Top - Mid water dwelling fish for SA tank

[eklikewhoa]

Looking for some ideas for Top - Mid water dwelling fish for my future tank.

Would like for it to be a SA fish but it doesn't have to be.


Not really wanting an arowana anymore since I just got rid of mine, maybe a leucistic jar or african but those don't spark any interest. Thinking about looking for a cheap gar to toss into the tank but wanted to see what others think since my brains draws a blank right now.

Got rid of all my black bar silver dollars as well as my aro so I need something to replace them with to not make the tank look empty.

The Burmese archers are FG look cool as fawk but not sure if they would fair well with the bottom feeding fish.

Needs to be big or get big and fast enough not to become a meal. Also a school of fish would be cool too.



Any suggestions welcomed.

[newb]

Pink tail chalceus? In large numbers they look sweet.

[eklikewhoa]

Pink tail chalceus? In large numbers they look sweet.

I had one with some mahseers and it was cool but not striking cool.

[eklikewhoa]

I have two pikes in my sump right now but they are only like 3" and there's only 2, don't think they grow fast enough.

[newb]

Metynnis fasciatus

[eklikewhoa]

Metynnis fasciatus

Those look cool too! seen the pictures of them in the ADG tank but I just got rid of 20 Myleus Schomburgkii so looking for something a bit different.

[mistahoo]

Arapima? Hydrocynus goliath?

[eklikewhoa]

arapima gets too big and they're pretty ugly, would rather have a nice aro or even an african aro over them.

The GATF looks cool but not that cool. Maybe a dorado, scombs would be kinda cool but they're uglier that crap.

[mistahoo]

Brycons?

[eklikewhoa]

yeah possibly, easier to find than a GATF or ATF

[mistahoo]

Since you got some gars already, maybe some uncommon pikes? Not SA... Redfin Pickerel? Lebiasina astrigata? Might be too small?

[eklikewhoa]

I like my SA pikes.

the others I think don't move as much as I would like, I want some movement to the tank and not something that is gonna sit in one corner all day.

That's why i'm leaning towards the brycon or atf.

[mistahoo]

Get you a south american penguin!

[mnemenoi]

Maybe a shoal of Greater Hatchetfish? At 3 1/2" they might be large and fast enough to avoid depradation. Penguinfish or Hockeystick tetra look great in a school and are eyecatching at a larger size. What about some Giant Rivulus (Rivulus Hartii) they are a bit sizier and should be able to hold their own as well. Pike Livebearers would make an interesting addition as well, as livebearers rarely achieve that size or ferocity.

[mnemenoi]

Striped or three spot Anostomus and possibly some Abrimates could conceivably work. I remember seeing some oddball headstander I never see up at Ultimate fish and it was quite sizable, but can't remember exactly what it was (Hah, I remembered! It was a Lipstick Leperonus). What do you think about the possibility of a school of Amazon puffers? They are all over in the tank, but do get larger and should be able to fend for themselves well.