What freshwater fish are best for my water?

[mistahoo]

So you're going with peacocks? I'm not too fond of them. Never really got why people liked them or how they have different colors but they're all labeled peacocks? There's also those mutt looking ones with all the dark colors mixed together. What's up with that?

[troy tucker]

Why not Angels?

[CRUSHER]

also depends on how many fish you want... if you want a lot, get about 6 of a bunch of different kinds of Tetras... if you want fish that get kind of big... 4-5 inches get about 3 or four fish. i have a tall 45 gallon and have all different kinds of Tetras... rummy nose, black phantoms, spectra?, 4-dwarf garomies, lemon Tetras, 4 corydoras, jumbo neon Tetras, 2-plecos, 1-large feeder guppie that i allowed to live... there's a few other kinds but cant remember what they are right now... the substrate is pool filter sand, i have a bunch of different kinds of plants of various heights... everyone in the tank gets along fine except a chinese algae eater that likes to mess with my corydoras...

My water hardness is around 75 and the alkalinity is in the 8.0-8.5 range.
I am not picky about what fish, just want the water to be good for them.
My tank is a 55 gal. and has fully cycled. I am anxious to get some fish.

[allysangels]

So you're going with peacocks? I'm not too fond of them. Never really got why people liked them or how they have different colors but they're all labeled peacocks? There's also those mutt looking ones with all the dark colors mixed together. What's up with that?

its because stores like petco sell them as assorted africans. there is no distinction between species, and as many of us know they will hybridize quite easily. so you end up with people keeping fish without knowing what they are, and breeding mutts.

[barrettsline]

What freshwater fish are best for my water?

Ain't nothing wrong with a mutt.

[allysangels]

Ain't nothing wrong with a mutt.

I love hybrid fish, the issue here is people not knowing what they have, also many of these fish are endangered in the wild, and without pure strains reintroducing to their native waters is difficult.

[barrettsline]

without pure strains reintroducing to their native waters is difficult.

I understand where your coming from/what your trying to say. However, IMO genetically everything is a hybrid. Even pure strains are hybrids. The thing people need to understand is that createing a frankenstein of a fish is not ok for the sake of the fish and possibly an ecosystem (if they were released). thake the simplest example of my mbuna, I have so many hybrid color patterns, I couldnt list them. I will not stop it however because I know it can and does happen in nature. Thats where your new species come from.

We're all mutts, and even then somebody loves us. As long as the gene pool doesnt go stright up like a tree with no branches, its cool.

Darwinism

[allysangels]

interbreeding does happen... although in the wild with the option available, most species will choose their own kind over another. in aquaria hybridization is much more common given the narrower choices. it bothers me more that stores sell fish without telling people what they are! same with plants. they are just labeled "assorted plants" it's hard to look up the proper care for any organism if you don't know it's name!

[barrettsline]

What freshwater fish are best for my water?

interbreeding does happen... although in the wild with the option available, most species will choose their own kind over another. in aquaria hybridization is much more common given the narrower choices. it bothers me more that stores sell fish without telling people what they are! same with plants. they are just labeled "assorted plants" it's hard to look up the proper care for any organism if you don't know it's name!

I would have to agree whole heartedly with you ally. Selling assorted is a lazy stores way of selling fish. But there again not many take true pride in it anymore. I like mom and pop stores way more than conglomerates. Just wish they could compete better. There's no true education to the consumer in a large conglomerate store. It there is its far and few between.

[allysangels]

Selling assorted is a lazy stores way of selling fish. But there again not many take true pride in it anymore. I like mom and pop stores way more than conglomerates. Just wish they could compete better. There's no true education to the consumer in a large conglomerate store. It there is its far and few between.

and i couldn't agree with you more, either. i try to do my part but it's disheartening that there are so few of us out there, i guess that's why i do what i do!

[barrettsline]

What freshwater fish are best for my water?

and i couldn't agree with you more, either. i try to do my part but it's disheartening that there are so few of us out there, i guess that's why i do what i do!

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