cardinal tetra confession...

[Sal]

I never understood why so many people keep cardinal tetras.  Don't come for me, but I always thought they were kind of overrated, and so many people seemed to LOVE them, I just didn't "get it."  Then my LFS added a school of them to one of their community showcase tanks, and it changed my perspective completely...

Now I've got a small school (25ish) in my 120 and I am completely obsessed with them.  It was the little splash of color and activity that I was missing all along.

Do you have a fish that grew on you??  What is it?

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Sal

[Cys aquatics]

Hi @Sal i love cardinal tetras to, they just add a splash of color to everything, they work very good in a planted tank. The fish that grew on me are bristlenose plecos, please dont hate me but at first i thought they were ugly but when i got some for myself i soon grew to love them. now i have a pair in every tank that i own!

[Tanked]

I don't keep any Cardinal Tetras yet.  They have been on my to do list most of my life.  There just seems to be something mesmerizing about a planted tank and a large school of Cardinal or Neon tetras.

[JStrutt]

For me, when I first started keeping fish, I swore I would never keep guppies. They just seemed too common (a laughable thing considering the first fish I kept were neon tetras and a betta). Then I got a trio as a classroom "experiment" to see if they would breed. That first group of fry had me hooked. When I brought some home, my wife fell in love, too. We now have three (small) tanks dedicated to guppies, and I am trying to convince her we need some outside. Needless to say, I'm hooked.

[H.K.Luterman]

For me it was my bristlenose pleco. I like some plecos, with the splashier patterns, but I was pretty meh about bristlenoses. I ended up needing some help with algae in my 75, and a bristlenose was really my best option - I have some challenges with fish compatibility and so often my choices are limited. So I got a super red, and I do enjoy the color. When I see it out and about I find myself watching. The sucker mouth creeps me out a bit though, lol! It's still growing out - needs a few more inches before I can add it to the 75.

[CalmedByFish]

Angelfish. What I didn't like was the pointy shape and black lines. I prefer softer shapes and I really dislike black of any form in aquariums. But then I found a solid peach angel, shiny all over, with translucent blue dangly fins. I've had him 4 years and still call him things like "handsome boy," "shiny boy," and "pretty fishy." 

 

[Mmiller2001]

Small Gourami's. Absolutely fell in love with their behavior. I wish I could have more!

Edited May 3, 2021 by Mmiller2001

[Kalita]

Angelfish for me...  never got what was so special about them. I haven't kept any but I found myself considering doing so - that's a big change! 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Kalita

[Brandy]

Otocinclus and corydoras. I thought they were dull in stores...no colors, and you need so many, they take space from more colorful fish...but they are so hilariously fun to watch!! Their personalities are just charming, I could just keep them alone and be happy.

[lefty o]

pandagarra. that little snake face was a turn off, but they are so cool, ive learned to overlook the beady little eyes.

[Patrick_G]

I didn’t really have any interest in Cardinals either, until I saw a big display tank full of them at the ADA store. There’s something about a school of blue fish floating above a lush aquascape that’s pretty magical
 

 

[Sandra the fish rookie]

I am a new fish keeper and love all fish. When people would tell me about plecos and Oto's and that I should get them I went to the LFS and felt MEH... until I saw 2 little oto's all alone. I got them. LOVE them, they zoom around, are very active. 

Then I got a clown pleco. Well, its cute when I see it.. which is rare. This week I ordered a super red long fin pleco. its in my QT tank and he is a total trip. he is VERY active. I have a cave, he won't go in. he swims around and is so cute!! 

I am glad I gave them a chance. I plan to get 20 cardinal tetra's for my 40 G .. I love them. I liked neon's initially till I saw a school of cardinals... total game changer.

[CalmedByFish]

15 minutes ago, Sandra the fish rookie said:

 ...until I saw 2 little oto's all alone. I got them. LOVE them...

I love this little story! Compassion led to joy for the compassionate person. Perfect. 

[Tamitha]

Rainbows. I just couldn't understand the attraction until I finally saw some at my lfs that seemed a perfect fit for one of my tanks. After speaking with the store owner at length I went for it. They've quickly become one of my favorite fish.

[Chiclid addict]

6 hours ago, Sal said:

I never understood why so many people keep cardinal tetras.  Don't come for me, but I always thought they were kind of overrated, and so many people seemed to LOVE them, I just didn't "get it."  Then my LFS added a school of them to one of their community showcase tanks, and it changed my perspective completely...

Now I've got a small school (25ish) in my 120 and I am completely obsessed with them.  It was the little splash of color and activity that I was missing all along.

Do you have a fish that grew on you??  What is it?

 

 

 

For me it’s bettas 

[SWilson]

I admit I do also have a bit of "meh" response to neon tetras that should be corrected - though part of it is my impression that the ones often sold in stores are weak/poorly kept and so would just die on me.  

The turnaround I have made recently is on bristlenose plecos.  I was never interested enough to look into them at all, but my partner got enamored with longfin albino bristlenose plecos at the store and took two home.  Now I'm obsessed and have taken over their feeding and care and have spent most days since we got them researching plecos of all types.  This is potentially the beginnin of a very long (and expensive) rabbit hole. lol. 

[anewbie]

I have around 25 in my 120 - i'm mixed - they just sit there and look pretty - to be honest now that i'm up to 8 or 9 angels they ahve gotten a bit more skittish - when i had only 3 angels they were less shy. After i move they will be put in the ram tank and i'll find a larger tetra for the angel tank - maybe lemon or black neon.

-

Anyway i think people like them because they sit there an look pretty - not too many fishes with such a brilliant reflective blue/red in the freshwater world - lots in the salt water world but then all my plants would die:

 

 

[Ryan F]

For me, it was Betta's I never really had an interest because they were always portrayed as a lone fish that stayed in a little bowl. That could not be housed with other fish because they would fight. I wanted lots of fish. Then I walked into a Petco and saw they have bettas in their display tanks with other fish. I was shocked. I talked one of the employees and she explained that Bettas can coexist with other fish. I spent the next few weeks reading up and seeing if they were a match for my neons and corys. They were and now I have my blue boo'berry (purchased on Halloween) Who I enjoy immensely. 

[Nate s]

I have had angels and really never thought they were that great until I started getting into live plants. Having a pair in my 75 planted with a school of 15 red eye tetras going In and out of the Val and the large centerpiece angels just slowly swimming around, it’s very peaceful to watch. Also in that community are some apistos that appear and disappear in the crypts and swords 

[Tanked]

On 4/29/2021 at 1:56 PM, Sandra the fish rookie said:

... until I saw 2 little oto's all alone. I got them. LOVE them, they zoom around, are very active. 

I felt the same way about the Siamese Algae Eaters in my cleanup crew.  It was like going to a play and realizing that the stage hands were more interesting than the actors

[Jungle Fan]

On 4/29/2021 at 10:58 AM, Brandy said:

Otocinclus and corydoras. I thought they were dull in stores...no colors, and you need so many, they take space from more colorful fish...but they are so hilariously fun to watch!! Their personalities are just charming, I could just keep them alone and be happy.

There are at least 19 different species of Otocinclus and most of them with the exception of the endangered Zebra Otocinclus end up in the trade under the catch all Otocinclus affinis. Of the nine in my tank at least 2 are Otocinclus arnoldi, although I rarely get to see them in my tank with all the crypts, and roots. Finding Otos is like an advanced level version of "Where is Waldo?" with them attached to crypt leaves, however when I do water changes they all hang out together.