# Need a centerpiece and pleco fish for my 60 gallon tank



## Vixen666

Hi all! I'm finally back in business with my tanks, and I'm stuck. I'm looking to slowly stock my tank, but I need help with finding a "Centerpiece" fish. I have a long 60 gallon with sand for substrate. Originally I was planning on doing 2 pearl gourami and 4 dwarf, a few tetras to fill the space with my kuhli loaches, butterfly pleco and farawella catfish at the bottom. After doing my research I realize that my butterfly pleco won't be a good fit and now need to find a beautiful max 8" pleco species as well. I would love to have a larger species of fish that will be the main attention grabber that would get along with my loaches and catfish....any tips, advice or what not is welcomed


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## Kieranfish

what about the larger species of gourami? Such as an opaline gourami? I think they grow to about 6" max length. 

Or maybe some sort of angelfish? Sorry im not much use, but I've only got a small tank so I don't have any experience with bigger species


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## lilnaugrim

I definitely do not recommend 4 dwarf gouramis in the same tank regardless of the size they should just not be housed together, much to aggressive. The pearls would have been just fine though.
What about a snowball pleco? L102. Peaceful but still a little on the smallish side.

What exact species are in the tank right now?


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## Vixen666

I read that opaline gourami are more aggressive though, and I would love to get a good school of neon so angels are out  
I had also read about the dwarfs and I'm glad you brought that up. Right now all I have in it are 3 black kuhli loaches. 
My original plan for the tank was 2 pearl gourami, 4 dwarf, rummy nose, neon tetra, blood fin, lemon tetra, 1 farlowella cat, and a small pleco. 
All I know is I definitely want my loaches, neon tetras, and rummy nose lol so I'm interested in other options for a larger species that will add color and catch your eye. 
I've had a lot of people bring up blue rams, angels, killifish, paradise fish, and panda barbs. I know I don't want angels right now, and I've done research has on all the others but I'm not sure and would like real opinions and not a website


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## Vixen666

Love the snowball pleco btw, and will definitely be looking for one


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## lilnaugrim

Opaline can be aggressive to other fish, Dwarfs are aggressive to each other but rarely to other fish. Usually you just don't want to mix Gourami species, it's like mxing Betta's; it's a time bomb waiting to explode.

I have an Angel currently in with Ember Tetras and Gelius Barbs, all fish are under and inch and no troubles with the Angel. They do eat my guppy fry though and will eat other fry's but usually they don't go after the adult fishes. But if you don't want one, that's totally fine, just giving you an update on them is all 

You'd be better to keep a trio of Pearls; 1 Male to 2 Females so the female isn't so bothered by the male. They are much more peaceful of the larger Gourami's and soooo colorful once they actually color up. I also have a male Pearl and a female Pearl in another tank, the male does fantastic with all sizes of fish and is very personable.

I wouldn't suggest Paradisefish, not just because they are coldwater fish but you need a pair if you'll successfully keep them in a community tank. They require their own kind to keep them pre-occupied if you will, otherwise they will kill off their tankmates. I have a baby right now who killed off 3 white clouds >.< and he's just a baby, almost afraid to see what he'll do when he grows up!

Rams are good but they stick to the bottom mostly and aren't always out and about. If you want a bottom dweller that is still mostly peaceful, you can look into Apistogrammas. The Dwarf Cockatoo Cichlid is fantastic in coloration and temperament.

I'd stock it something like this:
3 Pearl Gourami
8-10 Kuhli loaches
1 Snowball Pleco (or one of equal size)
12 Rummynose Tetra
15 Neon Tetras

^_^ You could add a school of cories too if you wanted like Panda Cory or Dainty Cories.


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## Vixen666

Ah! Thank you so much for the info! I will eventually switch my tank to an all angel tank but I want to know I have the $30-$60 to spend on them lol 
I've heard it's pretty difficult to find female pearls, and I don't mind doing a trio, I want to make it the best habitat I can, but if I can find females I'm sure that will change my whole dynamic..
I forgot that I would like to put my female betta in with them eventually as my tank is heavily planted..but if you say mixing gourami is like mixing bettas, will they likely nip each other?


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## Austin

If you get an angel get a veil variety. Their bodies and hence mouths tend to stay smaller, I've heard.


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## Romad

Have you considered tiger barbs? You can have a school of 7 or 8 in there and mix it up with some green tiger barbs. They are all over my tank and are beautiful fish. 

Not sure how they'd do with rummynose but I have peaceful emperor tetras and pristella tetras in my tank and the tigers don't bother them at all.


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## lilnaugrim

Actually, I have a trio if you'd like to buy them off me. All three are adults and they do need a home, two females and one beautiful male named Romeo lol. I have pics if you'd like to see them as well but no worries if you want to wait haha. But nope, finding females in the Pearls really aren't that hard since both species are beautiful. It's when you come to the Dwarfs, that's extremely hard and rare to find females unless you have a good local store, I have one that occasionally stocks females.

EDIT: forgot the last bit. That is absolutely one thing I will never ever do: mix Gouramis and Betta's. They are much too territorial and it's not worth it to try. You might be able to get away with Pearls because they are the more peaceful but I have Sparkling Gouramis which are much more peaceable and my Betta's (regardless of sex) will still attempt to eat and kill them if given the chance. I occasionally float them in with the Sparklers whilst changing water or doing the Betta Shuffle when needed. It's worth mentioning that not all my Betta's are very aggressive either, they still try to go for the Gouramis. It's up to you in the end if you want to try it though if you find a peaceable enough trio. I'd only ever attempt with Pearls though, never any of the 3 spot variations (opaline, blue, golden) or the Dwarfs, those guys are way too aggressive.


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## Vixen666

I have thought about Tigers, but I read they were aggressive. That's why I was looking into Panda or the five-banded barbs. 
I would love to buy them off of you, but I live in Northwest Canada and I don't know how they would fair on the flight. Maybe I'll have some luck out here in the Great white North lol I only have one female beta and was thinking of trying it while I wait for my male to blow his bubble nest, but I really don't want to chance it - she's beautiful lol 
I also had someone mention a pair of parrot cichlids....do you know much about them?


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## lilnaugrim

Oh poo, didn't see your location before. Yeah, no, unfortunately no border crossing for these fishes, too expensive :-/

Yeah, Parrots are fine with their own kind and with cichlids of their own types but not with smaller fishes, they'd end up with a full tummies of your fish >.< I do not recommend lol


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## Vixen666

Haha that's what I figured but if you say they're easy to find in petstores I'll have a look around  
lol and the hubby hates the look of parrots anyways  kinda works out


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