While I have really enjoyed the cichlids I have kept, I must also admit that I also have a soft spot for characins and cyprinids too. Many times these seemingly simple silver fish are overlooked in the stockist's tank as they are seldom kept in a manner to show off their true beauty. Here are some of my favorites.

Hill trout of some sorts. Regardless of it's common name, it's not really a trout but instead a cyprinid related to the barbs. It's hard to truly know which species these are, but I have it narrowed down to the Opsaridium, Barilius, or Raiamas genera Nanananaa One of the males I had grew a hook jaw and tubercles, looking like a cross between a mini salmon and a dace. One thing to know - the fish need copious amounts of food. They never stop moving and the metabolism seems extremely high as compared to just about any other fish I have kept.



Here is a croaking tetra, Mimagoniates microlepis, top.



Too subtle in color? Wait until the males color for spawning.



The most pugnacious fish I ever owned? How about the bantamweight Nematobrycon lacortei. This 1.5" terror was adept at keeping breeding pairs of convicts cowering in the corner.



I'll have to see if I can dig up some old pictures of some of the others I have kept.

Those are neat looking fish.Im trying to educate myself on other lines of fish as well.Im going to check into these guys.Thanks for sharing

Derek

Ooooh lacortei!!!!!!

I think they are my favourite tetra of all time. I had some once (contaminants in an emporer tetra tank).