When I finally get to set up a 100+ gal tank, I want to have strictly shiners, daces, and minnows. I'm thinking 4 specimens of each species. I'm trying to come up with a list of the most beautiful of these fishes that I would want to put in my tank. So far I'm thinking:
Southern Red Bellied Dace
Tennessee Shiner
Ghost Shiner (don't know why, but I love the milky white color of them)
Scarlet Shiner
Rainbow Shiner
Bleeding Shiner
Taillight Shiner
Sawfin Shiner
Ironcolor Shiner (love the dark brown color)
Redlip Shiner
Rough Shiner
Greenfin Shiner
I apologize if any of these fish fall under any special status. I haven't researched them in depth, I only wrote down what I liked. Anyone have any other suggestions for some pretty fish? What are your favorites? Thanks!
Most beautiful shiners/dace/minnows?
Started by
Guest_NativeLover_*
, Apr 19 2013 12:31 AM
13 replies to this topic
#2
Michael Wolfe
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 19 April 2013 - 06:59 AM
You certainly have a nice list... I might add a couple
Notropis lutipinnis the yellowfin shiner
Nocomis leptocephalus the bluehead chub (These grow into large brassy chubs with steel blue-grey heads even out of color. Nocomis chubs are a great way to add a variety in size to your minnow tank. They do not eat smaller fish and are hardy and active).
I might also delete the taillights, in my experience they do better in slack water and might not be as easy to come by or be as hardy as some of your other choices.
I am also surprised that you have greenfins in the list, but don't have any of the other Cyprinella species. Fieryblacks are certainly beautiful fish, and I have had good luck with Bannerfins holding their color and looking very nice in the tank.
Notropis lutipinnis the yellowfin shiner
Nocomis leptocephalus the bluehead chub (These grow into large brassy chubs with steel blue-grey heads even out of color. Nocomis chubs are a great way to add a variety in size to your minnow tank. They do not eat smaller fish and are hardy and active).
I might also delete the taillights, in my experience they do better in slack water and might not be as easy to come by or be as hardy as some of your other choices.
I am also surprised that you have greenfins in the list, but don't have any of the other Cyprinella species. Fieryblacks are certainly beautiful fish, and I have had good luck with Bannerfins holding their color and looking very nice in the tank.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
littlen
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 08:24 AM
I might be biased with my suggestion (my avatar), but Warpaints are a must in my opinion.
Also check out Rosefin shiners, Mountain redbelly dace, and Longnose dace. What the Longnose lack in color, they make up for with their unique shape and personality. Much like the chubs Michael listed, the dace will inhabit a different niche in your tank than the shiners.
Also check out Rosefin shiners, Mountain redbelly dace, and Longnose dace. What the Longnose lack in color, they make up for with their unique shape and personality. Much like the chubs Michael listed, the dace will inhabit a different niche in your tank than the shiners.
Nick L.
#4
mattknepley
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 09:36 AM
I agree with Michael and Nick. Also, I really enjoy my greenfins, but would point out that they are rather rowdy. I have half a dozen in a 50 gallon. They leave my Christmas darters alone, but they were merciless on a yellowfin I put in there. Had to move that poor guy out to my daughter's tank. They also seem to enjoy harassing the lone crayfish in there. (Which is actually rather interesting to watch...) I can vouch for Michael's bannerfins. They look really good in his setup.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#5
Guest_NativeLover_*
Guest_NativeLover_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 09:38 AM
@Michael
Wow the bannerfin and yellowfin shiners certainly are pretty fish. I will look into them as well. That's exactly why I was asking as there are 100s of them and needed some good suggestions.
@littlen
Yes I had considered warpaint shiners but I read posts of people saying they didn't have much luck with them. I will have to reconsider.
Wow the bannerfin and yellowfin shiners certainly are pretty fish. I will look into them as well. That's exactly why I was asking as there are 100s of them and needed some good suggestions.
@littlen
Yes I had considered warpaint shiners but I read posts of people saying they didn't have much luck with them. I will have to reconsider.
#6
littlen
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 10:28 AM
My Warpaints always have done great. Not sure why others have failed. They have great appetites and can actually be somewhat of a bully from time to time. At least my largest males have been. But they never do any serious harm--they just make sure they have the best spot in the current. If you're looking for a fish that remains 'colored up' in captivity, this is the fish for you.
Nick L.
#7
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 11:28 AM
Also crescent, saffron, flagfin, sailfin complex.
And some not-so-gaudy but subtly elegant species (to me): swallowtail, dusky, highfin.
Most Cyprinellas are pretty aggressive, but fieryblack less so than others.
Tennessee and bleeding shiners are very plain silver minnows most of the year.
And some not-so-gaudy but subtly elegant species (to me): swallowtail, dusky, highfin.
Most Cyprinellas are pretty aggressive, but fieryblack less so than others.
Tennessee and bleeding shiners are very plain silver minnows most of the year.
#8
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 11:49 AM
Along the same lines, any advice on two or three species that school fairly tight, preferably colorful ?
Rich
Rich
#9
Guest_FirstChAoS_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 12:34 PM
You got most of the most pretty ones
I'd suggest Mountain Redbelly Dace (the reddest of redbellies), Northern Redbelly Dace (if you have the other two why not), and Longnose dace (hold their red well in a tank, and if you can find a yellow one and not a brown one with the red you got quite a fish),
I'd suggest Mountain Redbelly Dace (the reddest of redbellies), Northern Redbelly Dace (if you have the other two why not), and Longnose dace (hold their red well in a tank, and if you can find a yellow one and not a brown one with the red you got quite a fish),
#10
Guest_jblaylock_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 02:16 PM
I 2nd Warpaints, they are my favorites. I found that if you are transporting them any distance you are better off to collect small Warpaints and they will acclimate great. They will grow fast in the aquarium and an awesome fish.
#11
Guest_NativeLover_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 03:57 PM
Thanks for the input y'all. I'm obsessing over a fish tank and fish before I even have it set up. Hopefully if things go as planned I'll be collecting by summer/fall. I hope you don't mind me aggravating you later jblaylock to go out collecting when I'm ready. 
I think for now, I'll make a photo tank and just sample a few sites and try to get some decent pictures!
I think for now, I'll make a photo tank and just sample a few sites and try to get some decent pictures!
#12
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 19 April 2013 - 08:59 PM
Along the same lines, any advice on two or three species that school fairly tight, preferably colorful ?
Let me phrase this so I dont get immediately corrected... I have kept both yellowfins and rainbows (shiners) and they seem to school up nicely if you provide an area of primary flow through the tank... so I have an opinion that most Notropis will school up... at least most Hydrophlox, like those I mentioned plus probably the redlips, saffron, etc.
None of the Cyprinellas that I have kept schooled up... they are mostly too busy chasing each other to really school up... tricolors and greenfins were really rough on one another... Bannerfins seem less so but they still zip around more than school... Fieryblacks did better too, but still did not school.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#13
Guest_jblaylock_*
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Posted 19 April 2013 - 10:14 PM
Thanks for the input y'all. I'm obsessing over a fish tank and fish before I even have it set up. Hopefully if things go as planned I'll be collecting by summer/fall. I hope you don't mind me aggravating you later jblaylock to go out collecting when I'm ready.
I'm ready to go collecting anytime. You just let me know when you're ready. If you're ever on Poplar Level with some extra time, I helped an intern setup a native fish tank at the Louisville Nature Center last spring. I'm not sure how it is doing right now, but it may be nice to check out.
#14
Guest_bbrown_*
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Posted 20 April 2013 - 09:59 AM
That's going to be a pretty tank. Have you considered red shiners? Not quite as showy as some of the other species, but they keep their colors year round. I've kept them with southern red bellied dace and black tail shiners without any problems, but I don't know how they would interact with the other species you mentioned.
Also, I really like blackstripe and blackspotted topminnows and they spend most of their time hanging around at the surface.
Also, I really like blackstripe and blackspotted topminnows and they spend most of their time hanging around at the surface.
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