NEWBIE WITH A FEW QUESTIONS

[counterparts]

Okay I am New so I will try be brief.

I know there are Freshwater Clams, shrimp, lobsters and eels, but are there FRESHWATER counterparts to the following?

Seahorses
starfish - I hear they have them in the Great Lakes
Bat Rays
squid
Octopus
non algae eating sharks


THANKS!

 

[firestar]

To my knowledge, of your list, only freshwater sharks exist. Here's a link to some info: http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=16&cat=1953. Were you thinking of starting a "pseudo salt water" tank or something?

 

[counterparts]

Exaclty, all the coolest looking creatures without the saltwater up keep.

 

[Guest]

Alot of people i know say chiclids are very close to freshwater looking fish becuase they come in a lot of really pretty colors. I would like a chiclid only tank, but from what i hear, you can only have chiclids with chiclids and they require very specific conditions.

So... Clown loaches are very pretty and colorful with colors similar to the saltwater clown fish.
You can get bala sharks, iridescent sharks, and redtail sharks. The redtail shark and redtail loach are both really similar in color and very pretty, with dark chocolate bodies and red fins.
THey have freshwater puffers, but i don't know anything about them, or what you can keep with them
hmmm.. what else is pretty.. Dwarf Gouramis are VERY colorful, you can get Flame, Powder blue, and neon blue. I personallylike the flame gouramis to add some bright red to my tank. And they are labrynth fishes so than can get oxygen from the surface.
Theres a lot of really pretty freshwater fish, Discus are really expensive, and more work to keep, but really pretty. Just go to some of your LFS and look around, im sure you will find some fish you like that are just as pretty as saltwater fish!

 

[Guest]

also, you can check out fish profiles at www.liveaquaria.com They've got pretty pictures too.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Ashley- Cichlids are really not all that demanding. Specific conditions: a higher pH for Africans. It's not necessarily a MUST but is ideal. And this can be achieved by adding crushed coral to the tank or filter or a piece or two of limestone. As long as the pH isn't like 7.0 or lower, you can keep Africans and they will be fine. It's no more difficult than trying to keep any other type of fish. But, that's just IMO.

 

[Toirtis]

, but are there FRESHWATER counterparts to the following?

Seahorses
starfish - I hear they have them in the Great Lakes
Bat Rays
squid
Octopus
non algae eating sharks


THANKS!

No, no, no, no, no, and no....but there are plenty of interesting FW fish, including FW stingrays.

 

[BillD]

The only freshwater shark I know of is the one in Lake Nicaraugua, but I have never heard of anyone keeping one.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

There are Bala sharks and red tail sharks among many many more that are freshwater. They are not in any way close to a Saltwater shark, but there are freshwater sharks.

 

[talloulou]

A I would like a chiclid only tank, but from what i hear, you can only have chiclids with chiclids and they require very specific conditions.

There are some dwarf cichlids that can be kept with non cichlids quite successfully, IMO. For example, Rams.

Also I have seen morray eels and batrays sold as freshwater, but most research implies that brakish water is necessary to keep them happy and healthy longterm. So don't always trust the "freshwater" label in the stores.