# Centerpiece fish for 38g.



## tyler16 (Apr 10, 2011)

After a couple months, my tank is finally starting to come along. The water is where it needs to be, everything is going smoothly, plants are doing very well, etc. As of now, here is what I have:

6x Neon Tetra
6x Bloodfin Tetra
6x Cherry Barb
2x Zebra Danio

I know I should have at least 5-6 Zerbra's. I bought 6 from the store and they were in terrible condition, 4 ended up dying.  I could add more, but I don't know how fond I am of them to be honest, lol. With that being said, my tank is 69% full and lacking a centerpiece. I don't know what to go with here. I would like one fish to stand out, so any suggestions? 

So far I've looked at Rainbow fish, but they wouldn't work. A Bolivian ram would work.. anything else completely nonaggression?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

My thinking would be to add another shoaling fish, and some substrate fish. I know what most aquarists mean by "centrepiece" fish but except in quite large tanks it is not easy to have this. Even in my 115g 5-foot tank, I have all shoaling fish. My male Bolivian Ram is in this tank, but he is not that "stand out" to my thinking.

Some of the peaceful colourful tetra perhaps? People think of these as small fish, but most of them attain close to 2 inches, and a group of 7 such fish can create quite an interesting scene. My Bolivian is behind plants most of the time anyway.

Some interesting substrate fish, like the Whiptail Catfish, would add visual interest. Or a small species pleco?

Perhaps the store will take the Zebra for credit if you buy something else? I never recomend someone get more of a fish they don't particularly like, even if they should be in a group. The problem with not having a group is that such fish frequently turn somewhat nippy and/or aggressive, out of frustration caused by stress.

Byron.


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## tyler16 (Apr 10, 2011)

Byron said:


> My thinking would be to add another shoaling fish, and some substrate fish. I know what most aquarists mean by "centrepiece" fish but except in quite large tanks it is not easy to have this. Even in my 115g 5-foot tank, I have all shoaling fish. My male Bolivian Ram is in this tank, but he is not that "stand out" to my thinking.
> 
> Some of the peaceful colourful tetra perhaps? People think of these as small fish, but most of them attain close to 2 inches, and a group of 7 such fish can create quite an interesting scene. My Bolivian is behind plants most of the time anyway.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I don't see myself getting more Zebras.. I could use a couple substrate fish but really don't have much knowledge on them.

I have a feeling that I'm going to get a Bolivian Ram for some reason, that being said, if I got one or two.. 

What small substrate fish/pleco are commonly sold and do well? Nothing aggressive, and I'm sure the whole 'cleaning algae' thing is a myth.. but it couldn't hurt. Do any actually make a difference? And nothing that will eat plants, please!


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## DanMarion (Apr 13, 2010)

Bristlenose Pleco would work.

They stay pretty small, are easily found in most pet stores, and they actually do eat algae. Its not a myth, most algae eating fish actually do eat algae


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

tyler16 said:


> Yeah, I don't see myself getting more Zebras.. I could use a couple substrate fish but really don't have much knowledge on them.
> 
> I have a feeling that I'm going to get a Bolivian Ram for some reason, that being said, if I got one or two..
> 
> What small substrate fish/pleco are commonly sold and do well? Nothing aggressive, and I'm sure the whole 'cleaning algae' thing is a myth.. but it couldn't hurt. Do any actually make a difference? And nothing that will eat plants, please!


Unless you have algae, and the common sort, I wouldn't go for a Bristlenose Pleco. There are some small Hypancistrus species, but these are rare as they are mostly wild caught or raised by aquarists who breed them. The Whiptail Catfish is nice, alone or even 2 or 3 in a 38g would be interesting.

A group of corys will provide constant interest. Five is a good number. Loaches are neat fish, but can get large; the Zebra Loach is about the only one I would have in anything under 4 feet, in a group of 5. Or the Dwarf Loach. lively and peaceful, but rare and some consider it expensive.

A single Bolivian works well; if you can be sure of getting a male/female pair they are OK, but two males can be problematic in smaller spaces.

All of these are in our profiles.


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