# Something Different?



## Salzburg (Oct 17, 2011)

I've been keeping fish for a number of years now and I've had a variety of different standard species. I have a spare 110 litre tank now and I'm looking to keep something different and unusual. I often have a look in aquatics shops but very rarely see anything 'mainstream' that I'd like to keep.

So I'm open for suggestions on what I could keep that would turn a few heads and I would enjoy keeping for a long time.

Thanks


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Waspfish (Vespiculadepressifrons ).

African leaf fish (Polycentropsis abbreviate_) _Ignore South American leaf fish as they're obligate live feeders.

Neither are suitable as beginner species!


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## Kif (Jan 15, 2010)

What size is the tank ? and what would you class as mainstream ?
But off the top of my head how about dwarf puffers ?


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## MRGertrudico (Jan 2, 2014)

What about discus, oscar fish or even marine fishes?


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## Kif (Jan 15, 2010)

110 litres is no where near big enough for a oscar or a group of discus.


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## Fargle (Aug 8, 2013)

Shoal of dwarf rainbows in a heavily planted tank. There's plenty of different colours and shapes out there, some of which I've only seen a couple of times yet are beautiful.


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## MRGertrudico (Jan 2, 2014)

Sorry i hadnt seen the capacity of the tank. 
If you want something different, puffers are pretty original fishes and i would addto the list tanganika cichlids


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## Salzburg (Oct 17, 2011)

Funny, I was looking at pygmy puffers in a fish shop yesterday! Some great suggestions so far, thanks so much everyone. 

I'm not sure if I'm ready to delve into the world of marine yet, I do love my tropicals and my coldwaters


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## dbrack (Aug 9, 2013)

what about an axolotl? bit different to fish. I beleive you could get a pair in a 110L tank. I might be wrong though.


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## Fargle (Aug 8, 2013)

Depends on the shape of the tank, axolotl's need bottom surface area so a long low tank better than a taller tank. 

I have a tank with 6 figure 8 puffers and they're lovely little things, but species only, as with most puffers.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

MRGertrudico said:


> Sorry i hadnt seen the capacity of the tank.
> If you want something different, puffers are pretty original fishes and i would addto the list tanganika cichlids


 A 110 litre tank is too small for the vast majority of Tanganyikan cichlids, not only due to their physical size but also because of their territorial requirements.

However it would be fine for some of the small shell dwelling species which are interesting to keep.  

I'm just pointing that out in case anyone else tries to keep tangs in a tank that is too small.


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## Stan193 (May 27, 2009)

How about hillstream loaches, they're a bit different, they want lots of current and well oxygenated water but there's temperate as well as tropical species.


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## Fargle (Aug 8, 2013)

How about keeping a "mainstream" species but in a more challenging environment. I've seen some excellent set-ups with barbs in a very fast flowing rocky river set-up. Tank was about half full with lots of slate and had an external filter hidden and then a powerhead creating lots of flow over the rocks.


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## MRGertrudico (Jan 2, 2014)

Mynki said:


> A 110 litre tank is too small for the vast majority of Tanganyikan cichlids, not only due to their physical size but also because of their territorial requirements.
> 
> However it would be fine for some of the small shell dwelling species which are interesting to keep.
> 
> I'm just pointing that out in case anyone else tries to keep tangs in a tank that is too small.


Sorry in spanish and I didnt know how to say "shell dewelling" , I wanted to say that.
I think what you can do with your enclosure is to mix water with land and set up an aquaterrarium with fishes and in the land part with frogs or similar...


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Mynki said:


> Waspfish (Vespiculadepressifrons ).
> 
> African leaf fish (Polycentropsis abbreviate_) _Ignore South American leaf fish as they're obligate live feeders.
> 
> Neither are suitable as beginner species!


excellent suggestions- not easy to get though.



Fargle said:


> Shoal of dwarf rainbows in a heavily planted tank. There's plenty of different colours and shapes out there, some of which I've only seen a couple of times yet are beautiful.


yep! some of the rainbows are incredible.



Stan193 said:


> How about hillstream loaches, they're a bit different, they want lots of current and well oxygenated water but there's temperate as well as tropical species.


they can be a bit delicate.


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

dwarf rainbows are a fantastic species and show fantastic courthship and shoaling behaviour - they are very active and fast and will jump out if you dont have a lid - but a lovely species to keep


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

How about a little tankful of Ram Cichlids ( Dwarf and sociable ) ??

ram cichlids - Google Search

OR

A tank of dwarf Apistogramma cichlids ... I had about 5 different trios in a very well planted tank , many years ago .

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ap...VLo-WhQfZoIHoDg&ved=0CEYQiR4&biw=1024&bih=672


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## Kif (Jan 15, 2010)

Been thinking about it a bit more you could look at, bumble bee gobies, Badis badis, shrimp tank, crab tank, british native, depending on the size of tank 3ft+ a lone predator something like a rainbow snakehead or a target puffer, various catfish as a species tank glass cats, small woodcats or a big shoal of dwarf cory's.
That said from past experience pick something you like rather than has been sugested your much more likely to maintain it long term then.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Kif said:


> Been thinking about it a bit more you could look at, bumble bee gobies, Badis badis, shrimp tank, crab tank, british native, depending on the size of tank 3ft+ a lone predator something like a rainbow snakehead or a target puffer, various catfish as a species tank glass cats, small woodcats or a big shoal of dwarf cory's.
> That said from past experience pick something you like rather than has been sugested your much more likely to maintain it long term then.


 Kif

Out of all British freshwater species there's really only sticklebacks and minnows which are suitable in such a small tank.

A 110 litre tank is also on the small side for a rainbow snakehead don't you think? They can grow to around 17cm in length. Same again with the target puffer fish which grows almost the same length.


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## DONTLOOKATME (Apr 5, 2013)

Mynki said:


> A 110 litre tank is too small for the vast majority of Tanganyikan cichlids, not only due to their physical size but also because of their territorial requirements.
> 
> However it would be fine for some of the small shell dwelling species which are interesting to keep.
> 
> I'm just pointing that out in case anyone else tries to keep tangs in a tank that is too small.


I second this, how about a nice colony of n.multifasciatus?
Not something that's seen TOO often but still very easy upkeep and an interesting species.


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## Kif (Jan 15, 2010)

Mynki said:


> Kif
> 
> Out of all British freshwater species there's really only sticklebacks and minnows which are suitable in such a small tank.
> 
> A 110 litre tank is also on the small side for a rainbow snakehead don't you think? They can grow to around 17cm in length. Same again with the target puffer fish which grows almost the same length.


I meant sticklebacks and minnows for native species, I did say depending on size as 110 litres could be 3-4ft in length which would be fine for a rainbow snakehead and a smaller species of target such as Monotrete Abei 10cm or Monotrete Cochinchinensis 8cm.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Kif said:


> I meant sticklebacks and minnows for native species, I did say depending on size as 110 litres could be 3-4ft in length which would be fine for a rainbow snakehead and a smaller species of target such as Monotrete Abei 10cm or Monotrete Cochinchinensis 8cm.


 It wont be 4' in length. Work out the dimensions and you'll see what I mean. To keep a snakehead ethically, you really need a tank around six times it's maximum length, with the tank width being around double it's maximum length for it to grow to its natural size and be able to take off, swim and stop properly. A 110 litre tank would be too small.


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## Kif (Jan 15, 2010)

Mynki said:


> It wont be 4' in length. Work out the dimensions and you'll see what I mean. To keep a snakehead ethically, you really need a tank around six times it's maximum length, with the tank width being around double it's maximum length for it to grow to its natural size and be able to take off, swim and stop properly. A 110 litre tank would be too small.


I agree with the the 6xL 2xW rule nothing wrong with that at all, ethical fish keeping is the way everyone should stock their tank but a 120x30x30 is 110 litres which gives 6xL 2xW* *just*.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Kif said:


> I agree with the the 6xL 2xW rule nothing wrong with that at all, ethical fish keeping is the way everyone should stock their tank but a 120x30x30 is 110 litres which gives 6xL 2xW* *just*.


 Good. But out of all the tank manufacturers currently making tanks, who makes one only 30cm high and 120cm long?

A bespoke tank could be built that size, but remember you need to use 10% to 15% for displacement for substrate and décor etc. Hence my comments. Hope that makes sense?


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## Kif (Jan 15, 2010)

Mynki said:


> Good. But out of all the tank manufacturers currently making tanks, who makes one only 30cm high and 120cm long?
> 
> A bespoke tank could be built that size, but remember you need to use 10% to 15% for displacement for substrate and décor etc. Hence my comments. Hope that makes sense?


Yes I understand, I guess I'm thinking old school were you could just buy an empty glass tank against something like a Jewel setup etc, and yes your right they don't come in those sizes.


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## scottishsany (Nov 5, 2009)

*tank*

how about a nice tank with 2 or 3 colored ranchas in it.I had ranchas years ago beautiful big fish :2thumb:


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

scottishsany said:


> how about a nice tank with 2 or 3 colored ranchas in it.I had ranchas years ago beautiful big fish :2thumb:


a bit big for a tank that size.


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## Salzburg (Oct 17, 2011)

From all the suggestions so far I'm thinking an axolotl. Still not 100% sure but I'm going to some fish shops later this week and I'm going to have a good browse and see what I can find.


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## marktheglass (Mar 24, 2012)

Think a few sparkling gourami in a planted tank that size would take some beating. Central in the photo as I'm sure you know.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

marktheglass said:


> Think a few sparkling gourami in a planted tank that size would take some beating. Central in the photo as I'm sure you know.image


yep! tbh, there are a fair few 'mini oddballs' that will thrive in a community tank of that size. things like:

sparkling gouramis, as you've suggested
whiptail cats
upside down cats (synodontis nigriventris)
glass cats
the smaller types of rainbow fish
dwarf cichlids
small L no. plecs
honey gouramis
killies
dwarf bush perch (microctenopoma, eg m.ansorgii)
spike tailed paradise fish
the rarer corydoras cats
hatchet fish.

and many more! those are just a few suggestions for something a bit different that can be kept in a tank of that size.


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