# Looking for a centerpiece fish!



## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

We are slowly stocking our 200L freshwater tank, we currently have:
9 neons
5 Endler's guppy
5 corys
3 Dalmatian mollies
3 ottos
2 dwarf gourami
1 red tailed black shark

we are looking for a centerpiece fish (or pair) that are peaceful and add that little bit extra to the tank, nothing huge I'd say a max of 10inches??

Any suggestions?

Thanks all!


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

Also, my red tailed black shark goes up to the surface and eats floating food intended for the other fish - is that normal? They get sinking pellets and algae wafers too but he seems to like it? He (I assume its a he) will eat anything that is sinking first then takes gulps from the surface hoping to get some food! he then has to blow out all the air he took in! I assumed from what I read and the fact that his mouth is on his underside that he was a 'bottom feeder'!

Thanks again!


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## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

Thinking we might have some unit of measure confusion going on. Your tank is 200L, so I'm thinking that's approximately 50G. A ten inch fish in a 50G tank is enormous. A ten centimeter fish is appropriately sized. Let's clear up the measures first and then talk about possible centerpiece fish. Us Yanks aren't used to dealing with metrics


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

Your right 200l is around 53 US gallons. And I am sorry! my bad! I did mean 10cm not 10inches!! 10inches is massive! I'd need to keep it in the bath!


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

i hope you just meant red tailed shark lol. black sharks get HUGE!


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

It was called red tailed black shark in the store so thats what I've been calling it! definitely not a massive black shark though!!


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

if you click the Black Shark link it shows you a shark that can get up to like 24 inches in captivity, which probably wouldn't do too well in your tank. i hope its a Red Tail Shark!


http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/red-tailed-shark/


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

anyways to be ON topic. could you do gourami?


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

Yes thats him the red tailed shark!! I was a little worried for a minute!
I already have two dwarf gourami, will that matter?


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

hm. i would think the gourami are already sort of centerpiece fish. not sure what else you could add, maybe a few more of them?

i was playing with aqadvisor.com and plugged in your fish, and even though it didnt have your exact tank, it warned that the RTS might be too aggressive to be with the neons and the endlers, so i'd keep an eye on that. sounds like a beautiful tank


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

We still have lots of room left so I was thinking of getting something a little bigger than the gourami. I was worried the RTS would cause a problem too but we were lucky and got a really peaceful one, it doesnt bother anything.


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

KellyL said:


> We still have lots of room left so I was thinking of getting something a little bigger than the gourami. I was worried the RTS would cause a problem too but we were lucky and got a really peaceful one, it doesnt bother anything.


I'm glad your RTS is peaceful so far. I have one as well. Just be aware some of them get more cantankerous with age. 

I totally understand wanting one good sized centerpiece fish. I was looking for the same thing when I got my first 55, though I ended up getting a school of Rainbowfish instead. They are colorful, get to a decent size, and get along with everyone. 

In my other 55 I have 4 Silver Dollars which are big and make a nice centerpiece, however they are pretty timid and I would be worried about the RTS harassing them at some point. They get along great with any peaceful fish though. I have some tetras and a gourami in with them, among others.

I would be cautious getting anything too big, as neons and endlers might become food for any fish with a big enough mouth, even if they are a "peaceful" fish.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet, is the water parameters? There are already fish with differing needs included, so this should be checked into before the issue is further complicated. What is the GH, KH and pH of the tap water? I will assume the tank is much the same unless you correct my assumption.

Second issue, the Red Tailed Shark may well be an issue, as someone mentioned. This fish should be in a 4-foot tank at minimum (your 200 litre/50 g may be 4 feet?), with no other substrate fish. In spite of this, they often take a disliking to certain upper fish as they age, and can be a real menace particularly in small (to them) spaces.

To the addition of fish, I would base this on the water params, and if any of the present fish may be removed as a result of whatever. Fixing pending issues now is better for the fish than compounding them later.

Byron.


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

GH normally around 10
KH normally around 7
pH normally around 7-7.4
Temp is kept 26-27C
We currently have a burst water main, so they are pumping tankers full of water from elsewhere into our system. Water permitters are a bit hit and miss at the moment but thats what they usually are. (driving my crazy) 

Based on the fish profiles on this site the only fish that don't really suite is the neons. Any problems you can see please let me know, didnt think I was doing to bad! 

Our tank is 3"8' long. If he causes any problems in time to come they told me that I am welcome to take him back to the store and as long as he is in good condition they will refund me(not that the refund matters). He is already the biggest thing in there though!


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

Also a quick question, I have just checked and discovered that my mollies (purchased Sunday) are 2 males and 1 female - not 2 females and 1 male like I asked for!!
This is going to cause me a problem isnt it?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

KellyL said:


> GH normally around 10
> KH normally around 7
> pH normally around 7-7.4
> Temp is kept 26-27C
> ...


I will assume the GH is in degrees, so 10 dGH. That is fine (except for the neons, as you correctly mentioned). The molly must have mineral in the water, and should be fine with 10 dGH. Same for the Endler actually. Hopefully the pH won't drop below 7, as neither of these fish will fare well for long if it does. I would be tempted even to raise it a tad to be safe, say 7.5; a couple tablespoons of crushed coral/aragonite gravel in the filter would do this.

I don't want to beat the RTS issue any more, but... watch out. And with that space, if he were to go, you could have some nice substrate fish from the smaller loaches, more corys, etc. Which reminds me, the RTS may take a sudden dislike to those corys. It would be better for the poor fish as well as your future tank to remove the RTS now rather than wait for trouble.

So to the initial question of other fish. Staying with fish that prefer medium hard and basic water, rainbowfish are an option. I would not risk gourami; the smaller species are delicate and unsuited to basic water, and the larger can be real trouble.

Byron.


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

yes sorry the GH is in degrees! I havent seen the pH drop below 7, our water is pretty consistent. (except now and I'm keeping an eye on it)
"crushed coral/aragonite gravel" is that just like a type of regular gravel? I've never heard of putting anything like that in a filter! How often would it have to be changed? (if ever)
I will watch the RTS for now and hope for the best, I have been paying particular attention to it.

Do you mean the Boeseman Rainbowfish? I looked it up in the profiles and thats the biggest species.

Thank you Byron!


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

KellyL said:


> yes sorry the GH is in degrees! I havent seen the pH drop below 7, our water is pretty consistent. (except now and I'm keeping an eye on it)
> "crushed coral/aragonite gravel" is that just like a type of regular gravel? I've never heard of putting anything like that in a filter! How often would it have to be changed? (if ever)
> I will watch the RTS for now and hope for the best, I have been paying particular attention to it.
> 
> ...


I keep Boesmani, Red Irian, and Lake Kubutu (which is a blue) Rainbowfish. They're all gorgeous. As the mature they grow tall as well as long. Their colors are stunning.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

KellyL said:


> yes sorry the GH is in degrees! I havent seen the pH drop below 7, our water is pretty consistent. (except now and I'm keeping an eye on it)
> "crushed coral/aragonite gravel" is that just like a type of regular gravel? I've never heard of putting anything like that in a filter! How often would it have to be changed? (if ever)
> I will watch the RTS for now and hope for the best, I have been paying particular attention to it.
> 
> ...


There are many species of rainbowfish, only three so far in our profiles; avoid the small delicate threadfin. Check online for other species, they are available in stores from time to time and they are colourful and peaceful as far as I can remember.

Marine tank aquarists use calcareous sand (or sometimes gravel) in their tanks to keep the GH and pH high. Same will work for rift lake cichlids, and livebearers, if one has very soft water. But I used to buffer the pH in my tanks with about 2 or 3 tablespoons of this gravel in a mesh bag in the top filter basket. Depending upon the filter, if it has compartments for media, this can go in there. It is easier and less bother putting it in the filter as opposed to mixing some in the substrate, because you don't want too much but you want sufficient to do something; adjusting the amount in a filter is much easier than trying to remove it if mixed in the substrate.

CarribSea make a few of these, in various grades of sand and gravel. The gravel works best in filters and it is unlikely to get out of the mesh bag. A spoonful might raise the pH to the mid-high 7's, you have to experiment as it depends upon the tank. Once it is stable it will last for years. I used to use dolomite, which is actually better if you can get it, and about half a cup or less in the filter of my 115g tank kept the pH at a steady 6.2-6.4 when the tap water and tank would be down at 5 or less if not targeted.

Byron.


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## KellyL (Mar 31, 2012)

Thank you Byron, I have to go back to the fish store tomorrow since the idiot gave me 2male and 1 female molly instead of 2females and 1 male so I will ask that rainbowfish they have/can get, they told me before that they can get almost anything but I may have to wait a few weeks. I will also look for the gravel unless I can steal a little bit from a friend! 

Thanks again,
Kelly


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

KellyL said:


> Thank you Byron, I have to go back to the fish store tomorrow since the idiot gave me 2male and 1 female molly instead of 2females and 1 male so I will ask that rainbowfish they have/can get, they told me before that they can get almost anything but I may have to wait a few weeks. I will also look for the gravel unless I can steal a little bit from a friend!
> 
> Thanks again,
> Kelly


If they carry bulk gravel, and many fish stores do, and they have marine bulk gravel which will be calcareous, they might just give you a half cup which is all you will need.


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