of rummynose tetras. I actually bought some of them at that size. As they mature, their colors really come in. That deep red and black horizontal stripe just looks amazing. Their bodies develop an olive color with a really nice sheen to it.

They are some of the largest schooling fish and will do better in larger numbers. Just by looking at their shape, you can tell they are made for speed. They love darting back and forth from one end to another. I would say a 4ft long tank is ideal.

They are very peaceful. I keep them with much smaller fish and they do just fine. The only aggression I see is towards their own kind. The larger ones will occasionally spar and chase each other in circles almost in a playful manner. It's quite enjoyable to watch.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Am subscribing to this thread :thumbsup:

I love those Roselines. I had no idea they got to be that big though.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Ya, they can grow quite big. But are they ever nice when they get large. They carry a high price tag at that size.

The high demand for this fish has caused their numbers to to decline in the wild. It was just recently that they were removed from the endangered species list.

These fish don't breed in captivity. I think it's possible that they are now being mass produced in farms using hormone injections or manual squeezing of the eggs and sperm. Lately I have been seeing large batches of juveniles sold in the stores.

I have attached a video of their playful aggression. The quality isn't the greatest, but try to view it in HD.


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## ellekay (Nov 11, 2014)

Okay, seriously gorgeous tank! Totally jealous! Can you scape mine for me 

I'm starting a 10g community tank (for now, we want to do a big saltwater here in a few years) and depending on how it goes, I might become addicted...  

Subscribing as well, since I'm new to the fish scene.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Welcome to the wonderful world of fish keeping. There are lots of useful information out there that will help you achieve success. I failed miserably when I first entered this hobby. Everything I owned died. I was persistent and never gave up.

A 10 gallon tank is a good starter size. I am willing to bet you will upgrade tank size if you stick around this hobby long enough. That's when the real fun begins.

Marine fish keeping has always been intimidating. It's a rich man's game. But wow, the fish and corals are stunning.

Keeping a planted tank has always captivated me. I personally feel it's the toughest aspect of the freshwater hobby. There is always something to do. If it weren't for the plants, I would've lost interest and quit this hobby a long time ago. It's always more fun and personal to scape your own tank.

I am debating between a few species for the next showcase. I think I will try for something more common that will interest people a bit more.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Just a couple more photos of the Roselines before I conclude.


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## kr1st3n (Nov 20, 2014)

I suddenly feel better about my 'overstocked' tanks. Hahahaha! But seriously, beautiful tank!


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## ellekay (Nov 11, 2014)

what is the tail grass like plant in the middle back? I love it and would like to get some.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

ellekay said:


> what is the tail grass like plant in the middle back? I love it and would like to get some.


I could be wrong but it looks like hygrophila angustifolia (should wait for andakin to reply though).


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## eemmais (Oct 28, 2012)

Gorgeous tank and fish! I agree with you that plants keep things interesting. I kind of lost interest in aquariums a few months ago but after learning more about planted tanks I can't stop thinking about setting a few up. 

I've got a 40 gallon breeder in the garage I want to start soon, the only thing I'm waiting for is to save up enough money. Hopefully I can have it done in a few months, though.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Aqua Aurora said:


> I could be wrong but it looks like hygrophila angustifolia (should wait for andakin to reply though).


I encourage everyone to participate. This is indeed Hygrophila Angustifolia. 

This plant is relatively undemanding. With good conditions, it will grow very fast and take over a tank. What I like most about this plant is that it has hard stems which makes for easy propagation. If you can't find this specific variety, I would suggest looking for any hygrophila species. They all work the same. The main difference is the leaf variety.




eemmais said:


> Gorgeous tank and fish! I agree with you that plants keep things interesting. I kind of lost interest in aquariums a few months ago but after learning more about planted tanks I can't stop thinking about setting a few up.


I think many feel the same way about this hobby. People get bored when they 'complete' a tank and run out of new things to do. They need to find a reason to stick around. For some people, it's the plants, for others it's the breeding. 



kr1st3n said:


> I suddenly feel better about my 'overstocked' tanks. Hahahaha! But seriously, beautiful tank!


I'm glad I made you feel better about your stocking level. But on the flip side, you made me feel worst. JK.

I am usually in the closet about overstocking my tank. The last time I checked an online calculator, I was approaching 400% mark. I tell myself it's just a suggestive number to make myself feel better.

I have a compulsive personality. I just came home with more fish! Nine of the fifteen has the potential to grow really big. I know, I know, this is bad fish keeping 101. They were all on sale and I just couldn't resist.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

If you're using aqadvisor, it doesn't take plants absorbing nitrates into account. My 55g is about 75% right now, but my nitrates are 0 to just slightly under 5ppm. I have a lot of aquatic and riparium plants sucking them up so I can stock it more. I've been trying to get cory through qt.. but keep having deaths (was told recently they're generally poorly cares for before purchase so I should expect low survival rate.. like with otos from chain stores)... I've though about roseline sharks but don't know how my rainbowfish or cherry barbs would like them. 
I noticed from your video that the neon tetra were hanging out in the plants a lot (hiding) are they like that most of the time?
Whats the fish in the 3rd bag on the right? a barb?


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I have only tested my water once. It took a lot of courage partly because I'm afraid what the results might show. Ignorance is bliss. I did my first test recently after going two weeks without a water change. I was ashamed to have gone that long because I'm the type that will do multiple water changes weekly. I have the confidence of knowing that my tank will never be worst than what the results show. I was just told that everything was within the acceptable level. I don't recall what the readings were because I never pay attention to numbers. I let the fish tell me. If the fish and plants are alive, I just pretend everything is okay.

Roselines are great. I am confident they will do fine with your rainbows and barbs. Ottos on the other hand are terribly sensitive and are lousy at eating algae. They are always the first to get sick and die. Heck, a lot of the time you buy them already sick and they spread to the rest of your fish. I have owned many in the past and can't stress enough the hatred I have for them.

The neons and cardinals don't come out to play much. The open space is claimed by the larger fish. When it comes time for feeding, the entire school comes out and eat like pigs. It's quite the scene.

Ya, the third bag has Odessa Barbs. Once they settle and mature, their metallic reds are second to none. Well, maybe certain Rainbows.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I know all too well about the otos.. the only algae they eat though is diatoms, then other micro growths we don't see.. but not: blue green algae, hair algae, black beard algae, green spot or green dust algae... don't know about staghorn (not had it yet *knock on wood*) but probably won't eat that either. They don't eat most algae wafers as they have some form of protein (___meal) in them, but blanched veggies are a good supplement to the diet. I have 7-8 otos right now, only 50% survival rate at that's with knowledge of food, aged and cycled tank, temp, and drip acclimation + only buying when they are active and not flat/caved in bellies. My oldest group is only 3 in a 12g long (the original batch that was with Arist'oto' in the 20g), I tried adding another that was getting stressed in the 7g after its companion went missing (no clue where the hell the other oto went ).. but the oddball oto passed last week (had for 2 months). I also have 4-5 (hard to find!) in the 55 right now that I need to catch and put back in my 20g long before the angel gets big enough to eat them... that's going to be fun x.x


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

I'm seriously considering getting 10 roseline sharks for my 120 gallon. What's the smallest fish you've had them with? I have ember tetras. Do you think they'd eat 'em??


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I'll be happy if I can convince even one person to get Roselines. I know I'm sounding overly obsessed. They are friendly giants. I have never seen them as much as chase a Tetra. Heck, the Roseline would probably apologize to a Tetra if he accidentally bumped into one.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

I am sold on them for sure. My LFS has juveniles for $12 each. I have been reading about them and mainly hear *expensive* but I don't think that's so outrageous.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I hardly ever buy fish at regular price, especially Roselines. I just wait for sales. I would consider 12$ for a juvie to be on the expensive side, especially for people wanting a school of them.

I'm happy to hear you're giving this fish some serious thought. Aside from the visual health inspection, there is one advice I'd like to offer. Make sure the caudal fins are symmetric. It's not uncommon to see them fused together or that one extension is noticeably shorter.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

I have two other stores in the area that have them listed in stock on the website. I can't get them until next weekend anyway, so I'll see which ones look the best. They'll put my tank at 108% stocked according to aqadvisor, but I'm 199% filtered lol. I am usually okay pushing to 120-150% stocked anyway.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Your tank looks great. Wow, 24 Roselines! They are my favorites as well. I have 4 full grown ones in my 55 and looking to add more. I love the Congos too.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I wish I had given more thought to the first post. I would add to it by asking members to post of photos of their fish that is being discussed. That being said, feel free to share photos of your Roselines. I always enjoy looking at fish photos.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

I would love to start a community but the only tank I could do it in is a (kinda overstocked) 20g long sorority. I'm leery to add fish like neon tetras and danios and stuff for fear that I might tip the relatively peaceful balance I have going between my girls.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

*Neon and Cardinal Tetras*

It’s time to feature a new fish. I’ve decided to combine two fish this time because of their similarity; it’s the Neon Tetra and Cardinal Tetra. These are arguably the most popular fish in the hobby. No community tank is complete without them. 

I have owned almost every type of popular tetras in the hobby at one point or another. These guys rank somewhere on the top of the list. I still can’t decide if I like the Neons or Cardinals better. I’m curious to know what this community thinks.

For many, these are the first fish they ever buy. They are popular for many reasons. They have nice color, don’t grow very large, and form a tight school. Their striking iridescent blue stripes even appear to shine or glow in low-lit tanks. I use them to fill the voids without drawing too much attention away from my larger fish. These guys will even make for a great centerpiece in a tank of their own.

Telling them apart is very easy. The Cardinal Tetras have a full red belly whereas the reds on Neon Tetras are on only the back half of their undersides. Both have their pros and cons. Cardinals generally grow larger than Neons. But as the Cardinals mature, their reds tend to fade. These are only observations from what I have seen. I could be totally wrong.

I’m having a lot of fun with this thread. It gives me a reason to photograph my tank. I hope you guys will participate by sharing your thoughts and photos of this fish.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Wow that's a lot of tetras!

I'm going to try to get some good pictures of my peacock gudgeons tonight to add to the thread here. They are beautiful little fish, totally peaceful, and very friendly little guys. They aren't schooling fish, but they get along with everyone and their own kind just fine so you can have 2 or 10 or 100 of them lol.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Ya. I kind of went overboard on the Tetras. For each one you see, theres probably another one elsewhere. Small school fish have the highest mark up. I can't afford to buy them at regular price. They go on sale for 1$ a few times a year. That's when I stock up.

I agree that Gudgeons are awesome. I have plans to do a feature on them soon. There's just a few other fish I wanna look at first. Would you mind waiting to share your photos? Thanks.


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## BettaNamedHerbert (Nov 23, 2014)

Wow, a beautiful tank! Personally, I'm really bad at designing tanks, and mine look terrible.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Most people will choose Neon over Cardinal tetra, as cardinals are wild caught and often have a high mortality rate from stress, starvation, or water parameters that are too far from their home water's (too high of a pH or temp for example). Neons breed in the aquarium so they're not wild caught, and are much more adaptable to varying pH and hardness levels, however there is a neon tetra specific disease they can get (was posted on recently in another forum).. I don't know the specifics of the illness though, other than a visual symptom is a whitening/loss of color of the body (usually starting at the back like a saddle).


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Oh gosh of course. I didn't mean to hijack your thread lol. Just got excited.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I encourage the participation. I don't feel like it's a hijack at all. I just like to maintain some sort of order. I look forward to seeing those Gudgeons. They are some of my new favorites. Thanks for understanding.

These tetras are often sold as beginner fish without informing people of how sensitive they can be. I'm sure I have introduced many more tetras into the tank than what I have now. The sick and dead are often eaten up without leaving a trace of evidence. I'd be lying if I said I have never experienced ick, fin rot, fading patches on their bodies, or some sort of mouth fungus. Several of them still have weird bumps on their mouths that never seem to go away. I am often told that Cardinals are more sensitive for the reasons you listed but I find the Neons to be equally as weak. Oddly, the Cardinals in my tank appear to be in better health. 

I probably should've given my personal opinions on these fish. I would not recommend these as beginner fish because there are _nicer_ and hardier fish you can buy for the same price. This may sound like a blanket statement and I hope I don't offend anyone, the people that buy these are often unaware of the existence of the many nicer looking small fish. Of course looks are subjective.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

my personal preference is the Cardinal tetra. I just like their looks much better than the neons. both look great in large schools.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

I have a school of neon tetras, and I like them very much. I'm actually glad I got them, being slightly more sensitive fish. When I first set up my 55 gallon tank (it's a corner tank, so it's verrrry deep), the morning after I added the neons, I found them kind of listless and gasping at the bottom of the tank. They taught me that I did not have enough surface agitation to oxygenate the deep tank. One large water change later and a little careful aiming of my filter outflow, and they perked up just like that. 

Not that I encourage "testing" things on fish, but I keep a close eye on them now because I assume they will be the first fish to show any signs of distress if there's anything upset with the tank.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

*Dwarf Neon Rainbow*

Lets talk Rainbowfish. What captivated me most about this family of fish has to be their scales. They have some of the cleanest and shiniest scales of any fish. 

Rainbows have always intimidated me because there are so many varieties. It can be tough knowing where to start. I was clueless in terms of compatibility but still wanted to give them a try. Not wanting to spend a lot of money, I looked for the cheapest variety and that happened to be the Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish.

All I can say is WOW! This is one impressive fish. As mentioned, their scales are absolutely stunning. They have such a unique shape too. Their fins and mouths look so small in comparison to their bodies. I really hope this isn’t a ‘balloon’ version of another fish. I can’t stand the look of other balloon varieties.

This is the only fish I know of where the males and females look the very similar but also very different at the same time. I will try to describe what I mean by that. The males are blue with red fins whereas the females are yellow-blue with yellow fins. As the males mature, their bodies broadens and their faces look squished. The females maintain a slender look.

I don’t have the desire to explore other varieties of Rainbows after owning just this. Growing to a size of under 3 inches, this is the perfect community fish to have.

Please share your photos of this fish if you own some.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Although this thread isn't generating any attention, I'd still like to share more photos of this fish.

To elaborate on my previous comment about Tetras being overrated and that there are nicer fish, this fish is the perfect example of that. The price of this fish is comparable to that of tetras. I wish I had stocked my tank with more of this instead of the 100+ tetras. What a regret.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I agree, the Praecox Rainbows are a very nice fish and fun to watch the males show off to each other and to the females.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

I'm kinda waiting for something to catch my attention more. So far I find that the roseline sharks are nice.


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## Veerie (Nov 29, 2014)

*Neon Tetras*

I've never owned Cardinal teras so it's hard to compare but from my experience, neons have to be some of the wimpiest fish ever. When I first bought my Fluval Edge I imagined it with a beautiful little school of 6-8 neon tetras, marimo balls and red gravel. I bought a little budha statue, got that puppy cycled and bought my fish. Next day, all dead. I tested my water but all was good so I returned them and brought home some more. This time they lasted a few days but eventually died off. I did some research and I believe they had neon tetra disease... I still have that tank but after that epic fail I have not re-set it up  Any suggestions as to a more hardy, readily-available, schooling fish?


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Unfortunately, the Dwarf Neons is the only variety of Rainbow I own. If this species doesn't appeal to you, there is an entire family of other Rainbows worth exploring. Although I'm not a big fan, the most popular variety has to be the Boesmani.




jeaninel said:


> I agree, the Praecox Rainbows are a very nice fish and fun to watch the males show off to each other and to the females.


The males are quite the showboater. I've caught them locking lips a few times. I wish I can capture a photo of them yawning with their fins flared out. It's the coolest thing ever.

You seem to have a lot of knowledge on the fish I've posted. If you own any of them, please share.




Tress said:


> I'm kinda waiting for something to catch my attention more. So far I find that the roseline sharks are nice.


You're a hard one to please. Stay tuned, I might have some that will interest you.




Veerie said:


> I've never owned Cardinal teras so it's hard to compare but from my experience, neons have to be some of the wimpiest fish ever. When I first bought my Fluval Edge I imagined it with a beautiful little school of 6-8 neon tetras, marimo balls and red gravel. I bought a little budha statue, got that puppy cycled and bought my fish. Next day, all dead. I tested my water but all was good so I returned them and brought home some more. This time they lasted a few days but eventually died off. I did some research and I believe they had neon tetra disease... I still have that tank but after that epic fail I have not re-set it up  Any suggestions as to a more hardy, readily-available, schooling fish?


Fluval tanks are nice. It's such a waste to store it away. You have to set that thing back up. I'm not sure what size Edge you have, but I find them a bit too small for a community tank. You are restricted to what you can do.

I have had my fair share of dead tetras. Although your tank is cycled, I find they do better in mature set-ups. Don't let that experience deter you from trying your hands on tetras again. There are countless of others in the tetra family to explore. I'm sure you can find something more interesting than Neons. Without knowing your preference, it's very hard to suggest something specific. The best part about this hobby is the exploration.


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## Veerie (Nov 29, 2014)

*Thanks!*

Im a big fan of Fluval as well I have the Edge and Ebi in Storage. The Ebi is 8 gallons but needs the backing re-siliconed on and the filter replaced. The Edge is in basically brand new condition but is only 6 gallons. Normally, on a tank that small I would put a betta but with the Edge being designed to allow no air surface, I ran out of ideas. I really like Rasboras but I'm saving them for when I take the dive into Angel fish


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Maybe you should consider using the Ebi for what it was intended for; shrimps. I have never ventured into shrimp keeping, but it's on my to-do list. It looks more complicated than fish.

Rasboras are awesome. I don't currently own any so I guess I'll give a quick blurb about the three I have owned in the past. I find they usually school tighter than tetras.

Harlequins: You can't go wrong with them. They are the most popular.
Scissortails: They remind me of Rummynose Tetras or miniature Roselines.
Rummynose Rasbora (not tetra): They are less common and not easy to keep. To bring out their stunning colors, the environment has to be perfect.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

andakin said:


> You're a hard one to please. Stay tuned, I might have some that will interest you.


Hehe I am, sorry about that. I likely wont set up a community till I've moved out but I'm definitely wanting one, betta or no betta in it.

I find the odd heads of the male dwarf rainbows too weird, the females are kinda nice. I guess I'm just really picky. I'll stick around to see what else you have to show


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Oh man. I went to the "good" fish store 90 minutes away from my house, and they only had really big roseline sharks which were $30 each. Lame. So I ended up with a small school of golden barbs for now and will go back for more sharks once they get in some babies. 

I'm hooked on these sharks!


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Sorry to hear you wasted a long trip out to the shop. Some shops here price them at that for their 'Large' when they're barely pushing Medium. Even if they are truly large, it's hard justifying paying that for a single fish. Good luck finding some reasonably priced.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi everyone. This is a bit off topic but my friend just posted a youtube video of her 10 gallon 'community' betta tank. Give it a watch and subscribe to her channel. She does mostly cichlid stuff but I'm slowly convincing her to come to the planted community side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_PlDzTk1-c


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## Veerie (Nov 29, 2014)

Her koi betta is gorgeous! And that tank though <3


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I'll be sure to pass on the compliments. With the exception of the equipment, I had a minor role with everything else in that tank, including the fish.

I lied when I said I didn't have a single friend in the hobby; I have one. She was the once that convinced me to get back into betta keeping after a five year absence.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

What a pretty betta. I always wanted a koi colored one. I had to settle for an orange/black/white angelfish.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

You can get balloon rainbows I believe, but I am pretty sure most of the rainbows have that deep-bodied, compressed head sort of look. 

I have kept Melanotaenia maccullochi Skull Ck, which are a soft water, smaller species of rainbowfish that lack the deep body and pinched head. I also kept rhadinocentrus, which are an absolutely stunning family of fish. 

I actually really like fish from the Pseudomugil genus. You can find species in this group to suit any water conditions, from soft water to brackish. They are small, but active fish, so I think do best in tanks with a footprint of around two feet. 

Another favourite of mine for community tanks is microdevario kubotai. Just a stunning fish, and very bold for a smaller schooling fish. Mine would swarm my hand and have a nibble whenever I did tank maintenance. 

I can't stand the commonly seen tetras. I am more a fan of unusual species. Neon/cardinal tetras bore me. I only really like ember and splashing tetras.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I'm not a fan of balloon varieties through selective breeding. I think it's wrong.

I gave up the chance to pick up Skull Creek rainbows at several local auctions. In the bag, they just looked so-so. I'm sure like all fish, they color up nicely in a tank. I just don't know enough about that fish to want to give it a try.

I chose to omit the smaller family of Rainbows because they look nothing like the traditional Rainbows that we are used to seeing. The Gertrude and Threadfins have some of the most unique fins, only rivalled by the Betta.

I have a love/hate with Neons and Cardinals. They look great but are just over done. They will hold the staple title for a very long time.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Yes I also hate balloon varieties of any fish. I also really don't like a lot of fancy strain goldfish for similar reasons. 

Skull Creek rainbows have a more subtle beauty than some of the more colourful species. Some people like this, others, not so much. I also had a variety from Burton Creek, which were also nice in their own way. Of course in a bag they are going to look even more washed out. I kept them mainly because of their size and the fact they like similar water conditions to my other fish. 

The fact they look nothing like rainbows is probably why I like the blue eyes. Small, slender-bodied fish are my preference. I've kept several species from this group and always enjoyed them. I think in the right set-up they do make good community tankmates. 

I always feel sorry for neon tetras. You see a lot of them end up in less than ideal set-ups (such as uncycled aquariums) because of their popularity and the fact they seem to be sold at every fish and pet store.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Selective breeding has done a lot of good such as bringing us the Bettas and Discus. There is also a lot of crap that's come out of it. Balloons, long fins, double tails, lyre tails, hybrids, albinos, and even GM glo fish to name a few. I hope I'm not offending anyone. Some of what I just listed look good but most are horrible.

My all-time favourite fish, the Roseline Shark even has a 'gold' variety with all of the blacks removed. These are rare and the breeder keeps it a secret on how it's done. A shop a few cities over had some in last year but I was too lazy to see it in person. I regret not going before passing judgement.









Here are a few photos of fish I think look bad with long fins.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

... those clown fish look like something melted and singed their fins. It just looks so unnatural.

The roselines look so weird without the black in them, and not really in a good way.

I completely agree with you about some of the things being created, many at the expense of the animal. That's why I don't like double tail bettas, you hear about how many problems they have. I don't find them overly appealing, as I like bettas because they have single tails. Though the ones I have seen usually have better colours than the "normal" pet store fish.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Are those long finned neon tetras? Weird!!


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

*Red-Tailed Black Shark*

Hi everyone. I’d like to introduce you to the Red-tailed Black Shark. I personally just call it the Red Tail Shark.

My favorite combination of colors is black and red. So naturally, this is a must have for me. The jet-black color is the deepest black of any freshwater fish. The only fish that might top it is the Ghost Knifefish (which I don’t own).

Don’t confuse the Red-tailed Black Shark with the Rainbow Shark. The RTBS is entirely black with a red caudal, and a slight white tip on the dorsal. The Rainbow Shark is has a faded black body, all red fins, and a slender body that doesn’t look as nice imo.

I only have one RTBS in my tank, and for very good reasons. This fish is supposed to be very territorial. I say, good luck establishing your own personal space in my overstocked tank. Instead, he owns the entire tank. This is one bad ass fish not to be messed with. He gives everyone a good chase every now and then. But for the most part, he is quite tame and doesn’t bother anyone too much. It's advisable to only keep one RTBS and avoid other shark-like fish. Luckily, mine doesn’t seem to bother the Roselines. If I had to pick a fish the RTBS chases most in my tank, it would be the Siamese Algae Eater. They are quick enough to get a way without causing any issues.

The RTBS is the most personable fish in my tank. He is not at all shy. Whenever I put my hands in for maintenance, the RTBS will not leave me alone. Instead of running and hiding, this one nibbles at my hand like there’s no tomorrow. It’s a welcoming gesture at first, but after a while it starts to get irritating and painful.

I keep calling it a He, but my RTBS might be female. Please confirm if you know.

As always, please share your photos and thoughts on this fish.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Gorgeous fish  I've seen those now and then, not as nice looking as yours though.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Being the only one of its kind in the tank makes him all that much more special. He was my favourite for a long time. I've since replaced it with something else.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Beautiful fish! I already have 2 pair of territorial fish - a pair of German blue rams and a pair of apistogramma cacatuoides (luckily their territories are on opposite sides of the tank) - or I'd be really thinking about this fish. I love the jet black. 

I did pick up 9 roseline sharks this weekend though  I first saw them in one of your pictures and couldn't stop thinking what a perfect addition they would be fore my tank! The store only had 9 small ones left - the large one was $60! Yikes!


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

GBRs are cool. I was thinking of getting some but wasn't sure how they'd do in my tank.

Share some photos of the new Roselines, either in this thread or elsewhere in the forum. There should be a 'What fish did you buy this weekend' thread. *cough* if you or anyone else want to create it.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

My GBRs are incredibly docile and friendly. I've never seen them bother any of the other fish other than occasionally when the (very fearless/dumb) male apisto tries to swim into their cave. Otherwise, they eat and swim right alongside all the other fish just fine - even the apisto as long as he isn't near their cave. And they are so pretty.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Tangent: whats the var. of Ludwigia in your last red tail photo?


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I don't know for sure but I think it's just the regular Ludwigia Repens. Pet stores often mislabel their plants and fish so I don't bother writing them down. 

It's a nice plant but it doesn't match with what I have. I've thought about tossing it a few times because I can't seem to get it to grow. Since I plucked away nearly every leaf and cut down the remaining stems, it started to take off again. The future of this plant is still uncertain.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

I managed to capture a photo of him gnawing at me with my one-handed photography skills.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Aww that's adorable <3 Gives a nice proportion shot too


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

A sneak peak of next week's feature. They've been going at it all night but I have yet to see a single egg. I have PVC pipes in the tank for them to spawn in but they refuse to use them.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

andakin said:


> I managed to capture a photo of him gnawing at me with my one-handed photography skills.


Lol i have a black shark that does the same thing, wont leave me alone during water changes. And your right, it's kinda cool but gets annoying too.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi everyone. I'd like to introduce you to the Peacock Gudgeon. I am ashamed to have never heard of this fish until recently. When I first saw this fish at a local auction, I knew I had to get some. I don't think these are that rare at the pet shops either. I know very little about this fish so I won't have a lot to say. That's okay, because this thread isn't meant to be a fact sheet that could be easily looked up.

I might get a lot of crap for saying this but the Peacock Gudgeon is every bit as colourful as a Killifish. This could be a stepping stone for me to enter the intimidating world of Killies.

They have creepy looking eyes. The best way to describe their eye colors would be sort of a rainbow/hologram-like.

Both the males and females are stunning. Males have a thicker body and a have more of a humped head, similar to cichlids. The males will often flare their fins to spar with other males or to show off to the females. Bettas aren't the only fish with the ability to flare and hold their fins.

This is a must-have for any community tanks. Sorry for the short review.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Very beautiful fish! I have not kept these before. I just might have to look into them!


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