Should I get a pair or a single male?

[MacZ]

Since you are considering an unheated aquarium, you need to also consider the temperature requirements of all of the fish in the community, not just the apisto.

That said all Nannostomus rather prefer temperatures around 25°C.

 

[Thanuhrei]

In that case, I’ll get a heater.

 

[anewbie]

btw if you don't get a female or don't want to raise fry you could get some tetra which will do fine at cooler temps. The primary reason to get pencil fishes is that they won't go after the frys.

Also some rasbora and danio do well at cooler temps.

 

[Thanuhrei]

Nah, if it needs a heater I’ll get one. Just thought that, if it wasn’t neccesary for the fish I planned to keep, I could save a few bucks that way. But it sounds like I do need one

 

[MacZ]

The primary reason to get pencil fishes is that they won't go after the frys.

To some. To others it's just that they make for excellent tankmates anyway and are more fun to watch their behaviour than many tetras.

 

[anewbie]

anyway and are more fun to watch their behaviour than many tetras.

I would call this claim hog wash; yes some have very interesting behavior; and the same is true for tetra and rasbora; while others are just plain boring as is the case with tetra and rasbora. Not sure where you derived that across the genus one is generically more interesting than the other.

 

[Thanuhrei]

I think he was just saying that each has pros

 

[Thanuhrei]

I find *some* pencil fish to have really cool behavior (like eques) and *some* pencil fish to have a cool appearance (like corals), but considering the difficulty I’ve had with Apistogramma, I don’t expect to be able to pick and choose the specific species, and the one I’m most likely to find (if I find any), beckfordi, lacks both the behavior of eques and the appearance of corals. They’re still an option to me but I’m considering other options too.

 

[MacZ]

I could put it differently: I do not breed dwarf cichlids, because I know the work involved which I do not have the time for. I run display tanks at home and help out in somebody else's fishroom. I have no need for fry safe dither fish. So I can choose fish I find interesting. I indeed didn't refer to the whole genus, but now that you say, the percentage of species with interesting behaviour within the genus is still higher than in let's say Hyphessobrycon (ok, no wonder, H. i a big group.). So call it personal preference if you will.

 

[Mazan]

For a long time I had beckfords pencilfish together with neon tetras, I really liked the combination. I honestly think the beckfords are just as attractive as mortenthaleri and the other more exotic pencils, even though not as brightly coloured, they are hardy and interesting to watch. They love the roots of floating plants.

 

[anewbie]

Currently my favorite pencil fish is:
Nannostomus marilynae

I'm not that hot about the others i've tried.

As for tetra I'm very fond of serpae, cardinal (boring as whatever but really nice looking); and rummynose.

 

[anewbie]

For rasbora (which should not be overlooked):
For rasbora - i've been very happy with emerald eye (brevibora dorsiocellata), kubotai and Trigonopoma pauciperforatum (which are pretty nice)

 

[Thanuhrei]

I love rasboras and there are a few species I have my eye on myself, but for this tank I am hoping to keep it biotope.

 

[hengeli]

If you can find - Boraras Uropthalmoides is very hardy and low maintenance. Makes for great watching in a nano tank.