# Unique/Exotic Fish



## gardenlady (Oct 31, 2005)

Hi Everyone,

I would like to surprise my husband for his birthday by getting him a fish tank (which he has wanted for a while). I would like to get him some very unique hard to find fish. Something different and out of the ordinary. $ isn't really a problem. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks for any advise.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

If you are just starting out I wouldnt recommend saltwater, I would try fresh... if you are not new to fish then I am sure someone will offer a good suggestion


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Hi there, if you research and take time and a lot of effort, then most people can successfully start up and make a marine tank thrive. However, if you just want a tank to look nice with some colourful fish then I wouldn't reccomend a marine aquarium. The nicest tanks out there are mostly freshwater, not because the fish are nicer but because a freshwater tank is more vercitile. You can stock a freshwater tank with far more fish than you can a saltwater. They can also tolerate a wider range of water conditions and are very cheap to manage not requiring any salt or equipment to get rid of harmful proteins in the water. I would stick to freshwater fish first of all if I was you.
I hope this sets you off in the right direction.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Also, when is his birthday, if you give me the date I could give you the crucial steps needed to get the tank ready in a given time. Then again, you can't really suprise someone with a fully established florishing tank with crystal clean water in a couple of hours, these things take a few weeks.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

I agree, you might be able to pull it off but your going to need the LFS help, get a good amount of their substrate to put in the tank the day of setup, so like set it up in the morning, later around like 4-5pm put fish in it, so the temp in the water can go up and stablize, but only put a couple fish in. Then do daily water changes after that, keep an eye on ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

If you want my best advice, here it is:

Don't get fish. An aquarium makes a very nice gift indeed, but people have widely unpredictable tastes in fish. Give instead a gift certificate for some fish to go into his tank. You can go ahead and set up the tank if you like, but don't pick his fish. He'll be much happier.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

lol from the mouth of a man! 

didnt think of the gift certificate route for fish, but there ya go!

Get everything else then for fish give him gift cards


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## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

You can get him a gift certificate to www.liveaquaria.com or www.livefishdelivery.com . They have a lot of unique and colorful fish.


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2005)

TheOldSalt said:


> If you want my best advice, here it is:
> 
> Don't get fish. An aquarium makes a very nice gift indeed, but people have widely unpredictable tastes in fish. Give instead a gift certificate for some fish to go into his tank. You can go ahead and set up the tank if you like, but don't pick his fish. He'll be much happier.


i totally agree. when i want a fish for my birthday or something, i ask for money or a gift certificate towards it. that way i can choose something that i like and that will be appropriate for my tank.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Half the fun of fishkeeping, after all, is shopping for the fish. Everyone likes to feel like a kid in a candy store every now & then.


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## Electric Monk (Sep 6, 2005)

TheOldSalt said:


> Half the fun of fishkeeping, after all, is shopping for the fish. Everyone likes to feel like a kid in a candy store every now & then.


But, a kid in a candystore that has checked out any sweets.......ermmmmmm......fish he wants to eat...ermmmmmm...buy. Just to check 

Get the right food in, Make sure the water is right, Don't go and buy a lionfish 'cos it looks 'cool'. 

Oh....and glass cleaning wipes, you can't help but keep the glass clean...t's an addiction


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