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 Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:30 pm
Hi!
I'm looking at getting some sort of interactive, intelligent species of fish. Looking for this fish to be more of a ''companion' (as much of a companion fish can be) rather than a decoration. You know, a fish that will follow you around, eat out of your hand, come up to greet you, etc.
I've heard several species to be described as 'like a dog' but am wondering if you fish people have any particular suggestions?
The fish will have to be non-schooling/not require other fish friends. It will have to be comfortable in a 55 to 75 gallon tank for life. It also needs to be fairly common enough that I'm able to get it at the LFS, but that part shouldn't be too hard. I don't mind feeding live or frozen food, either.
So, any suggestions?
No Bettas/similar sized fish please. They are wonderful, interactive fish but I'm looking for something a little bit bigger/impressive.
I've been thinking about an Oscar. But, I know there are other cichlids that are similar...what about Flowerhorns? Or Jack Dempseys? Or Green Terrors?
I haven't really done much research in cichlids, so I'm not sure if those (other than the Oscar) are suitable for a 55 to 75 gallon tank.
Oh, and they don't have to be cichlids! If you know of any other fish that's just as interactive, that's great too.
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 6:18 pm
Dwarf Puffers are a pretty good fish for this... they're curious and cute and will come to the glass to look back at you 3nodding
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 6:33 pm
Moroseth Anaratharach Dwarf Puffers are a pretty good fish for this... they're curious and cute and will come to the glass to look back at you 3nodding Do they need special water? When you need to catch them, how do you do it- won't they puff up if netted? I'm kind of scared of the teeth thing, lol. I heard about someone actually getting bit by a dwarf puffer and it drawing blood.
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:14 pm
Green Terrors are beautiful and fun fish. :3 I don't know if they're quite as interactive as an Oscar, but they're pretty intelligent fish with personalities. Mine was fairly laid back for a half-grown male; others live up to their name. Dempseys are neat, too, but I haven't had the privilege of owning one for as long as I did my Oscar and Terror.
Most S.Am cichlids will do just fine in the tank size you're looking at, Mothy. ^^
Oscars are definitely known as one of the most interactive, though. One of my colleagues has one that loves to play with a ping-pong ball, and I've heard of others that will play fetch with one. It's all why I want to own an Oscar again, now that I know what I'd be getting into. xD (Taller half wants a Tiger Oscar to call Deathfin, a parody of Blizzard's WoW NPC Deathwing.)
They can tend to be a little on the sensitive side. Hole-in-head disease is common when their water isn't maintained properly. Oscars also have a penchant for tank rearranging, whether you like it or not. Getting hardy plants for them is probably the best way to have plants in there with them; they do enjoy hiding around plants, but at the same time, they might pull them up, too. What I find amusing also is that they can be shy and don't mind companions to grow up with. They get shy especially when they go from having all their Oscar buddies in the store tank to a new place with almost nobody in it. I just read today that this might be the reason why ours didn't kill the giant danios we housed with it; it was some other presence in the tank so that it didn't seem so lonely.
The only thing I know about puffers is that they are brackish water fish, and even that's a tad shaky. ._.;; I've gotten a lot of mixed signals on that.
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:08 pm
Goldfish are interactive! They get to be a decent size, as well. Fancies range from 4-12 inches (dependent on the type). You could easily house 5-7 Goldfish in a tank of the size you are looking at (55-75 gallons).
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:09 am
gouramis are pretty interactive, they come in all sorts of sizes and they are smart like bettas. ive only kept dwarf species but ive met some people online who keep the bigger ones and they are happy with them
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Ammonia Spike Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:24 am
Mudskippers! They can get super tame, I had one who would actually jump up on my hand for food.
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:41 am
black ghost knife fish. they are gorgeous graceful fish that for the first couple of weeks in their new home are shy but after a while can be hand fed, and will run through your hands and wait and watch for you! I love them but it's completely up to you, oh and they are amazingly peaceful and go with anything! 
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red lavender nightfall Crew
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:01 am
Someone mentioned DPs, (which aren't brackish, btw). Although they're very friendly and entertaining (mine used to beg for worms whenever they saw me) they're probably not what you're looking for because they are very small. One of the larger puffers might be a good choice though, most of them are brackish or saltwater, but there are a few south american freshwater puffers available in the hobby. The only thing about puffers is that you really need to make sure that their environment is as complex as possible, and change it up often. They're highly intelligent and they get bored easily, all the way down to the teeny tiny dwarf puffer (I knew it was time to change up my tank whenever mine started swimming up and down on one side of the tank, big sign of a bored dp.)
The BGFs that red lavender suggested are cool, they're actually related to electric eels if I remember correctly and they can produce a little big of electricity (fun fact, electric eels aren't true eels). Although I'm not sure if 75 would be big enough for a full grown one, there are smaller species like the brown ghost knife.
Oscars are usually the go to cichlid for this type of thing. They're gigantic, there's a few different color morphs, and they really get to know their owner.
Hard to suggest something that you'll be able to get at your LFS because each one is different. Do they do special orders?
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:53 pm
Vanilla eXee
Oscars are usually the go to cichlid for this type of thing. They're gigantic, there's a few different color morphs, and they really get to know their owner.
This is true however you can't keep them with ANYTHING else as they are entirely carnivorous and are EXTREMELY expensive to keep and feed. Vanilla eXee Although I'm not sure if 75 would be big enough for a full grown one, there are smaller species like the brown ghost knife. BGK only grow to a maximum 20 cm and, as they are foragers do not need as frequent tank cleans. brown Ghost knifes grow to the same length and are shier and not as pretty. Good luck choosing!
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red lavender nightfall Crew
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Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:09 am
red lavender nightfall Vanilla eXee
Oscars are usually the go to cichlid for this type of thing. They're gigantic, there's a few different color morphs, and they really get to know their owner.
This is true however you can't keep them with ANYTHING else as they are entirely carnivorous and are EXTREMELY expensive to keep and feed.
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