Littlest Pet Fish

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FriendlyPear

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 16, 2018
12
5
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Hi Fish Keepers,

I am looking for a pet fish for my daughter.

(She first wanted a cat, but family allergies does not allow fur nor feathers - also her daddy (me : ) is still suffering from MTS years after the fish room was converted into a nursing facility, but now she is ready to become a partner in crime).

I have a spare 85L/23Gl tank to start her out and can expand to some extent, probably 250L max. However, the classic wet pets like Oscars and big CA cichlids will not be be an option now or later, so the question is what pet is feasible in a smaller tank?
 
Does she like bettas? 23 gallon would be a nice home for a betta. Theres some really nice varieties to choose from out there.

You could try dwarf cichlids as well. Nannacara, laetacara, one of the smaller aequidens or bujurquina varieties would work.

You could try a couple plants with a ram cichlid and group of smaller tetras and cory cats.
 
I would buy a pair of kribs.
They stay small, are colorful, pretty hardy and she will like how they care for their offspring.
Should add some small dither fish, like neon tetras.
And they can be fine in the 23 for life, if it is at least 30 inches long.
 
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Tut tut tut. There are far more pressing questions here guys that what fish the OP should get his daughter.

1. Is she fully up to speed with nitrosomonas and nitrobacter?
2. Has she got good woodworking skills to build a stand?
3. Does she realise that on water change day there's no playing out with her pals until
she's oiked a load of buckets about?
4. How does she propose to fund the extra cost of electricity that her tank will use?

Come on guys, basic stuff this. :naughty:
 
If you fell a 40breeder is not too big you could have a nice little set up going.

A pair of smaller Cons like HRPs or Nanolutea
A school of dithers
3f 1m Platys
Bushynose pleco
Small catfish like Porthole, or Cory's

She would have all kinds of different things to watch, from live birth, the guarded egg layers to egg scatters.
 
Thanks for you replies: A few ideas that I hadn't thought of.

I have never seen the smaller Amatitlania species in fish stores, are they becoming more popular and available?

esoxlucius esoxlucius : These are fair concerns - part of the exercise is to teach her these things (with the possible exception of #2 - we do have a stand : )

In the worst case, the fish will simply move to my main tank in the living room, although in case of species incompatibility (e.g. a convict) the end result may be that I have two tanks instead of one, which will be just fine.
 
Late tonight or early tomorrow is when they do the weekly update on their stock list.
 
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