What should I do with my 55 gallon

[SaraB]

I had to remove my female betta because she got sick. It kind of look empty in there with just 10 black neons 4 otos and 3 female platys. Vera was kind of my centerpiece fish she never bothered the other fish.
I was going to do a poll but I have no idea how to get it to work.

Should I:

1. Just add more black neons and bring it up to 20
2. Add a few more black neons and a new centerpiece fish (suggestions)
3. Just add a centerpiece fish and nothing else
4. Add a second schooling fish (suggestions?)

It has a lot of hiding spots on the one side and lots of swimming space on the other.

 

[SaraB]

Sorry this ended up being a double post and I don't know how to delete 1

 

[KatyLLL]

Well, I love black neons. I would actually throw in a few and then get a thin fish that is somewhat large like pearl gourami (or two). They are anabantoids like betas and are peaceful. In a large tank, you can keep more than one. If you are worried about bioload, there are dwarf gouramis. I see them as a beta replacement that actually lives a long time.

 

[SaraB]

Pearl's don't get big enough to eat black neons? I've heard bad things about dwarf gourami getting sick and dying.
I actually went to the all pet stores yesterday and no one had black neons in stock. I came ho.e with a small school of cardinal tetras (6). Do I still have room for a centerpiece fish? I still love bettas and am not opposed to a gourami. Would a pair of honey gouramis work?

 

[KatyLLL]

Black neon tetras are not actually neon tetras. They are just called that. They also are larger and hardier fish.

I have heard horror stories about betas dying, but people still get them. Dwarf gouramis are not bulletproof. A lot of death comes because they are inbred. It could be that pearl gourami might eat a small tetra.

Pearl gourami have small mouths . They will not eat an adult neon tetra but might try to eat a baby. The same goes for dwarf gourami. It sounds like you need to think about this some more. I think the best thing to do now is wait until your neons are full-grown, and then get a fish that cannot eat them. I have my black tetras with cherry barbs in a tank with rainbowfish. Rainbowfish get 4-5 inches long which is about how long a pearl gourami gets.

 

[SaraB]

I'm aware that black neons are different fish than regular ones. That's why I got them. I got the cardinals because no one had black neons and they added more colour. Plus I heat they are more hardy than neons. I just wasn't sure about pearl gouramis mouth size since I've only seen juvenile ones.