# wet pet



## -deano- (Dec 18, 2003)

I'm looking for an 8" max fish with the most personality. Doesn't have to be sa or ca.


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## Fishfeind (Jan 16, 2007)

how big is your tank? most fish that get around 8'' can be kept with other fish. The obvious wet pets get far larger than that. One that comes to mind is a texas cichlid or severum, if you are looking for personality. You could also try a polypterus. They can get closr to 14 inches, but they are rather thin and eel like. The retropinnis polypterus is a pretty cool one, just keep the tank sandy and well covered on the top so they don't escape. Good luck!


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Fishfeind said:


> how big is your tank? most fish that get around 8'' can be kept with other fish. The obvious wet pets get far larger than that. One that comes to mind is a texas cichlid or severum, if you are looking for personality. You could also try a polypterus. They can get closr to 14 inches, but they are rather thin and eel like. The retropinnis polypterus is a pretty cool one, just keep the tank sandy and well covered on the top so they don't escape. Good luck!


both texas and severums get up to 12", with 8-10 being more common, though larger is possible.

why not a salvini, *** never seen one larger then 8".


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> Doesn't have to be sa or ca.


SA and CA cichlids are the only two that I know of that have fish with personality! I don't think Asians and Africans do.



> why not a salvini, I've never seen one larger then 8".


I agree! Salvini have great personality! But I also agree that Severums are a good choice too! :thumb:


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## Solchitlins (Jul 23, 2003)

I don't know about a Salvini.
I think there really cool and colorfull but as a single "wet pet" ?
I just think it might hide behind a rock all the time.

When I think of "wet pet" I think of a midas or red devil.
My buddy had one in a 55gal for years and it was constantly moving rocks around, digging trenches, trying to fight us through the glass and acting crazy.

He allways wanted to get him a bigger tank but it never happened, think it died while he was off at college and his parrent's were looking after it.

That was 20 some years ago.
Now that I think about it...

I'm not sure how I feel about keeping one fish alone for so long, seems kind of mean and selfish.

Get a adult pair of something that will not out grow what ever size tank you have.


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## Big Vine (Feb 26, 2007)

I tend to agree about a sal not being a good wet pet...
They are far too reclusive in general, in my experience, and would be especially skittish in a scenario where they'd be kept alone. Plus, their colors don't tend to be as impressive when kept alone either. Speaking in terms of other CA cichlids, I'd say a nice male convict would be a much better choice which would also fit the OP's size criteria...

To the OP...we really need to know what size of tank you have planned for this 'wet pet.'
BV


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## -deano- (Dec 18, 2003)

It's a 90g.


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## Big Vine (Feb 26, 2007)

With a 90 gallon tank you could go with something larger than 8 inches for a wet pet.

The two main ones that come to mind off the top of my head are an oscar or a midas.

Then again, perhaps you have some particular reasoning as to why you've put forth the 8-inch size limitation, in which case my recommendations are thrown out the window...
BV


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

3 setups

Go for a pair of texas cichlids a couple of pictus and some giant danios! Much more interesting than a single whet pet.

If it must be one fish buy a nice flowerhorn.

The only african cichlid of mine that has much character is my venustus, You could do 1 male and like 5 females in that tank! Enjoy


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

> I'm not sure how I feel about keeping one fish alone for so long, seems kind of mean and selfish.


There are some fish that are so aggressive that unless you have a huge tank they aren't going to get along with any other fish! I believe my juvie oscar will be one such fish. Even at such a small size he is attacking the much larger pleco all the time.

I'll second the suggestion of an oscar or midas, also the flowerhorn! Very interesting fish, all of them, and real pets too...


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## Solchitlins (Jul 23, 2003)

For my 90 gal I'm going to try to find a nice pair of Hypselecara Temporalis "chocolate cichlids" or a pair of Archocentrus Sajica "T bar cichlids".

Look into those, they seem pretty cool to me.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

well ****, in a 90 you could get yourself a RD/Midas, i couldnt think of any 8" cichlids with personality and severums get 12", and *** seen them 12".


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

Why!!!!!?????  Waste a whole 90 gallon on a pair of six inch cichlids? If you want a pait of wet pets get a midas pair, texas pair or this is the best yet, a Buttie! Get one! They grow fast, live long, are very pretty,and very smart. is it possible that you could breed them?


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