My BF wants a "cool" fish of his own

[Polardbear]

My BF has decided that he wants a fish he can call his own. The problem is, he wants something "cool" and "shark-like". I have both a 75 gallon tank and a 55 gallon tank (both cycled) that have my precious swordtails in them. Currently the 75 gallon has 14 swordtails and 7 small cory cats. The 55 gallon has 13 swordtails and 2 adult cories. I'm breeding swordtails and usually move the pregnant females to a maternity tank before they give birth so I'm not overly concerned about fry getting eaten. But I don't want anything that might harm my adult and teenager swordies. I also need to have some room left for some of the fry that I plan on keeping.

He doesn't really care for bettas and he thinks my swordies look like goldfish (probably because the onesin the 75 gallon are predominately orange).

Does anybody have any suggestions for something I can get him, that won't mind being the only one of it's kind, won't harrass the swordies (or be harrassed by them), and is "cool looking" (his words not mine).

My water is somewhat on the hard and alkaline side with a ph of about 7.6. My tanks temps stay around 76-78 degrees in the winter and in the summer months is usually around 80 degrees.

And being the cheapskate that he is, he doesn't want it to cost more than $10.00.

Help me somebody before he drives me crazy!

 

[Fishy411]

Red tail black shark, rainbow shark. both under 5$ and shark like. THey also can only be kept 1 per tank so if he asks for another u can say no and have a reason

 

[Teelie]

I was going to suggest those but they might be too aggressive to go with Swords.

 

[fufanu360]

rams? theyre cool...

how about a big arrowana

 

[Fishy411]

I think a rainbow would be better than a RTBS. How big aare yur swords?

 

[Polardbear]

The swordies are in the 2 - 2 1/4 inch range I'd say (not counting their tales). They are all still fairly young so will grow a little more probably.

 

[fufanu360]

I think a rainbow would be better than a RTBS. How big aare yur swords?

dude thats the exact same thing!

rainbow shark rtbs same differense

 

[Teelie]

Nope, not the same. A Red Tailed Black Shark is a seperate species than a Rainbow Shark and they look different. Red tails have red tails, Rainbows have all red fins.

 

[fufanu360]

.... well then

 

[Teelie]

Red-Tailed Black Shark: Epalzeorhynchus bicolor
Rainbow Shark: Epalzeorhynchos Frenatum

Other than the finnage, there doesn't seem to be very many differences. Both are found in the same areas, grow to the same length, similar requirements, etc. I suppose it's easy to confuse the two.

 

[Polardbear]

I did some looking on Red Tails and Rainbows and found a lot of comments that specifically mentioned them harassing swordtails. I don't think I'd want to gamble. My swordtails are the "reason for being" for both my tanks. I'm actually trying to stear him away from sharks altogether so it will need to be something that's unusual looking but peaceful. (I'm half tempted to get him a molly and just not tell him it's a molly. Some of them are pretty strange looking!)

 

[Dorkhedeos]

senegal bichir, the swordtails might not like it, but the bichirs will like the sword tails. maybe you can get a divider or something or move the other fish to the bigger tank and get 2 senegals. they wont start eating the sword tails until they can fit in their mouth. you can get them at petsmart for 6 dollars each

 

[bshockstubb]

Get a pair of rams, they are very devious looking but are the sweetest things alive and can be kept with all livebearers.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

OOOOH OOOOOH! I JUST THOUGHT OF THE PERFECT FISH! KHULI LOACHES!!!!

 

[Polardbear]

I had a khuli loach 30 years ago and the little guy developed some disease that made it have siezure like fits. I had nightmares about for years afterwards, so thanks for trying but no khuli loaches.