Your favorite tankbuster miniatures

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Zebra pleco -> zebra shovelnose catfish (yes I know how expensive zebra plecos are).
Very good match in terms of color and pattern, but it's 6 cm instead of 60 cm.

PlanetCatfish.com - Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (Pimelodidae) Cat-eLog

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PlanetCatfish.com - Hypancistrus zebra image 19

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[Caveden]

I dunno...this thread is starting to make less and less sense the further it goes, and it didn't make that much sense to begin with.

"Gee...I really want a Tiger Datnoid, but my whole aquarium is shorter than the actual fish...hmm, what to do, what to do? Oh, I know...I'll get a Marbled Hatchetfish and it'll be just as good!"

"Giant Gourami! I love Giant Gouramis. The single most overriding characteristic of the Giant Gourami is...wait for it...it's a giant! I'm sure that a Dwarf Gourami, roughly the size of a Giant Gourami's eyeball, will scratch that itch!"

And it goes on and on. Bloodfin Tetras instead of Tinfoil Barbs? Bettas standing in for Arowanas? Oh, the humanity....

This is the Monster Fish Keeper forum. The focus is monster fish. If you want monster fish, you simply must invest the time, money and space to provide a suitable monster home; it takes all three of those, one or two just don't cut it. Small fish are wonderful in their own right...I am unabashedly a small fish fan...but regardless of all their appealing characteristics, they simply aren't giants and can't be expected to substitute for them.

Or, am I being too close-minded about this? Gee, beats me...maybe?

I'll recheck this thread when I get back home. My granddaughter wants a pony; we're taking her to get a hamster. I'll report back whether or not she notices the switcheroo.

Yeah I don’t really see the resemblance either. I also disagree with some, like how arowanas resemble African butterfly fish and bettas?? ??
Dunno how smaller fish can substitute for the larger fishes, they have totally different behaviour and personalities, with only slight look alike.

 

[Krismo962]

I dunno...this thread is starting to make less and less sense the further it goes, and it didn't make that much sense to begin with.

"Gee...I really want a Tiger Datnoid, but my whole aquarium is shorter than the actual fish...hmm, what to do, what to do? Oh, I know...I'll get a Marbled Hatchetfish and it'll be just as good!"

"Giant Gourami! I love Giant Gouramis. The single most overriding characteristic of the Giant Gourami is...wait for it...it's a giant! I'm sure that a Dwarf Gourami, roughly the size of a Giant Gourami's eyeball, will scratch that itch!"

And it goes on and on. Bloodfin Tetras instead of Tinfoil Barbs? Bettas standing in for Arowanas? Oh, the humanity....

This is the Monster Fish Keeper forum. The focus is monster fish. If you want monster fish, you simply must invest the time, money and space to provide a suitable monster home; it takes all three of those, one or two just don't cut it. Small fish are wonderful in their own right...I am unabashedly a small fish fan...but regardless of all their appealing characteristics, they simply aren't giants and can't be expected to substitute for them.

Or, am I being too close-minded about this? Gee, beats me...maybe?

I'll recheck this thread when I get back home. My granddaughter wants a pony; we're taking her to get a hamster. I'll report back whether or not she notices the switcheroo.

agreed

 

[Deadeye]

Yeah I don’t really see the resemblance either. I also disagree with some, like how arowanas resemble African butterfly fish and bettas?? ??
Dunno how smaller fish can substitute for the larger fishes, they have totally different behaviour and personalities, with only slight look alike.

I don’t think bettas and aros are too similar, but African butterflies are literally an arowana species, so I think they count.
To me, to call something a miniature it generally has to be a close relative or exhibit the same behavioral characteristics, just be smaller.
I think it’s nice to consider these types of fish because if you really like a type of fish, but no that you will never be able to house it until way in the future, it’s cool to be able to have something like it in the time being.

 

[Caveden]

I don’t think bettas and aros are too similar, but African butterflies are literally an arowana species, so I think they count.
To me, to call something a miniature it generally has to be a close relative or exhibit the same behavioral characteristics, just be smaller.
I think it’s nice to consider these types of fish because if you really like a type of fish, but no that you will never be able to house it until way in the future, it’s cool to be able to have something like it in the time being.

True for some but not for me I guess. It wouldn’t be the same unless it’s the actual specimen in my perspective. The latest example which was stated above; zebra pleco and Tigrinus catfish, besides their patterns matching, in no way are they similar, in terms of behaviour, growth etc.
Thus I don’t see how it would be a substitute for a carnivorous catfish. For each his own I guess, maybe I’m missing something haha ?.
I like these small debates. Quite interactive.

 

[xenacanth9]

I also disagree with some, like how arowanas resemble African butterfly fish

I've said it before and I will say it again ?

 

[Caveden]

I've said it before and I will say it again ?
View attachment 1477660View attachment 1477661

Yes I know you sent this before. I don’t see the resemblance still.
the only thing I’m consider a tank buster miniature is probably the fire eel and spiny banded eel. Both have same body shape, same behaviour, basically everything besides the colouration, and one is 6” the other can be 2-3ft

 

[jjohnwm]

^ Agree!

Two closely related fish, similar body shape, similar behaviour, similar requirements...makes sense to consider one as a mini-version of the other. Colour? I suppose if you choose fish based upon how they compliment or clash with the colour of your furniture or carpets, then colour might be a deciding point...but that seems like a strange way to select fish.

Other logical choices as miniatures might be some of the smaller snakeheads, predatory catfish or cichlids in lieu of their larger relatives. A salvini as a mostly-predatory aggressive substitute for a dovii...or even a nice big pictus cat, actively cruising around and gulping down innocent victims in lieu of a vulture or similar big cat.

But whatever you do, you must accept that the smaller fish have their own charm. If you don't...then every time you look at them you will just say "Dang! That's nice...but I still really, really want that Redtail Cat (...or whatever...)"

 

[xenacanth9]

Yes I know you sent this before. I don’t see the resemblance still.
the only thing I’m consider a tank buster miniature is probably the fire eel and spiny banded eel. Both have same body shape, same behaviour, basically everything besides the colouration, and one is 6” the other can be 2-3ft

View attachment 1477676

View attachment 1477677

Makes sense.

 

[Ashtons Fishroom]

DOVII just DOVII