Most "manly" fish species????

I like Green terrors, sparkly with bright blue and red, full of personality, and a lot more 'manly' than any of the oscars I've owned.

~Kelli

As manly as cichlids are....I think an asian AROWANA would take the cake on this one. Arowanas make anything else appear feminine.

Edit: sorry....kinda overlooked the 30g limit you posted.

Yeah. We might eventually move it to a 50gal. Bit that's where the madness stops.

ShyShrimpDoc said:

Okay, here goes it. my boyfriend has three sons and they want a boy fish. Like a mean big rough and tough fish. My male threadfin rainbows aren't quite their idea of a real fish. We were thinking either jack dempsey or an oscar. So I thought I'd put it out there for ideas. What do you think is the best "manly fish" and why? Please note its going in a 30 gallon tank, at least to start with.

I would like it to have some personality and look decent. I realize I can't do a planted tank for these. But I won't have to figure out what to do with my cull shrimp anymore.

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dempsey or an oscar get way to big for a 30 gallon. But what you could do is a convict cichlid and a firemouth but that be it cause they both get up to 6".

I am about to betray a total lack of knowledge about cichlids. Do they all get a hump on their head?

Silver dollars look like piranas

The boys aren't that young fplata. I don't think I could pass that one off. Especially not on the boyfriend.

I had a feeling this could get interesting.

Since you have mentioned a certain lack of cichlid knowledge, I might throw in a basic idea. There is a cichlid of almost any description! From the regal and sweet angelfish to the true killers, there are literally hundreds. They can vary from fish who live in tiny shells to the total whoppers. From the lakes and rivers of South America to the drainage canals of Texas, they are all over.

Now to the question of " manly". Do you mean a fish that goes out and beats up on anybody he can catch or the more intellectual one who stays home and does a good job raising a family? Cichlids come in as many forms as people. Your choice, who to hang around.

Red zebra cichlids.

I've never had any feminization issues with any of the Africans, whether Tanganyikan or Malawiian. Most all of those guys are pretty macho - the fact that they're mostly all flashy and good-looking doesn't hurt.

You might also consider something more barracuda-like, although an African tigerfish might be a bit much for your 30 . . .

~Bruce

What about our native sunfish? Green sunfish? They are pretty manly and act a lot like a tough cichlid. Pretty cool to watch eat crickets and worms too.

Pike cichlids? Nasty and vicious piscivores.

I've seen a Oscar eat a mouse whole once! That's gotta be macho manly!

hydrosparky said:

Pike cichlids? Nasty and vicious piscivores.

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Get to big for a 30 gallon.. inless a it a dwarf

Pike cichlids get big..

As to the definition of "manly", think of a cross between a military man and a mean drunk (and no, this is not a description of my boyfriend). I suspect there would be a bonus for it spitting gravel at them like my friend's jack dempsey does if it hasn't be fed as much as it thinks it should. My understand is that it would be a one fish tank, except maybe a common pleco. Should take down small fish and dwarf shrimp. It would be nice if it did not always require live food.

Since kids have such short attention spans, why not something that LOOKS cool...meaning nasty? Plecos like a bushy nose, hi-fin, etc. How about a birchir?