# looking for centerpiece fish



## coopers (Jul 7, 2007)

I have a 55g NPT. I currently have 5 harlequins, 9 neons, 1 cory, a few ottos (forgot how many I never see them), 5 florida flags, and a determined population of ramshorn snails. Now I want a centerpiece fish. Something like a discuss or angelfish for example. I do not want a discuss since I don't keep my temp high enough, but I do like angels. However, I have heard that the angels will probably eat the neons. Is this true? In particular, can you point out the angel's compatibility with my other fish?

If so, I just want something that takes a similar shape. For example, 4-6 inches, tall (like angels and discuss) and thin. Any suggestions? I like silver dollars too but since they are herbivores that is probably bad news for my plants. Anyway you get the point of the type of fish I am looking for suggestions appreciated.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Have a look at Moonlight Gourami, or Pearl Gourami. 
While not as tall as Discus or Angels, they do have some height to them. They are not predators. I have Guppies, with fry, in the tank with the Moonlights, and have other small fish in the tank with the Pearl Gouramis. Your tank is big enough for 2 of them, these are generally more peaceful than the 3-spot and its color varieties.


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## seaj (Jan 13, 2008)

Isn't your cory lonely?


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

seaj said:


> Isn't your cory lonely?


If you walk up to the tank and hear your fish humming "One is the lonliest number you will ever see" or something like that you might want to get him a friend.

Corys are social and like friends, you might want to get him a few.


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## coopers (Jul 7, 2007)

Good suggestions, I like gouramis. I guess I will pick up a couple more cories too. Any other suggestions will be appreciated too.

Also, can anyone answer my questions above regarding angels and compatibility?


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

Large angels will eat small tetras added to the aquarium, but many fish will eat things small enough to eat that are added to the tank, not just angels. I kept 4 young angels with small cardinals and they were fine - I wouldn't add young cardinals to their tank now.

If you added angels to your tank then the problems might occur when the current neon die and you try to add new ones or if you added adult angels. Young ones would be fine with your current fish IMHO. However angels do better either as pairs or on their own or shoals of 6 plus and your tank isn't really big enough for a shoal and they are very hard to buy as pairs...
Best bet would be to get 6 young ones and then re-house the extras after a pair forms if there is too much aggression.

Another, often overlooked, option might be medium barbs. I put a group of 6 Black ruby barbs in a neighbours tank and the males were stunning. Good size for a 3ft tank too IMO.


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## coopers (Jul 7, 2007)

I don't have plans in the near future to have another tank to house the extra angels so I would not buy 6 now. If anything, just 1 or 2, but probably 1 given what you have said about them pairing.

Right now I keep my temp at 74 degrees F during the winter and 78-80 during the summer. Is the 74 too low for angels? From the little info I have gathered it seems that this might be too low for them but the pearl gouramis can tolerate this. Any opinions/experience?

As of now, I am debating between 2 pearls or one angel. Of course I am still open to more suggestions.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Mid 70s is a little too low for Angels.


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## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

I have angels in my 55 gallon with 20+ neons. Given I got the angels when they were small they have never eaten 1 neon. My problem with the angles is that they nip at the newly emerging leaves of many of my plants and it drives me crazy. They particularly like limno aromatica and hyrgo corymbosum. I got so fed up that I removed all my angels 5 minutes ago and now I'm trying to decide what I can replace them with. I like guaramis, but are discus an option in a 55? How many would I want and do they need special care? I also like harlequin razboras so maybe I could get a school of those. I'm not sure how they would look with neons though...maybe I'll do a trade. Any other suggestions on some centerpiece fish?


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## cmay194 (Feb 18, 2008)

A year ago I got a couple of angels and put them in a tank with all tetras ranging form large and small. I have columbian blue, x-ray tetras(rescues), neons and some harlequin rasbora. I have never had a problem with any of them. A few months ago they decided to pair up finally and they lay eggs about every two weeks. I still haven't figured out what triggers this. Even when protecting their eggs no tetras have died.


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## Jareardy (Feb 14, 2008)

I think once I get my tank going I'm going to have a pair of kribs


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