The choice of fish in an aquascape is very important, as it either complements or disrupts the impression one is trying to create. For example, a school of colorful fish like cardinal tetras in an aquascape dominated by red leaved plants often looks garish and tacky. If a fish hides a lot and is too secretive, then the aquascape often looks empty. If a fish is too small for an aquascape, the impression they create can be underwhelming.
The types of fish I like to use most in my aquascapes are shoaling characins, especially the more slender, colorful species like the cardinal tetra, rummynose tetra, and green neon tetra. Although colorful, I feel that their movements are quite soothing --especially the tighter schooling rummynose tetras which tend to move around as one. Compare that to the more hectic danios which are always darting haphazardly throughout the tank.
I also enjoy most pencilfish and hatchetfish species because of their unusual body shape and movements. The tube-mouthed pencilfish (N. eques) is a favorite of mine because of its nearly vertical swimming posture. Pencilfish are the hummingbirds of the aquarium fish world, IMO.
I usually like to combine the above with a small group of some type of small anabantid (B. imbellis, chocolate gourami) or dwarf cichlid (blue ram, A. borellii). These add a lot of personality, which the aforementioned fish often lack --this is very important for the owner/viewer which sees the layout day in and day out. Nonetheless, these usually play a secondary role to the overall impression.None
So what fish do you like to keep in your planted aquascapes? Small schooling characins? Larger, more active rainbowfish? Personality-packed Apistogrammas?
Carlos
The types of fish I like to use most in my aquascapes are shoaling characins, especially the more slender, colorful species like the cardinal tetra, rummynose tetra, and green neon tetra. Although colorful, I feel that their movements are quite soothing --especially the tighter schooling rummynose tetras which tend to move around as one. Compare that to the more hectic danios which are always darting haphazardly throughout the tank.
I also enjoy most pencilfish and hatchetfish species because of their unusual body shape and movements. The tube-mouthed pencilfish (N. eques) is a favorite of mine because of its nearly vertical swimming posture. Pencilfish are the hummingbirds of the aquarium fish world, IMO.
I usually like to combine the above with a small group of some type of small anabantid (B. imbellis, chocolate gourami) or dwarf cichlid (blue ram, A. borellii). These add a lot of personality, which the aforementioned fish often lack --this is very important for the owner/viewer which sees the layout day in and day out. Nonetheless, these usually play a secondary role to the overall impression.None
So what fish do you like to keep in your planted aquascapes? Small schooling characins? Larger, more active rainbowfish? Personality-packed Apistogrammas?
Carlos
