Underrated community fish

[Endlerama]

Here's one I've been pondering, and was wondering how others felt about it. What would you say is THE community FW fish that is most:

a) Hardy
b) Colorful
c) Available
d) Affordable
e) Compatible, and
f) makes a good "pet" fish...

but is most Under-rated in the hobby.

I really think that the answer is the Female Betta. They survive well under harsh conditions, they come in most any shade of the rainbow and are very pretty and vibrant, they can be found at most better LFS's, they only run a couple bucks each, they don't bother each other or a wide range of tankmates, and they are among the most interactive fish you can buy, readily greeting you as you approach the community tank.

Yet, despite all of this, you don't see an awful lot praising or promoting them.

Anyone else got some thoughts?

[goldfries]

Originally posted by Endlerama
I really think that the answer is the Female Betta. They survive well under harsh conditions, they come in most any shade of the rainbow and are very pretty and vibrant, they can be found at most better LFS's, they only run a couple bucks each, they don't bother each other or a wide range of tankmates, and they are among the most interactive fish you can buy, readily greeting you as you approach the community tank.

Yet, despite all of this, you don't see an awful lot praising or promoting them.

Anyone else got some thoughts?

yes i don't mind sharing you my thoughts. i had bought a bunch of them but they died when my tank got some sickness quite some time back.

but anyways, yes they're beautiful and i don't mind getting them. problem is that it's rare to see any nice female bettas over here.

mine were pearl white and bright blue, scissor-tailed (but the tail gets pointed as they age, and don't look that nice later).

the female bettas here are mostly dark..........really dark red/blue/purple and are mostly used to feed LHs, that's what the LFS claimed.

in fact i was hunting high and low for a female bettas to mate with my male and when i really did get, the female killed my nice male. :(

but anyways, other than what was my story, i truly agree on your point of view. however the COLORFUL and AVAILABLE part is really hard to achieve, despite living in a country where Bettas come from.

Female bettas are rare as they're used to feed LH, ugly and no one wants to buy. so what better way to use them. not much is used for mating as male bettas are not in demand now. i still like bettas, but most people don't fancy them anymore.

[pinballqueen]

Insightful! They are almost as pretty as their men... I thought they could be as foul-tempered as a male around breeding time, or am I incorrect?

Also, I have a hard time finding them in my area, so they aren't quite as available or affordable as they might be for some....the cheapest I've found has been over $5, more expensive than their male counterparts...

[goldfries]

Originally posted by pinballqueen
Insightful! They are almost as pretty as their men... I thought they could be as foul-tempered as a male around breeding time, or am I incorrect?

LOL. did you not read my post on how the female killed the male?
i got my male for RM16(approx 4 USD, very nice in fin, color and personality.) while the female was RM1(erm......0.25 USD)



Originally posted by pinballqueen
Also, I have a hard time finding them in my area, so they aren't quite as available or affordable as they might be for some....the cheapest I've found has been over $5, more expensive than their male counterparts...

LOL. over here the cheap veiltail males can be bought at RM2 (0.5 USD) while females at RM1 (0.25 USD). Crowntails usually go for about 8 - 12 RM (2 - 3 USD).

[Endlerama]

Originally posted by pinballqueen
I thought they could be as foul-tempered as a male around breeding time, or am I incorrect?

Actually, I've never really seen any of the ones I've owned show any sort of ill temper, all of which have been quite good in disposition. My first one showed me so much appreciation when I rescued her from her male "suitor" that she would brighten up as soon as she saw me entering the room.

Here, I've been able to find female Bettas off and on, even at Petco once. They've only been about $2 when I could find them. As to their colors, they tend to fluctuate, varying from horizontal bars to solid to vertical bars, depending on their mood, and often changing shades several times in a day.

Oh, and they're one of the few community FW fishes that you'll find in GREEN!

[goldfries]

i'd get a green one if i can find one. ;)

vertical bars = ready to mate, check the tubes.
horizontal bars = stressed.

well the one that showed violence was a really cheap looking female. the nice ones are really well-behaved, but strangely not that hardy.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Originally posted by Endlerama

Oh, and they're one of the few community FW fishes that you'll find in GREEN!

The Female Boeseman Rainbow is Green for the most part...

[goldfries]

or you can have the green tiger barb. :)

[Darkangel]

Most of the female Betta's sold around here are in actual fact short finned males. You have to look very closely for tubes and stripes. That is also why many of them look so tattered. Next time you see a tank of female bettas whatch it closely if you have the time and you will notice how different the males and females are.

[goldfries]

i had some short-tailed males too, they're beautiful.

[Cypherman]

My vote goes to the zebra danio. It is a gorgeous fish (when they're in breeding mode, their blue becomes purple and the yellow turns shiny gold...The long finned forms are spectacular in that phase) that can tolerate a wide range of water conditions and temperatures, is very cheap and hardy and easy to breed. I think they have a leg-up on female bettas both price-wise and on hardiness. Theyre a good pet fish too heh, they fearlessly nip at your fingers when you reach in the tank to rearrange stuff and eat from your hands with gusto. :p

[goldfries]

things i don't like abt Zebra Danios

1. they swim practically only on top almost all the time.

2. their blue/gold stripes as you mentioned, is only visible at close range.......really close range, and also proper lighting.

as for the hardy part, they're the toughest fish to left to let die. shameless act but i did it before as i had no place to place them, and they never did die. :(

[gambler]

My thought is that the common pleco is the best community fish. Sure it may not be as colorful as the betta, but it is more useful. Sure you may never see it, but it's still great. Not to mention that one day it will be big enough to eat j/k. Seriously, common pleco is defiantely the best and most underated fish in history.

[goldfries]

i don't think it's underrated. sure no one talks about it, but practically everyone has it. :)

it's popular not by name or by looks but by it's usefulness.

i have 2 tanks. the goldfish tank has massive algae growth. while the oscar tank has practically no algae growth.

difference? pleco.

[Cichlid Woman]

Florida (or "american") flag fish?!

Saw these at a local lfs the other day and took home a pair. They're shaped a little like mollies, but smaller (only get to under 2"), and have coloring similar to a jewel cichlid! Cost was $2.99 apiece.

My pair are a hoot. The first day they swam around all over the tank together, and, as a pair, would swim right up to some of the other fish, stopping right in front of them. Then they both just hover side-by-side, looking at the other fish, like they were saying, "Hello. We're new here. Wanna play?"

It's confusing my other fish, or was at first. My Blue Ram looked at them, like "What are you DOING?!," twitched at 'em once, then chased them away just because he didn't know what else to do with them, it appeared.

My male guppy, of course, began a mating shimmy with them ...

The Congo tetra just took one look at them and left, sideswiping them a bit as he went by ...

They're swimming separately around the tank this morning; nice colors. Hope these guys aren't plant-eaters ...

-- Pat

[JamisonBWolsh]

Originally posted by gambler
My thought is that the common pleco is the best community fish. Sure it may not be as colorful as the betta, but it is more useful. Sure you may never see it, but it's still great. Not to mention that one day it will be big enough to eat j/k. Seriously, common pleco is defiantely the best and most underated fish in history.

Hmmm..maybe when they are small... when they get big, they stop eating most of the algae. Instead of the common pleco, may I suggest the Bristlenose Pleco?

[O-man21]

I think ether Cherry barbs or Tiger Barb.s Both are extremely hardy and not that agressive.Although, sometimes you can get a couple bad tiger barbs that tear apart angelfish. They are realitivly cheap(2-5 dollars) and look awsome. I think they are great fish for any community tank over 10 gallons.

[goldfries]

i could get tiger barbs and danios for like 0.25 USD each.