Some of mine are probably rather unusual... anyways, here it goes
I like fish that hide all day and you rarely get a chance to see. Fish that you can drop into a planted tank and they will disappear for months on end, like a s.a. bumblebee catfish, zamora woodcat, or a banjo cat. It adds a certain element of excitement and mystery to a fish tank, because you are always trying to catch a glimpse of your elusive fish, and it makes it a special event when you do see it. I also like fish that bury themselves in the sand, and ambush predators of all kinds.
I like fish with fat bellies and big mouths, fish with big pectoral fins that they use like paddles to stabilize/move around, and fish with pelvic fins that they perch on the bottom with. I like pretty much any elongated fish, from pike-shaped fish to eel-shaped fish.
The way a fish moves around the tank once accustomed to its surroundings is a big factor of how much I will enjoy watching it in the long run. I almost exclusively prefer benthic and structure oriented fish, bottom dwellers and cave dwellers. I really like it when a fish moves through the decor/plants of the tank instead of just swimming around them like your typical schooler. For example, my dwarf pike cichlids will kind of snake their way through my java moss and in between the leaves of my anubias/java fern, while my hoplo catfish will just barrel his way through the moss rummaging for food. I like fish that continually discover and carve out new pathways through and around the decor. Or I really enjoy watching dwarf puffers because of how they position themselves in these tiny pockets between the leaves. I like fish that hover and dart, change directions suddenly, move backwards and sideways, and visually respond to their surroundings.
What qualities do you like in a fish?
I like fish that hide all day and you rarely get a chance to see. Fish that you can drop into a planted tank and they will disappear for months on end, like a s.a. bumblebee catfish, zamora woodcat, or a banjo cat. It adds a certain element of excitement and mystery to a fish tank, because you are always trying to catch a glimpse of your elusive fish, and it makes it a special event when you do see it. I also like fish that bury themselves in the sand, and ambush predators of all kinds.
I like fish with fat bellies and big mouths, fish with big pectoral fins that they use like paddles to stabilize/move around, and fish with pelvic fins that they perch on the bottom with. I like pretty much any elongated fish, from pike-shaped fish to eel-shaped fish.
The way a fish moves around the tank once accustomed to its surroundings is a big factor of how much I will enjoy watching it in the long run. I almost exclusively prefer benthic and structure oriented fish, bottom dwellers and cave dwellers. I really like it when a fish moves through the decor/plants of the tank instead of just swimming around them like your typical schooler. For example, my dwarf pike cichlids will kind of snake their way through my java moss and in between the leaves of my anubias/java fern, while my hoplo catfish will just barrel his way through the moss rummaging for food. I like fish that continually discover and carve out new pathways through and around the decor. Or I really enjoy watching dwarf puffers because of how they position themselves in these tiny pockets between the leaves. I like fish that hover and dart, change directions suddenly, move backwards and sideways, and visually respond to their surroundings.
What qualities do you like in a fish?
