Best tropical fish for beginners?

[lvandert]

I beg to differ. Cherry barbs are not known to be aggressive. http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/barbs/cherrybarb.php

Not all barbs are like Tiger barbs... I would highly recommend these little guys for a peaceful community tank any day of the week (as long as its at least 20 gallons). The male's red color is very captivating to watch.

[ChoclateBetta]

I never said they were aggressive. If not in a large enough school they are fin nippers but not always I guess it is a hit and miss. I think they might work.

[homegrown terror]

mollies and platies do really well in tropical communities, and are bred in almost as many color and fin types as bettas.

[ChoclateBetta]

Originally Posted by homegrown terror

mollies and platies do really well in tropical communities, and are bred in almost as many color and fin types as bettas.

Good choices, except mollies do way better than brackish water. Mollies can be a bit aggressive.

[thekoimaiden]

Cherry barbs do fine as long as they are kept in sufficient numbers. The difference between them and tiger barbs is these numbers are much smaller. Tiger barbs need like 12-15 but the cute little cherries only need 6-8.

Really any of the small fish we are suggesting here can be labeled "fin-nippers." This is simply because people have kept them improperly and blamed the problem on the fish and not their husbandry.

[ChoclateBetta]

Sorry, But I think Albino Cories.

[homegrown terror]

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

Good choices, except mollies do way better than brackish water. Mollies can be a bit aggressive.

i've got two mollies in my community tank, and the only aggression i've seen is from Thor, and that's only if the other fish get too close to his baby-mama (she's pregnicated right now!)

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

Mollies live much longer in brackish, and are bullies, Chocolate is right about the mollies.

[ChoclateBetta]

Originally Posted by MaisyDawgThirteen

Mollies live much longer in brackish, and are bullies, Chocolate is right about the mollies.

Thank you. I have seen mollies in a fiddler crab brackish water tank at a zoo. Hershey park zoo only thing they did right.

[Freyja]

I disagree regarding cory cats as being good beginner fish. They are pretty sensitive regarding water parameters.