The End-All Mini Monster Thread

[Dreamsing]

Scientific Name: Crenicichla saxatilis

Common name: Dwarf Spangled Pike Cichlid

Care Level: Moderate

Size: ~25.4cm (~10")

pH and KH range: 6.6 to 7.2 PH, soft water

Temperature range: 25 to 29 C (78 to 85 F)

Origin: South America, Amazon River, Peru and Brazil mostly

Temperament: semi aggressive towards others, extremely aggressive towards members of the same species or anything that will mostly in its mouth

Compatible Tankmates: Semi-aggressive fish between 8 and 12 inches long, or slow, well camoflaged fish (Mine is with a Rhino Pleco)

Diet: If it doesn't twitch, the fish won't eat it. Can be trained to eat pellets, but what's the fun in that?

Tank Size for Adult: 55 gallon (just a guess, and likely on the small side this is a really subjective stat)

Narrative: These fish are always hungry and will learn to recognize their owners. Feeding time is really brief and she'll eat anything she can fit in her mouth, along with some things that can fit in her mouth given enough time and rending.

References: The product of much research and reading, but no links sadly.

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

Scientific Name: Aequidens rivulatus

Common name: Green Terror Cichlid

Care Level: Moderate

Size: Males 20-30 centimeters(8"-12") Females 15-20 centimeters(6"-8")

pH and KH range: Ph 6.5-8.0 Kh 9-20

Temperature range: 20-24C (79-86F)

Origin: South America (Ecuador, Peru)

Temperament: Semi-Agressive to Agressive

Compatible Tankmates: Any fish big enough to out-fight the GT or fast enough to keep away from it.

Diet: Omnivore (lettuce, shrimp, raw meats)

Tank Size for Adult: 55-60G minimum

Narrative: usually a silvery blue to purple body with green stripes around its face and and body with orange tipped fins and a black dot around the top end half of its body. VERY BEAUTIFUL

References: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/grenterror.php

 

[Bottomfeeder]

Scientific Name: Pseudomystus siamensis

Common name: Siamese Barred Catfish

Care Level: Moderate, like most Catfish, they are not overly sensitive.

Size: 7"

pH: Probably 6.5-7.5

Temp: 75-82F

Origin: Siam, surrounding countries.

Temperament: Semi-aggressive; very zealous in eating other fish, and will smack around similar looking tankmates at night.

Compatible Tankmates: Most large, fast-moving fish that do not resemble this fish.

Diet: Meaty foods; bloodworms, krill, fish meat, live prey.

Tank Size for Adult: 36"



I see these guys in lfs' at least once a month, if they wouldn't eat my Pleco I'd have one

 

[Death Pony]

Scientific Name: Centromochlus perugiae

Common name: Leopard tatia, oil catfish

Care Level: Moderate

Size: 2.5"

pH: 6.0-8.0

Temp: 79-82F

Origin: Ecuador

Temperament: Typically peaceful, but will eat anything under 1.5" Very active at night. Feeds at the surface on insects and larvae

Compatible Tankmates: most community fish

Diet: Small crickets, worms, meaty prepared foods

Tank Size for Adult: 20 long

Commentary: They're a driftwood catfish, so it's recommended that driftwood be used as decor. They wedge themselves into crevices of the wood during the day and become very active at night.

 

[Kaosu]

Scientific Name: Cottus bairdii

Common name: Mottled Sculpin

Care Level: Moderate

Size: 3-6 inches

pH and KH range: Ph 6.5-8.0 (but not picky)

Temperature range: 5-16° C (63-74° F)

Origin: most common sculpin in the US..streams, rivers, lakes

Temperament: Semi-Agressive to Agressive

Compatible Tankmates: Any fish big that does not fit in its mouth

Diet: anything you drop in the tank, wiggling or not (mine loves night crawlers, blood worms and baby guppies)

Tank Size for Adult: 10-20G minimum

 

[Kcameron]

...not so much monsters, but are good for some mini monster tanks:

Scientific Name: Devario aequipinnatus

Common name: Giant Danio

Care Level: Moderate (I might say easy, but they can be sensitive)

Size: 3-6 inches (4.5 generally in Aquaria, females usually larger than males)

pH and KH range: Ph 6.0.0-8.0

Temperature range: 70-75 ° F preferred but can tolerate 65-81

Origin: streams in India and its neighboring countries.

Temperament: Passive to semi-aggressive (may bully peers if kept in small groups and show food aggression to even larger fish; try to play with large fish as well so this may be off-putting to territorial species)

Compatible Tankmates: hardy larger fish that wont eat them; fast moving smaller fish

Diet: omnivores; mine love flakes, frozen krill, even sinking pellets and small earthworms

Tank size: 30+ gallons

 

[tyl089]

one pic is mine, other from internet (better quality).





polypterus palmas palmas

marbled bichir

up to 30cm, or 12"

water parameter not very important as long as it's stable but found in soft/acidic water in homerange.

temp from 78-82F, or 26-28C

Found in W and Central Africa countries of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea

Temperament is usually peaceful, but can be semi-aggressive when push comes to shove.

any fish not too overly aggressive, or small enough to fit inside it's mouth.

only meaty food like worms, earthworm, tubifex, black worms, fish flesh,/and or pellets for carnivores.

Min. tank size would be 40g.

One of the best fish I ever kept, long lived if cared for properly, inquisitive and pretty, active day or night. easy to feed and care for.

 

[tyl089]

barbus tetrazona

tiger barb

up to 7cm or 3in.

ph 6.5 & up to 10dGH

60-79F or 20-26C

found in Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia

can be aggressive but usually semi-aggressive amongst it's own kind or to fish w/long fins.

Should be kept w/medium size fish w/no long fins.

diet is omnivorous and will take all types of prepared and frozen foods. but, live mosquito larvae beneficial for conditioning to breed.

min. tank size: 20g

Described as "punks" by some members of this forum, this little fish can hold it's own against larger fish, and sometimes even pick on the larger fish esp. if fish has long flowing fins.
Tiger barb are schooling fish so minimum of six should be kept otherwise, the behavior of the fish can change, and aggression level may also increase w/out enough tank mates to spread around the aggression.
Reported to be prolific breeder if cared for properly.

 

[Industrial]

Scientific Name: Ageneiosus sp. cf. vittatus?

Common name: Striped Ageneiosus

Care Level: Medium

Size: (in centimeter): Up to 8".

pH and KH range: Up to 8. Does better in lower pH with softer water though.

Temperature range: 76-84 F

Origin: South America

Temperament: Peaceful but a nervous predator.

Compatible Tankmates: Peaceful fish who are too large to be eaten.

Diet: Live fish only.

Tank Size for Adult: 40 breeder.

Narrative: Not usually seen in LFS, it is by far more suitable than most pimelodes. These fish like to be in groups and prefer a lot of current in the tank. If current is low,
they will spend most of the day on the bottom, but if there is a lot of current they normally swim near the source.

References: atlasoffish.com

 

[wantokeeptrout]

Butis Butis

Crocodile fish, crazy fish, duckbilled sleeper, upside down gobies, bony snouted gugeon

Care level: Easy to moderate depending on what it's eating

size: Average 10-12 cm big ones get 15 cm


PH- not picky 6.5-8 H not picky and actually appreciate some variaty in salt levels as they are brackish fish that swim up and down rivers, full fresh can be used but adding salt is beneficial.

Temp: 72-80 farenheit

Origin: indo pacific islands and australian rivers

attitude: Peaceful but territorial, has a big mouth and will eat anything less then 3/4 its size. Will mix well with non territorial tough fish.

Tankmates: similar sized or larger, peaceful or semi agressive fish e.g gouramis, barbs. Avoid territorial fish like cichlids or there will be fights unless you have a large tank.

tank size: 29 for 1 or maybe 2, 40 min for 2-3

Narrative: Interesting fish that stick to decoration and glass at odd angles and pretend to be sticks or play dead. about 1/7 of the fish is mouth so avoid keeping it with smaller fish. It will make a small territory and occasonally harass intruders, but otherwise it is peaceful. it does better in breackish water, likes but doesn't require current. May be difficult to wean onto dry foods