Looking for small pond (fresh and salt) inspiration

[Deadeye]

I'm fairly certain that the whole 'piranhas eat people at any whim' thing is an overdone myth...but regardless, thanks! I don't think I'd go with them because they're basically illegal everywhere I look in the USA...

Depends on what state you live in. Mine would play dead when I cleaned the tank. Teddy Roosevelt was tricked into calling piranhas dangerous.

For a catfish, a Raphael could work, they are between 6-9 inches, but hide a lot.
Smaller rays like a teacup should fit.

 

[Kolton13]

I'm fairly certain that the whole 'piranhas eat people at any whim' thing is an overdone myth...but regardless, thanks! I don't think I'd go with them because they're basically illegal everywhere I look in the USA...

Maybe? For the larger less active catfish, probably something less than 1', but for the more active ones, less than 6" so they'd have adequate swimming space. What type of ray are you talking about? Ideally it would be less than 1' in diameter (less if the tail was long)....

Yeah teacup stingray, Could do a Lima shovel nose

 

[twentyleagues]

"tea cup" rays are not a true "species" . You would have to get it from a reputable breeder that has proven he has true dwarf rays. Even then it could be a gamble that the ones you get are going to stay "small".

 

[Joshuakahan]

So I've got a 4'x3'x2' tub that I'd like to put fish into. Right now I'm looking for inspiration and top-down pictures of people's fish. While I can find goldfish ponds everywhere, it's harder to find tropical indoor ponds. I know I don't really want cichlids or turtles. But I'd love if I could get some top down photos of archerfish, dwarf lionfish, tangs, goatfish, tobies, and the harlequin tuskfish.

I'm also open to other (non-cichlid) ideas, especially with large fish that I can see (no guppies/small loaches, etc.). I'd do a ray, but I don't think the tub is large enough surface area wise (or even filtration wise)..

I did a marine pond many years ago with a porcupine puffer and a type of small shark I can’t remember, but I think a reef pond would be amazing .

 

[Fishnerd360]

Tide pool biotop could be cool.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

It is only 179 gallons. A tide pool setup would be cool

 

[Joshuakahan]

Tide pool biotop could be cool.

+1

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Or... hear me out! What about an Amazon-themed patio pond. With Thalassophryne amazonica.

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

here are some top view tropicals i found what about a mud skipper tank? i think it would be cool to have a slope of sand like a beach were they can come out of the water

 

[ichthyogeek]

Huh....the teacup ray name is still a thing...sadly looks like none of them will fit in a 4' tub...guess I'll have to pass on them....
Max Size of Teacup Ray
Freshwater Stingray Profiles

Oooh, I forgot about the lima shovelnose! I always think of the TSN cats...But don't they kind of need the 6' or so so their "bills" don't get broken?

A tide pool would be interesting! I wonder what i could put into it...

Thalassophryne looks interesting! Not my cup of tea, but definitely interesting! I think I want fish that will move or do something interesting; this fish kind of reminds me of a stonefish...but definitely something I could see myself setting a tank up for at some point!

Hmmm....not the biggest fan of mudskippers at the moment, but maybe one day!