# Need ideas for a good beginner fish....



## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

Hey

So I need some ideas for a good beginner fish for a "fish hobbyist in training".

I am thinking of livebearers such as platies and guppies.

any other ideas for very hardy fish? 

thanks


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Hitch said:


> Hey
> 
> So I need some ideas for a good beginner fish for a "fish hobbyist in training".
> 
> ...


convict cichlids


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

Hmm.....that actually never came to mind. Thanks, I'll look into it


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

clown loach, datnoid - grow slow and live very long..

Life time fish! 

^^


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Platies are a good choice. 

I wouldn't say a clown loach is though.


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

Chris S said:


> Platies are a good choice.
> 
> I wouldn't say a clown loach is though.


How come? they are community fish! They can be hardy as long as you don't fluctuate the temperature to cause them to have ick! They eat almost anything that sinks to the bottom of the tank!


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

ya, I think ill stay away from clowns...

I nice school of platies would be nice.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

bigfishy said:


> How come? they are community fish! They can be hardy as long as you don't fluctuate the temperature to cause them to have ick! They eat almost anything that sinks to the bottom of the tank!


It isn't their care really, it is that most beginners don't have 75g+ tanks to house them properly. They grow to 10 inches so need large tanks.


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

bigfishy said:


> clown loach, datnoid - grow slow and live very long..
> 
> Life time fish!
> 
> ^^


These are not for any begginer. CL's you might get away with but Dat's C'mon they wont grow well unless you really know how to care for them. CL's die on a lot of people so a begginer might have a hard time with them. Plus they might eat a lot of crap that will sink but that does not mean they should be fed those foods.


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

Chris S said:


> It isn't their care really, it is that most beginners don't have 75g+ tanks to house them properly. They grow to 10 inches so need large tanks.


ok ok maybe not datnoid, but ... yeah xD

but they grow VERY VERY slow.. Have you seen any 10" + clown loach lately? lfs?

it will take a 1" clown loach 8-10 years to grow into 10"+... 10 years.. hmmm that beginner will become an expert! 

Clown loach will be comfortable in a 20G, 30G for years (4-5 years+) before you need to upgrade! ^^


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

lol...I was gonna say convicts too. Easy to care for, breed easily, so they get lots of experience.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

bigfishy said:


> ok ok maybe not datnoid, but ... yeah xD
> 
> but they grow VERY VERY slow.. Have you seen any 10" + clown loach lately? lfs?
> 
> ...


No, I haven't. I'm willing to bet it is because they all die before they get a chance.

In any case, I think the responsible aquarist would take the future demands of a fish into account. Right?


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Chris S said:


> No, I haven't. I'm willing to bet it is because they all die before they get a chance.
> 
> In any case, I think the responsible aquarist would take the future demands of a fish into account. Right?


I agree with all of the above


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## Tearran (Oct 4, 2009)

Convicts are nice, but if your beginner wants to put anything else in the tank, they are a bad idea.

I would have to say, Rosey Barbs seem to be very hardy and a good choice for toronto water - plus they can stay in unheated aquariums. they will need a group to keep aggression down though.

White Clouds aswell seem to be a good choice and are readily availible.

I would stay away from guppies since need breeding practises have seemed to turn them into fragile fish.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

thanks for everyone's input. But she ended up choosing some blue platies.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

White Cloud Minnows

Rosy Red Minnows

Unheated fish there and low maintance. Easy to take care of and not bad looking IMHO.


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## Octavian (Sep 30, 2009)

Depending on your tank size... i would ad some bushynose plecos to help keep the glass clean.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

Thanks, she ended up chosing platies



Octavian said:


> Depending on your tank size... i would ad some bushynose plecos to help keep the glass clean.


I already put 2 L144s in that tank.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*long fin rosy barbs*

long fin rosy barbs ,awsome to watch and not a care in the world also the amphibious frogs .they are fun to watch too


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## Tetrathug (Oct 9, 2009)

*Hardy fish...*

The guppies should be perfect for a beginner, as well as endlers. If you would like to mix the two, I suggest getting a couple of male endlers with about 4 female guppies. Some smaller tetras would be good too, black neons, neons, cardinals, etc. Clown loaches arn't very hardy, they are highly succeptable to parasites as they have no scales.


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