looking for a cool oddball fish

[josh7]

Im just setting up my 55 gallon with a playsand substarte and 2 marineland penguin 350s for filtration. I know i want at least a firemouth and a blue acara cichlid.

But do you guys know any cool oddball fish i could keep with them in a 55 like maybe any type of knifefish, or eel? If no one can think of any and someone can name a cool catfish species that would work with these fish to im open to any of those suggestions to.

 

[Aski247]

African brown knife, and Senegal bichir. Both great fish that will fit in a 55.

I have kept the bichir before, and currently have a ABK. I enjoy both of them.

 

[josh7]

Alright thanks I like the senegal bichir they look cool so they wont be able to eat a firemouth cichlid? If not that would be cool to what do you reccomending them?

 

[Aski247]

Yeah, I kept mine with a trimac for a long time. And tried like 6 different times with my rd, long as it has hiding spots it will be ok. It is a active fish as well so you will see it a lot more then a knife fish.

It will be fine with fire mouths.

 

[Majbarsalona]

African butterfly fish?

 

[butterfly_koi]

With Cichlids, the Synodontis are a good catfish companion to have due to the fact that they come from the same regions and require the same environments.

 

[josh7]

Alright thanks for the input i already have a syno cat and they are awesome fish. I think i will get the bichir they sound and look really neat. Also its nice to hear I could see him more than a knife.

 

[josh7]

Just in case though can you guys tell me about the African Brown Knifes to. Like what they eat and any special requirements they need.

 

[PockX]

ABKs eat live/frozen foods (bloodworms,krill,etc). They can accept pellets too (might take a little work, sometimes not). They can also be trained to be handfed. I can put my hand in my tank and he comes up to it and smells it. I also had a senegal bichir with him and they got along just fine. They are quite shy and nocturnal, so it's best to feed while lights out or dim lighting if you wanted to see him. It takes awhile for them to adjust but they are very smart fish, as for any Knife. Hope this helps!

 

[PockX]

Also, a peacock eel would work too. They only get about 8", but usually require live/frozen food and can be picky eaters. They are also pretty sensitive and sand should be used as a substrate.

 

[josh7]

Alright I think I'm going to go with the Senegal bichir for sure thanks for the replies guys.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

With Cichlids, the Synodontis are a good catfish companion to have due to the fact that they come from the same regions and require the same environments.

Synodontis are from Africa and his cichlids are new world cichlids they I'm the wild have different requirements but in a aquarium they may work but they are not from the same place

 

[butterfly_koi]

Synodontis are from Africa and his cichlids are new world cichlids they I'm the wild have different requirements but in a aquarium they may work but they are not from the same place

Well let me correct myself here.
The Firemouth and the Synodontis euptera have the same water requirements therefore can coexist.
I'm not really up to speed on South American Cichlids but won't there be aggression issues between the Firemouth and the Acara?

 

[Aski247]

Well let me correct myself here.
The Firemouth and the Synodontis euptera have the same water requirements therefore can coexist.
I'm not really up to speed on South American Cichlids but won't there be aggression issues between the Firemouth and the Acara?

Only if breeding is taking place. Even then both fm and Acara are on the low end of the aggression scale.

 

[MarMan]

My African Butterfly Fish is awesome but a very finicky eater.

 

[Majbarsalona]

My African Butterfly Fish is awesome but a very finicky eater.

Really? Mine accepts almost everything that floats like flakes and krill

 

[bettaowner]

African butterflies can be weaned on to prepared foods.

 

[josh7]

Yah I knew the syno cats are from Africa but they have always done well with my South American cichlids. Yah the African butterflies look cool but I was just looking for more of a bottom feeder type fish.