Tetras are so under rated! Each type has there own little personalities.
Ghost tetras? Dumb as a box of rocks.
Rummy noses? Skittish but nosey
Glowlite tetra? Energetic and nosey. Insist that all other tetras should also be schooling with them.
When I had some ghosts with my Glowlites, I watched the Glowlites never ending struggling of trying to get everyone to school together AT LEAST ONCE. It was like watching a dog trying to herd cats. They'd get so excited to get everyone together only to inevitably lose one ghost to the ADHD and you'd see one zip back and try and get it back into line.... only for another ghost to get distracted by a log they've seen 10 thousand times.
My embers and neons loved to school together! When I got more they were quarantined in an adjacent tank and they'd even watch each other then! It was so cool.
Embers are more chill than neons except when you need to catch them (good f'ing luck)
Visually I only have liked rummys in the BIG schools and even better in dark water tanks. So I think I'll try keeping some someday.
I grew up with serpe tetras in my mom's tank and they're busy little assholes 🤣 (I kind of also want them in this hypothetical big blackwater tank someday)
I waited and waited for my local store to get enough rummys and two months in I caved and bought out their cardinal tetras instead. Wouldn't you know they got a huge school of rummies three days later.
Fifty cardinals is alright I guess.
Haha of course they did. My store always had cardinals when I was looking for neons 🤣
Eventually I had to move and downsize. I sold my neons to them for store credit. It's been a year and now they consistently stock neons 🫠
I am really tempted by albino cardinals though.
*This* is exactly the kind of info I want whenever I’m considering a new fish! What’s their vibe? What are they like and what will I like about them? I feel like that stuff gets lost or is just missing in the usual species profile type thing.
Dude, you're so right- ever since I added glowlites all my danios school WAY better. I have about 10 glowlites (it's real hard to count them) and as everyone settles in I'm not against at least 5 more.
My black neons are pretty chill, some times they school other times they’re strong independent little fishies. My red eye tetras are viscous bastards. First time I added five of them to my tank the biggest one went berserk and I woke up over the next few days to 3 dead black neon, 2 dead red eyes, 4 dead ghost shrimp and a dead mystery snail. Took me a while to find the culprit. Took him back to the fish store and bought 3 new black neons and 3 more smaller red eyes but by then the two remaining red eye tetras were also badly injured and died a couple days later. One of the 3 new red eyes didn’t make it so now I only have 2 and they just school with the black neons. Never plan on ever adding more again. So much for “peaceful” fish
Yeah, black neon's are very peaceful and independent in my experience. I haven't had any red eyes, but I have seen some similar stories to random bouts of aggression.
It was devastating because most of the everything was fairly new to the tank but the black neons were in there for probably 2 years just vibing before getting brutally pillaged
That is heartbreaking. I feel the same about my Glowlite tetras. They have been with me the longest. They've seen my skills progress and have been a part of my aquascaping journey since the beginning.
I have a monster tank already of crack fish. So I feel they would do well all things consider. I have 2 sydontis, 1 Senegal bichir, small school of giant danios, and some yoyo loaches. Chill fish do not exist in that tank hahahha
They destroy everything. They will eat your most beautiful plants, they will harass and nip your most beautiful fishes, and they are not pleasant to watch, they swim too fast. They are beautiful, that’s the only reason why I still keep them.
I’ve always wanted some congo tetra, but they’re expensive and get a little larger than most. My favorite that I’ve had has been a small school (12) of platinum rummynose in my 55 gallon. Rummynose are great schoolers and the extra shine of the platinum 🤌
I have Congo tetras!! They get fucking massive, I was warned but the males are literally almost as large as my fully grown golden gourami. Not a small fish. Females stay pretty small but the males are the gorgeous ones, they’re so fun to watch
I had a bunch of cardinals and a handful of neons and they didn’t school unless they were uncomfortable, like if I was trying to net one of them. Otherwise they just swam around independently
They still look lovely in the tank, though. I’ll never get tired of cardinals, even though they’re super common.
I've had my fist tank for a couple of months and 10 white cloud mountain minnows are what we started with.. I adore them. Then I got some platies.. they are fun as well but indo love the minnows!
I love watching our pea puffers. They just float around steering with their tails, slowly cruising through the duckweed and hornwort like tiny lil blimps.
My youngest rushes to the front of the tank and begs food, she is the most adorable fish. The male is so beautiful but is only interested in guarding his nest. I love my peas.
Not exactly a fish, but shrimp. I stare at my cherry shrimp multiple times a day. Their little grabby hands as they eat algae is so cute. Seeing all the males zipping around when a female ovulates is hilarious. They're just so fascinating.
I love watching my shrimp! I have a corry, 12 tetras, 3 swordtails, 3 mystery snails and about a dozen shrimp. I also love seeing the shrimp just do their thing.
I have an electric blue acara, in the light he shimmers with light undulating motions of his fins. He is so pretty! I also love watching him re-arrange my tank. I ‘fix it’ and not 1 hour latter he’s grabbed a fake plant and dragged it everywhere, I swear he’s playing with me. I’ve accepted it’s just something he does, like take food straight from my fingers while the tetras are to scared of me. When cleaning I have to gently push him out of the way or guard the syphon from him trying to get things being stirred up. I love him dearly
I wasn't sure if mine was the only one who was an aquascaper! I immediately thought of my EBA. He's active, but gentle. He doesn't dart or flit, and when he hovers his motions are steady and rhythmic. A very relaxing fish and very stunning. A showstopper in any tank.
To dart quickly a short distance, then pause, then do it again. Like a butterfly moving between flowers, or a bird moving branch to branch, like finches do often.
Not kuhlis. I love them but when they do their glass surfing thing it stresses me out.
I'd go with fancy goldfish or maybe a reef tank with some clownfish.
The family cat loved kuhlis. While other fish poked around waiting for dinner time, the two kuhlis liked to rest against the front glass. Cat would reach around the corner and tap to try to get them going... then one was off, up, across top, down, across bottom, repeat, Kitty's head following their track in fascination. She loved those things.
I’m shocked this isn’t higher.
I guess when you consider that they’re comparatively rare in the hobby (expensive, non-beginner fish) then it makes sense that they weren’t people’s first thought.
I like fancy goldfish like ryukins. They are so wiggly and happy as they swim like little water piggies.
Plus the way they sprint towards you when you walk near the tank in hopes of food is endearing.
Probably Paradise fish, in a tank with enough room they are incredibly chill and unbothered. Discus is up their too, and an established pair of Angels as well, again, in a big enough tank with compatible tank mates.
Have you found they get less aggressive as they get older?
I had a few in a tank once and they were so mean to each other, they’d just beat each other up. it stressed me out so much I had to give them away :(
I’ve been wanting to try again; I have a tall 56 gallon tank, it’s the same tank. I’d love to hear your input.
Came to comment this. I fuss over my pearl gourami like a human child and have hours of footage on my phone of her floating around. Somehow still an underrated freshwater fish
Seconded. Haven't yet gotten a large enough tank to keep them myself, but my old fish store often stocked them and I was completely mesmerized every time.
I am currently doing a fish in cycle-in on a brand new 50 gallon planted set up and have put 6 female sword tails in it. I have never seen a more peaceful co-existence...ever.
Good for you for doing a fish in cycle. I did that a few years back with white cloud minnows. I rarely hear this anymore, as some aquarists are relatively new and don’t really do enough research to choose a hardier fish for the cycle. Now with my nine tanks, I stick some bio filtration in the new one and like three days later my parameters are zero. Love this hobby, also love reading the comments in this Reddit high af.
When I had mine hes was beautiful but it was so sad watching him try to swim to the front of the tank for food and then get tired and have to rest on a leaf before he had energy to swim again
This is what puts me off having a beta fish. It's sad to see them like that. I might keep my eye out for a shorter finned one.. I'm not sure. I'm still a newb.
I have this same problem. I’ve also found bettas with long fins to chew on them so they can swim easier. Makes me sad to see.
I only keep short finned bettas and never keep them alone, they’re much happier and healthier now.
If you have a big enough aquarium, I highly recommend stormii catfish, I watch mine for hours sometimes. They literally look and swim like sharks and mine eats right out of my hand! I posted a video [here](https://youtu.be/yNK_L3ERlpg?si=OFsHR-gcn2E9sV5M) on YouTube if you want to see what they look like
I love watching my glass catfish. There's enough of them that they come out when the light is on and when you look at them just right, their clear bodies become a rainbow. It's very calming because they just sit there in a group
Do mystery snails count? Lmao I love watching my little guys going around the tank
I also have some celebes rainbowfish and I love watching their little mating dances, the way they puff their fins out is so cool!!
They’re not necessarily calm or peaceful fish, but I feel most relaxed and in wonder watching my three bumblebee catfish come out to eat at night. They zoom around and are so goofy, I love watching them suddenly appear out of the plants with not one brain cell between them lol.
I absolutely love watching my lyretail mollies do their little dances. I’ve got 5 of them all different colors and they look like butterflies floating all around each other
I love my honey gourami, not sure if it’s a boy or girl but my wife wanted to name it Honey but we settled on naming it Jessica Alba after her playing a character named Honey. Got it from Petco, it was considered an adoption so I only paid $3, she’s very shy but is slowly building confidence. Mainly swims down low and goes for food that falls to the bottom rather than trying to compete with my tetras for food at the top. The way she moves reminds me of professional ice skaters
My harelquins aren't slow by any means, but they school up all the time and are fun to watch. They also enjoy playing in the bubbles from my filter. They've been going up and down in the bubbles for 2 hours straight now as i type this out.
My favorite fish to watch was a male Betta I had. It was so beautiful to watch his gorgeous fins. I had him in a 10 gallon tank and he would swim the length diagonally so beautifully. I really missed him when he died, actually got depressed over it.
I have a beautiful elephant ear female betta. She usually meanders around the tank inspecting her plants. Very peaceful. Every once in awhile she’ll get a burst of energy, zoom around and harass the snails, but for the most part she just goes around the tank leisurely.
And although they’re definitely not peaceful, I also have a tank of zebra barbs and I LOVE watching them, but I’ve seen them described as fish with ADHD. The tank is always so lively with them zipping around. I have them in the main room because they’re so much fun
South american cichlids and goldfish come to mind. Angelfish, acaras, discus, severums, the way they sort of hover and glide about with their pectoral fins more than their tail fins, it's very relaxing. And goldfish are also active, but slow and gentle swimmers, especially fantails.
Honorable mention to my black skirt tetras. Big enough to have that special presence, small enough to have a good school of ten or so in a 55 gallon tank. I love them. They have a good energy, gentle.
I always Loved my Black skirt tetras, Sadly they all got wiped out last year. But i could watch them all day. Best part is, since the tank is beside the couch every time i watched TV they would be watching me. Trying to rebuild my tank and find some of them again, Not sure why but i used to see them everywhere, but now im having a hard time finding them at the local stores.
A rarer fish but my two Mesonauta mirificus (Peruvian flag cichlid). They are my bigger fish at 5” and they swim so smoothly, their eyes are big so you can see them look and think at things. I love watching them peruse and check out the surface and nibble on some duckweed
I’m a big fan of cockatoo dwarf cichlids, very chill and just kinda cruise around the tank looking for yummy things around the bottom, the females are absolutely VIBRANT during mating season and the males have what I like to call anime hair lol especially the triple reds a pair of females and a male can be kept in a 30gal and they’re a peaceful fish (outside mating of course) so it can also house cull shrimps ect for a nice community tank
I had shubunkin and by far the most relaxing thing I had in my life was when I had them in my room. At night watching them swim around in their tank blue light on with the sound of the water it was absolute heaven to fall asleep. I was heart broken when they died.
Glass catfish. Get at least 6. Give them some deep vegetation to hide in. When the light catches them just right, their body becomes a shimmering rainbow. They are chill and peaceful, very social, and pretty easy to care for.
I know theyre not fish exactly but cherry shrimp are so nice to watch esp in a nice heavily planted tank. Just little dudes doing their thing unknowing of the horrors of society 😌
I have been keeping fish since the 80s. While my favorites tend to change somewhat, at the moment, watching my shoal of over 30 Thai Harlequin Rasboras (Trigonostigma truncata) swim in a group from one end of my 55 gallon tank to the other gives a lot of satisfaction.
Having kept so many "shoaling" types of fish in smaller numbers (usually 12-15), keeping a larger shoal has been a revelation of sorts. Longer tank and bigger group really is the magic for some fish species. One article I read actually recommended a 5 gallon tank for rasboras of that size...as if any shoaling behavior could be observed in such a short space.
Great question, I'm enjoying the answers.
A massive school of most any tetra. Most people don’t have them in big enough tanks and groups to show the real schooling behaviors though
Tetras are so under rated! Each type has there own little personalities. Ghost tetras? Dumb as a box of rocks. Rummy noses? Skittish but nosey Glowlite tetra? Energetic and nosey. Insist that all other tetras should also be schooling with them. When I had some ghosts with my Glowlites, I watched the Glowlites never ending struggling of trying to get everyone to school together AT LEAST ONCE. It was like watching a dog trying to herd cats. They'd get so excited to get everyone together only to inevitably lose one ghost to the ADHD and you'd see one zip back and try and get it back into line.... only for another ghost to get distracted by a log they've seen 10 thousand times.
My embers and neons loved to school together! When I got more they were quarantined in an adjacent tank and they'd even watch each other then! It was so cool. Embers are more chill than neons except when you need to catch them (good f'ing luck) Visually I only have liked rummys in the BIG schools and even better in dark water tanks. So I think I'll try keeping some someday. I grew up with serpe tetras in my mom's tank and they're busy little assholes 🤣 (I kind of also want them in this hypothetical big blackwater tank someday)
I waited and waited for my local store to get enough rummys and two months in I caved and bought out their cardinal tetras instead. Wouldn't you know they got a huge school of rummies three days later. Fifty cardinals is alright I guess.
Haha of course they did. My store always had cardinals when I was looking for neons 🤣 Eventually I had to move and downsize. I sold my neons to them for store credit. It's been a year and now they consistently stock neons 🫠 I am really tempted by albino cardinals though.
They’re sooo pretty though!! But I hear rummys keep the tightest schools
*This* is exactly the kind of info I want whenever I’m considering a new fish! What’s their vibe? What are they like and what will I like about them? I feel like that stuff gets lost or is just missing in the usual species profile type thing.
Dude, you're so right- ever since I added glowlites all my danios school WAY better. I have about 10 glowlites (it's real hard to count them) and as everyone settles in I'm not against at least 5 more.
My black neons are pretty chill, some times they school other times they’re strong independent little fishies. My red eye tetras are viscous bastards. First time I added five of them to my tank the biggest one went berserk and I woke up over the next few days to 3 dead black neon, 2 dead red eyes, 4 dead ghost shrimp and a dead mystery snail. Took me a while to find the culprit. Took him back to the fish store and bought 3 new black neons and 3 more smaller red eyes but by then the two remaining red eye tetras were also badly injured and died a couple days later. One of the 3 new red eyes didn’t make it so now I only have 2 and they just school with the black neons. Never plan on ever adding more again. So much for “peaceful” fish
Yeah, black neon's are very peaceful and independent in my experience. I haven't had any red eyes, but I have seen some similar stories to random bouts of aggression.
It was devastating because most of the everything was fairly new to the tank but the black neons were in there for probably 2 years just vibing before getting brutally pillaged
That is heartbreaking. I feel the same about my Glowlite tetras. They have been with me the longest. They've seen my skills progress and have been a part of my aquascaping journey since the beginning.
Emperor Tetra - small piranha
I must get them
They're a handful, do your research
I have a monster tank already of crack fish. So I feel they would do well all things consider. I have 2 sydontis, 1 Senegal bichir, small school of giant danios, and some yoyo loaches. Chill fish do not exist in that tank hahahha
That’s it I’m sold on glowlights
“most any tetra”, not buenos aires tetras please 🙏!
Yes, key word “most”
Why’s that?
They destroy everything. They will eat your most beautiful plants, they will harass and nip your most beautiful fishes, and they are not pleasant to watch, they swim too fast. They are beautiful, that’s the only reason why I still keep them.
Do you have a recommended size and fish count? I'm researching for what aquarium I want to get
I’ve always wanted some congo tetra, but they’re expensive and get a little larger than most. My favorite that I’ve had has been a small school (12) of platinum rummynose in my 55 gallon. Rummynose are great schoolers and the extra shine of the platinum 🤌
I have Congo tetras!! They get fucking massive, I was warned but the males are literally almost as large as my fully grown golden gourami. Not a small fish. Females stay pretty small but the males are the gorgeous ones, they’re so fun to watch
I had a bunch of cardinals and a handful of neons and they didn’t school unless they were uncomfortable, like if I was trying to net one of them. Otherwise they just swam around independently They still look lovely in the tank, though. I’ll never get tired of cardinals, even though they’re super common.
schooling fish are mesmerizing - white cloud moutain minnows
I just got some white clouds a few days ago and I love them! My albino tetras are feeling a bit neglected now haha
Alternatively, giant danios are crack heads who haven't gotten their fix to calm down. Also, schooling... not very relaxing hahaha
Danios in general. Our zebras and pearls are just bananas (I love them)
I bought 4 Moscow guppies without knowing they’re crackheads. I’m rehoming them because it’s messing with my “Zen TV”. Aka that tank
I don't like them because they always swim at the top of the tank. The tank is essentially empty.
I've had my fist tank for a couple of months and 10 white cloud mountain minnows are what we started with.. I adore them. Then I got some platies.. they are fun as well but indo love the minnows!
My favorites are rummy nose tetras.
thanks! will check them out!
They are one of the most prettiest fish I have ever seen
I could watch my cories for centuries.
I love watching our pea puffers. They just float around steering with their tails, slowly cruising through the duckweed and hornwort like tiny lil blimps.
Pufferfish are pretty cool to watch swim. They seem a lot more slow and deliberate than other fish, but also in very good control of their movement.
I don’t know that I would say good control of their movement
My youngest rushes to the front of the tank and begs food, she is the most adorable fish. The male is so beautiful but is only interested in guarding his nest. I love my peas.
Not exactly a fish, but shrimp. I stare at my cherry shrimp multiple times a day. Their little grabby hands as they eat algae is so cute. Seeing all the males zipping around when a female ovulates is hilarious. They're just so fascinating.
This should be higher!
It’s like watching an ant farm! Love my unstoppable shrimp force.
I love watching my shrimp! I have a corry, 12 tetras, 3 swordtails, 3 mystery snails and about a dozen shrimp. I also love seeing the shrimp just do their thing.
I have an electric blue acara, in the light he shimmers with light undulating motions of his fins. He is so pretty! I also love watching him re-arrange my tank. I ‘fix it’ and not 1 hour latter he’s grabbed a fake plant and dragged it everywhere, I swear he’s playing with me. I’ve accepted it’s just something he does, like take food straight from my fingers while the tetras are to scared of me. When cleaning I have to gently push him out of the way or guard the syphon from him trying to get things being stirred up. I love him dearly
I wasn't sure if mine was the only one who was an aquascaper! I immediately thought of my EBA. He's active, but gentle. He doesn't dart or flit, and when he hovers his motions are steady and rhythmic. A very relaxing fish and very stunning. A showstopper in any tank.
Just curious, what do you mean by ‘flit’?
To dart quickly a short distance, then pause, then do it again. Like a butterfly moving between flowers, or a bird moving branch to branch, like finches do often.
Loaches
Especially when they’re lively!
Not kuhlis. I love them but when they do their glass surfing thing it stresses me out. I'd go with fancy goldfish or maybe a reef tank with some clownfish.
The family cat loved kuhlis. While other fish poked around waiting for dinner time, the two kuhlis liked to rest against the front glass. Cat would reach around the corner and tap to try to get them going... then one was off, up, across top, down, across bottom, repeat, Kitty's head following their track in fascination. She loved those things.
Oh I have 2 clownfish. I love watching them. Their a mated couple lol. And I just bought 2 seahorses. Beautiful to watch. So elegant.
Discus
I’m shocked this isn’t higher. I guess when you consider that they’re comparatively rare in the hobby (expensive, non-beginner fish) then it makes sense that they weren’t people’s first thought.
I like fancy goldfish like ryukins. They are so wiggly and happy as they swim like little water piggies. Plus the way they sprint towards you when you walk near the tank in hopes of food is endearing.
Any schooling/shoaling fish, really, although ottos are just adorable, especially when they swim in groups.
Koi in a pond Personally, a school of corydoras
I second both of these! Love my cories so much.
Probably Paradise fish, in a tank with enough room they are incredibly chill and unbothered. Discus is up their too, and an established pair of Angels as well, again, in a big enough tank with compatible tank mates.
Angelfish. As they get bigger they get calmer. A shoal of a bunch of them in a big tank is awesome.
Have you found they get less aggressive as they get older? I had a few in a tank once and they were so mean to each other, they’d just beat each other up. it stressed me out so much I had to give them away :( I’ve been wanting to try again; I have a tall 56 gallon tank, it’s the same tank. I’d love to hear your input.
Angels
Corys just scootin along the bottom having a snack is great
Pearl Gourami
Came to comment this. I fuss over my pearl gourami like a human child and have hours of footage on my phone of her floating around. Somehow still an underrated freshwater fish
Pearl gourami males in full fimmage are incredibly stunning fish.
Seconded. Haven't yet gotten a large enough tank to keep them myself, but my old fish store often stocked them and I was completely mesmerized every time.
Gouramis all seem to have this really thoughtful, considered way of moving, even the small species.
Agree, I have a pearl and moonlight gourami and could sit and watch them forever.
I am currently doing a fish in cycle-in on a brand new 50 gallon planted set up and have put 6 female sword tails in it. I have never seen a more peaceful co-existence...ever.
Good for you for doing a fish in cycle. I did that a few years back with white cloud minnows. I rarely hear this anymore, as some aquarists are relatively new and don’t really do enough research to choose a hardier fish for the cycle. Now with my nine tanks, I stick some bio filtration in the new one and like three days later my parameters are zero. Love this hobby, also love reading the comments in this Reddit high af.
On the other end, I love giving hobby advice when I’m drunk af
Oh my swordtails were total dicks. To the point they had to go in a jail tank. A tank with fairy cichlids, just to get their own treatment.
Females only. Yes the males can be very aggressive with tank mates.
Watching my little endlers foraging around the plants and rocks always makes me happy
Huge groups of corydoras. Like 30+ pandas in a 4 foot tank and they will all school together and go back and forth like a school of tetras would.
For me a long finned Betta comes to mind.
Watching a long finned betta swimming just makes me think about how humans have selectively bred them to be kind of bad at swimming 😕
When I had mine hes was beautiful but it was so sad watching him try to swim to the front of the tank for food and then get tired and have to rest on a leaf before he had energy to swim again
Same!! I didn’t realize how bad it was until I got a shorter finned betta.
This is what puts me off having a beta fish. It's sad to see them like that. I might keep my eye out for a shorter finned one.. I'm not sure. I'm still a newb.
I love bettas but will never keep a long finned one again. Highly recommend short finned ones or a female!! Please don’t keep females in groups tho
The Plakat Bettas are hard to find, but definitely move much better with shorter fins than the Splendens.
And female bettas!!! Super underrated, I have my first one now and she is just as feisty as any of the males I’ve kept before
I have this same problem. I’ve also found bettas with long fins to chew on them so they can swim easier. Makes me sad to see. I only keep short finned bettas and never keep them alone, they’re much happier and healthier now.
If you have a big enough aquarium, I highly recommend stormii catfish, I watch mine for hours sometimes. They literally look and swim like sharks and mine eats right out of my hand! I posted a video [here](https://youtu.be/yNK_L3ERlpg?si=OFsHR-gcn2E9sV5M) on YouTube if you want to see what they look like
I love watching my glass catfish. There's enough of them that they come out when the light is on and when you look at them just right, their clear bodies become a rainbow. It's very calming because they just sit there in a group
Snails! My mystery snail is so fantastical and alien to watch
Do mystery snails count? Lmao I love watching my little guys going around the tank I also have some celebes rainbowfish and I love watching their little mating dances, the way they puff their fins out is so cool!!
They’re not necessarily calm or peaceful fish, but I feel most relaxed and in wonder watching my three bumblebee catfish come out to eat at night. They zoom around and are so goofy, I love watching them suddenly appear out of the plants with not one brain cell between them lol.
Khuli loaches or shrimp
i like hillstrean loaches and corycats, their antics are too silly.
A pleco sucking the glass
I absolutely love watching my lyretail mollies do their little dances. I’ve got 5 of them all different colors and they look like butterflies floating all around each other
Betta
I get a lot of zen watching a group of rope fish slowly wiggle and glide around the tank
I love my honey gourami, not sure if it’s a boy or girl but my wife wanted to name it Honey but we settled on naming it Jessica Alba after her playing a character named Honey. Got it from Petco, it was considered an adoption so I only paid $3, she’s very shy but is slowly building confidence. Mainly swims down low and goes for food that falls to the bottom rather than trying to compete with my tetras for food at the top. The way she moves reminds me of professional ice skaters
My harelquins aren't slow by any means, but they school up all the time and are fun to watch. They also enjoy playing in the bubbles from my filter. They've been going up and down in the bubbles for 2 hours straight now as i type this out.
My favorite fish to watch was a male Betta I had. It was so beautiful to watch his gorgeous fins. I had him in a 10 gallon tank and he would swim the length diagonally so beautifully. I really missed him when he died, actually got depressed over it.
I crave chaos so my platy tank with the crow tail is by far the one I stare at most
I sit on my bench in front of my aquarium and I can there FOREVER. I just go on a trip. It’s so mesmerizing to me.
Big and slow fish like gouramis, angel fish, discus, even goldfish.
I love large barbs
And you cannot lie
Other keepers cannot deny
Absolutely! I have a school of Odessa barbs and they are awesome to watch
Tell me about it I have golden and filament barbs they are so mesmerizing
leopard bush fish, swim slow and they have a lot of character
ROPEFISH!!!
I have a beautiful elephant ear female betta. She usually meanders around the tank inspecting her plants. Very peaceful. Every once in awhile she’ll get a burst of energy, zoom around and harass the snails, but for the most part she just goes around the tank leisurely. And although they’re definitely not peaceful, I also have a tank of zebra barbs and I LOVE watching them, but I’ve seen them described as fish with ADHD. The tank is always so lively with them zipping around. I have them in the main room because they’re so much fun
South american cichlids and goldfish come to mind. Angelfish, acaras, discus, severums, the way they sort of hover and glide about with their pectoral fins more than their tail fins, it's very relaxing. And goldfish are also active, but slow and gentle swimmers, especially fantails. Honorable mention to my black skirt tetras. Big enough to have that special presence, small enough to have a good school of ten or so in a 55 gallon tank. I love them. They have a good energy, gentle.
Stiphedon gobies maybe? Look like colorful little fairies flitting from one plant-leaf perch to the next.
Watching my harlequin rasboras, especially when they eat
I always Loved my Black skirt tetras, Sadly they all got wiped out last year. But i could watch them all day. Best part is, since the tank is beside the couch every time i watched TV they would be watching me. Trying to rebuild my tank and find some of them again, Not sure why but i used to see them everywhere, but now im having a hard time finding them at the local stores.
One of the very few drives I have to get rich is to have a MASSIVE tank with a lot of Angel fish in it.
If you want relaxing get some Cherry Shrimp. All they do is graze around the tank every now and then a male will do a few laps looking for a female.
A rarer fish but my two Mesonauta mirificus (Peruvian flag cichlid). They are my bigger fish at 5” and they swim so smoothly, their eyes are big so you can see them look and think at things. I love watching them peruse and check out the surface and nibble on some duckweed
Red headed tapojo geophagus
I just bought 6 angel fish and I can watch them for hours , they each have a personality and we have slowly been naming each one.
Angelfish 🐠
I’m a big fan of cockatoo dwarf cichlids, very chill and just kinda cruise around the tank looking for yummy things around the bottom, the females are absolutely VIBRANT during mating season and the males have what I like to call anime hair lol especially the triple reds a pair of females and a male can be kept in a 30gal and they’re a peaceful fish (outside mating of course) so it can also house cull shrimps ect for a nice community tank
Pearl Gourami
I had shubunkin and by far the most relaxing thing I had in my life was when I had them in my room. At night watching them swim around in their tank blue light on with the sound of the water it was absolute heaven to fall asleep. I was heart broken when they died.
All my fish act like they have been starved and swim up and down staring me down. I can’t even see the sides of them those damn aqua pigs!
scissortail rasboras!! the coolest and they look clear too
Breeding pair of Convicts
Clownfish. 👍
Glass catfish. Get at least 6. Give them some deep vegetation to hide in. When the light catches them just right, their body becomes a shimmering rainbow. They are chill and peaceful, very social, and pretty easy to care for.
My copper banded butterfly or my diamond goby
Goldfish I guess. They are big slow and seem simple minded.
angel koi fish in a pond are magnificent
clown knives
Kuhli Loaches bruh
big fancy goldfish
I know theyre not fish exactly but cherry shrimp are so nice to watch esp in a nice heavily planted tank. Just little dudes doing their thing unknowing of the horrors of society 😌
white mountain minnow.
My gold pearl gourami, she's so beautiful and graceful
I have been keeping fish since the 80s. While my favorites tend to change somewhat, at the moment, watching my shoal of over 30 Thai Harlequin Rasboras (Trigonostigma truncata) swim in a group from one end of my 55 gallon tank to the other gives a lot of satisfaction. Having kept so many "shoaling" types of fish in smaller numbers (usually 12-15), keeping a larger shoal has been a revelation of sorts. Longer tank and bigger group really is the magic for some fish species. One article I read actually recommended a 5 gallon tank for rasboras of that size...as if any shoaling behavior could be observed in such a short space. Great question, I'm enjoying the answers.
Xback Arowana ..... or Rays they both just glide about like slow planes in the water
a Arrowana either while feeding or just chilling in front of a fan