# Your favourite breed of fish and why?



## slava2929

I'm a new world cichlid guy but my LFS got in some Panda Garras a few months back and they looked really cool so I grabbed one. It died after a couple of days but I loved this breed so much I got another one and it's been going strong for months. I had never seen Panda Garras anywhere before, even at my large, regional fish store, but my smaller LFS sold out its first batch of Panda Garras (I got the last one) and has now gotten another batch in because they are so popular.

I have mine with corys and my larger new world cichlids and it has thrived. It's not an aggressive fish, it's attractive and it might be the best algae eater on the market. But it's the breed's personality that I like so much. Mine is always moving around busily and it's usually out in the open although it occasionally hides. They have great, inquisitive faces and the colouring is very nice.

Prices for them are finally reasonable as they were really expensive when they entered the hobby a few years back. For a small juvenile, I paid $12 Canadian although I expect a fully grown adult would be in the $20 Canadian range. My LFS has a display tank with Discus, large corys and a few adult Panda Garras (abt. 3 inches) and they are even more attractive as adults.


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## ken31cay

I've been keeping just africans the last year; peacocks, haps, and mbuna. I'd have to say my favorite is the Phenochilus 'Tanzania'; not aggressive and just a good looking fish with stunning color when they reach adulthood. Not a sluggish fish though not hyper like most of the other peacocks I've had.


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## DJRansome

Demasoni for their brilliant colors, crisp patterns and feisty behavior.


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## fishndogs

Norman's lampeye. I am mesmerized by their glowing blue eyes and their behaviour. They are a tiny fish with the heart of a cichlid.

I had one group that spawned. The miniscule fry (which I thought were mosquito larvae when I first spotted them) started establishing dominance from nearly day one. They loved swimming in current that you would think would blow them out of the water. I often spent a good deal of time right up close to the aquarium just staring at them -- and they would line up side by side in a straight line at the front of the tank and stare right back.

It was very challenging to clean the tank because they would swarm my hands hoping for food.

For a one-inch "peaceful community fish" their level of aggression toward each other astounded me. I was losing them one by one, with whoever was at the bottom of the pecking order being the next one to perish, no matter how many hiding places they had. I finally tried tossing a group of glowlight danios in with them to see if that would distract them from destroying each other. It worked! They became more interested in squabbling with the danios than in squabbling with each other and nobody seemed to get their little spirit crushed by the interactions.


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## Oscar6

With almost 50yrs in the hobby, I still say you cant beat a big healthy Oscar. Offer a big tank, not 75 or 90g, I mean a 6ft 150+gal. Keep water pristine, good diet, and you basically have a aquarium dog. Superb personality. A Midas or Red Devil comes a close second for me, and I currently have several of both species in house.


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## BlueSunshine

African cichlids because of the huge variety, awesome color selection, aggressive nature and crazy breeding activity. 
At present, there is no way we could narrow it down to just one. I guess that would explain why we have so many tanks!!! LOL!!!


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## Gunzen

Clown Loaches


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## Discusluv

African riverine characins.
They are difficult to find and very beautiful.
I have slowly been adding to my collection. I have:
10- phenocogrammus aurentius 
8- alestopetersius nigroptersus
8- alestopetersius brichardi "Red"
8- hemigrammopetersius pulcher


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## slava2929

Oscar6 said:


> With almost 50yrs in the hobby, I still say you cant beat a big healthy Oscar. Offer a big tank, not 75 or 90g, I mean a 6ft 150+gal. Keep water pristine, good diet, and you basically have a aquarium dog. Superb personality. A Midas or Red Devil comes a close second for me, and I currently have several of both species in house.


I have never heard the quote "an aquarium dog" before but after watching some Oscar videos (someone was actually feeding one, Cheetos), I fell in love with them. That is a good description of them from what I have seen of them.


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## slava2929

Gunzen said:


> Clown Loaches


I love those too, but I have never bought them since I realized how big they get. Don't you worry that they'll outgrow your tank? They care certainly incredibly beautiful and playful fish.


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## Steve C

Really hard to pick one because I have so many that I really love. The past year I have totally fallen in love with the various Bichir species and have really got into them, but since this is a cichlid forum I'll stick with my fav cichlid species. I'd have to say Champsochromis caeruleus( aka Malawi trout). I've had a couple of them over the years, current one is about 11"-12" right now. They are just a beautiful fish, always active, big, and really make a great show piece for a big tank.


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## Halfcopy

Gobies are my favorite. I like how they interact with the decor, they always seem to act like they have no idea they are in an aquarium. The wife says they are cute but grumpy.


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## slava2929

Halfcopy said:


> Gobies are my favorite. I like how they interact with the decor, they always seem to act like they have no idea they are in an aquarium. The wife says they are cute but grumpy.


That's how my ex-wife used to describe me.


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## spn1025

This guy. Such a charmer.


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## gverde

I love large malawi predator haps. I have a large tank so I can house a few of them, but my favorite is buccochromis rhoadessi. They have very beautiful yellow with blue coloration.


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## isabellamor

African cichlids have always been my favorite type of fish.


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## DJRansome

isabellamor said:


> African cichlids have always been my favorite type of fish.


Which species and why?


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## ironspider

DJRansome said:


> Demasoni for their brilliant colors, crisp patterns and feisty behavior.


I second Demasoni for the exact reasons.


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## damerf

I know they are not Cichlids but I love Clown Loaches. Because of what their name implies they really are clowns. Great fish.

I like all the different kinds of Aulonocara also. The colors are awesome!! People always ask me, are those salt water fish?


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## shiftyfox

Elongatus Chewere, just an absolute stunning male fish 
This fish is what got me into the hobby, my tanks not big enough to have these unfortunately - but maybe one day

Fish I currently have I'd say Jalo Reef male, my tank boss - again gorgeous colours and is coloured up 95 percent of the time

Shifty..


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