# Single-specimen tanks?



## Ulupica (Nov 4, 2011)

I've always been partial to a big tank of tiger barbs (at least 20 of them). Nice looking fish and they're always active.


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## pandamonium (May 14, 2012)

Is it like single species? or single fish? For single species, I would do a school of some colorful schooling fish. Cardinals, rummynose, espei rasboras, or pencilfish seem to be nice  for single specimen, I guess like a tiger datnoid or smaller, a pair of GBRs. They look great together (the GBRs I mean)


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

I was more referring to single-fish specimen tanks. I don't know how well what species do living alone, you know? Another possibility would be to have a single, large fish (say, something 4-5") with a school of smaller "accent" fish, but the trouble then is finding something that won't eat the smaller fish??


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

Dwarf Gouramis are beautiful and often colorful, and you don't exactly need a school of them, but 2 or 3 definitely would look nicer. They are in the same family as bettas and grow about 2". Petsmart and Petco sells them, last time I was there.


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

Oh, that one is really pretty! I was thinking that I'd like a ciclid tank, since there are really brightly colored ones out there, but that would be a larger tank, but if I can keep some dwarf gouramis in something smaller, that would be really nice. Are they necessarily finicky fish?


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

Not at all, but most gouramis come from areas with soft, slightly acidic water. You can keep them in any water as long as you keep the water params stable; they are easy keepers. They're not picky eaters, either, but they do like the occasional frozen bloodworms as a treat every once in a while (you can buy these at Petsmart).


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

I've actually been looking at getting bloodworms for my betta, he could use the treat now and then. If gouramis are that easy to keep, I might just bump them up to my short list. At the very least, I might consider them for the tank I'm now officially plotting for my parents!


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

Flowerhorns are very pretty Cichlids. They grow a bit large and you would need a large tank.


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

Google tells me the look a bit silly, though. I could get used to it, the coloring on the ones I saw was very pretty!


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## allegoriest (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm considering a betta harem tank, but I'm just a bit unsure of how to go about it. 

Wait, do plecostumuses count? I've had several tanks with one species and only a bristlenose. Angels, mollies, endlers, etc.


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## babystarz (Sep 25, 2012)

allegoriest said:


> I'm considering a betta harem tank, but I'm just a bit unsure of how to go about it.


If you'd like some tips PM me, I've got a happy betta sorority going with 7 girls


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## Fundulopanchax (Sep 13, 2012)

Fundulopanchax gardneri is hard to come by but is a beautiful and agressive little fish! I have mine in a 10 gallon and plan to stock smaller nano tanks with single killifish in the future. They are very agressive (mine bit the end of the gravel vacuum during maintenence recently for example) and are therefore a perfect specimen for a nano tank!


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

allegoriest said:


> I'm considering a betta harem tank, but I'm just a bit unsure of how to go about it.
> 
> Wait, do plecostumuses count? I've had several tanks with one species and only a bristlenose. Angels, mollies, endlers, etc.


Plecos count, I suppose, but I wouldn't want one of them by themselves, I think. We had an awesome one as our cleaner in out 55-gallon until he just about outgrew it, haha...



Fundulopanchax said:


> Fundulopanchax gardneri is hard to come by but is a beautiful and agressive little fish! I have mine in a 10 gallon and plan to stock smaller nano tanks with single killifish in the future. They are very agressive (mine bit the end of the gravel vacuum during maintenence recently for example) and are therefore a perfect specimen for a nano tank!


Oooh, the colors! That would be an interesting collection.


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## auban (Jun 23, 2012)

for the smallest of nano tanks, i would suggest a single pair of elassoma gilberti. they are super small, and the presence of the female would prompt the male to put on his spectacular blue breeding colors. the male dances in a very comical mating ritual that i have never seen in another fish. 

for very large tanks, i think the most interesting fish i have ever seen was a small mouth bass. they are an incredibly intelligent fish that usually ends up recognizing the face of the person who feeds it most often. ive known them to allow themselves to be petted by the person who feeds them while hiding from everyone else, even refusing food from them.

another native, a little smaller than a small mouth bass, is a longear sunfish. some of the colors of a central or missouri longear can be breathtaking.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Ctenopomas!


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## gamelovers11223 (Sep 19, 2012)

If you want cichlids, you can get two or tree Eartheaters (Geophagus). There are many different species of it, some are more rare then others. You'll need at least a 55g tank and preferably sand for substrate since they naturally sift through substrate for food. 
Geophagus Surinamensis is common and not expensive unless you buy adult med to large size. They do not grow fast and are amusing to watch. 
Here is my 7" Geophagus Surinamensis








Colors start showing as they grow, approx at 4".


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## Fahnell (Jan 20, 2011)

Also you can try a 15 gls nano with any of the 5 species of Boraras


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

gamelovers11223 said:


> Here is my 7" Geophagus Surinamensis


He's beautiful  I'll have to make a note of that for if/when I get a larger tank.

And I've been considering boraras, since my situation currently lends itself best to nanos anyway...


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## DBlauj (Apr 17, 2012)

Apistogrammas are awesome cichlids and they stay rather small. Males are maxed out at about 3inches and females are slighty smaller with aweaome colora and finnage. You won't be disappointed.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Green Terror in a 125g nano.
You can add as many fish as you like, but it will end up a single fish tank anyways.


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

Silmarwen said:


> And I've been considering boraras, since my situation currently lends itself best to nanos anyway...


I just remember a Scarlet Badis badis is also a good single specimen. They're good for a 2 gal nano, even, but I suggest 5 gal with other peaceful fish, like Corydoras or Otocinclus.

Pseudomugil gertrudae is my dream fish. I might actually add it to my 5.5 gal.

They're really funny, they look like they're waving their hands above their head like a cartoon character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq3nTWM6yyY


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## atom (Sep 28, 2011)

I keep about 20 chili rasboras in their own nano tank. They are much more active and colourful when they are by themselves. Don't over look them because of their size.


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## buckmaster96 (Sep 16, 2012)

vampire tetra


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

I'd love to have some chili rasboras, now that I've seen a few nanos that incorporate them.

I'm slowly being drawn to the idea of a coral reef tank, though. There are some lovely saltwater tanks out there--but that's something I would never do in anything smaller than about 30g...


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## zzrguy (Jul 11, 2012)

German Blue Ram loven can't wair till the tank is ready for them need alot more plant growth.


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

Ooh, that's so pretty!


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