still cant decide on a centerpiece

[Boomer2244]

Hello AA users looking for some advise on a centerpiece fish for my 55g. I was really looking for an apistogramma hongsloi or a honey gourami but no1 in my area sells them and I don't wanna be overcharged so I've been looking at other fish I could get in my area.

Current stock

4 Australian rainbowfish
3 cherry barbs( 2 died a week ago from ramming the glass)
4 serpae tetras
4 emporer tetras
4 buenos aires tetras
6 danios (3 leopard 3 zebra)
5 harliquin rasboras
Breeding pairs of swords, Platys, golden wonder killis( 1 pair of each)
5 corys
1 spotted raphael/ talking catfish
Combo of fake and low light real plants
3 PVC "caves"
2 decoration caves
1 laa rock

I was thinking of putting either a female beta, rainbow shark, ram or a gold groumai but don't know what I could put in with them as a centerpiece. Any suggestions/help would be appreciates

 

[allaboutfish]

i think your gonna need to focus on your schooling specieas instead of a center piece. you also need to think of what your gonna do with fry.

 

[Boomer2244]

I am planing on filling out the schools as soon as my lfs get them in but I'm tryin to figure out a centerpiece for the future. As far as the fry I have a spare 15g for those

 

[New]

i use a cool looking broken vase that i got for like 8 bucks, but it might be too small for a 55g (my fish love swimming through it and playing in it)

 

[allaboutfish]

well you need to get rid of some stuff first if you want a centerpiece. pick 2 schooling species and some bottom dwellers. then we can talk about a centerpiece

 

[Boomer2244]

Is there any that will go with all of what I have cause I'm gonna split the tank soon case petco has a sale on tanks $1 a gallon and I'm prob gonna pick up another 55g that's why I'm asking bout a centerpiece fish. In my second I'm gonna use my spotted Raphael/talking catfish as my centerpiece fish so I'm looking for 1 for the one that's up now

 

[Boomer2244]

I'm looking for 1 that'll go with what u have already just so I know how to split em up and if I decide on a female beta do I have to put more than 1?

 

[allaboutfish]

you have too many fin nippers for a betta IMO

 

[Boomer2244]

Even for a female with short fins? You think so? Cause they're all calm now and even school together. The emporer wit the rainbows and the cherry wit the serpae and nobody has been nipped for 6 months

 

[Boomer2244]

Or do female betas do better in groups? I've had them in other combos before but never knew if they should be kept in a group or they can be kept singularly without attacking peaceful gish

 

[GuppyLover]

i use a cool looking broken vase that i got for like 8 bucks, but it might be too small for a 55g (my fish love swimming through it and playing in it)

They mean a centerpiece fish.

 

[allaboutfish]

yes i still think it will get nipped. i think that if you want a centerpiece you should get rid of the serpaes and emperors and the cherry barbs then make the rest of the schools to 8 and add a female betta, angelfish, dwarf gourami, apistogramma or ram

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I would say rams or DGs, because I'm worried about the angels or the bettas fins getting nipped. If you're gonna keep females in a group, get five, and they'll form a hierarchy.

 

[Boomer2244]

What if I got rid of the emporer and the serpae and replaced them with black neons, prestellas and a breeding pair of platinum tetras? Would that work with the betas.( I keep going to the betas cause I have 5 females in my 15 until I get fry then I wanna move them into the community

 

[allaboutfish]

id say stick with three schools of 6 and then your bottom dwellers then the bettas

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Hmm that could work...IDK it depends on the attitude your tetras have, I guess, mine didn't fin nip anything but themselves, didn't bother any fish...

 

[alLexX]

RAINBOW SHARK!!you wont even have to worry about the fin nippers

 

[allaboutfish]

that is good but i still think he should cut down on all the school wayyy to much bio load

 

[rain87]

If you split the fish between 2 tanks what would you have in each. Also remember to do a fishless cycle.

 

[Boomer2244]

Of course I'm gonna do a fishless cycle wen setting up my 2nd tank and do u think it's too much bioload? I've got 2 marineland penguin biowheel 400 running in my 1 tank