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20XT centerpiece fish- suggestions?

1K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  DaveKS 
#1 ·
The tank is a 20 extra tall, heavily planted, and currently is home to 7 neon tetras. Water parameters are good and stable. Avoiding gourami, betta, German blue rams, kribensis, and apistogramma. We want something at least mildly colorful, 4" or less, and suitable either alone or in a pair. Anyone have suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Thats a difficult one. Fish that can be alone-- thrive at being alone-- are most often in the cichlid or anabantoid family and demand larger tanks. The fish that you are not interested in that you list are the more common fish that are smaller that would work in your tank- size and situation.



Some suggestions. All species can be found at Wetspot. Maybe your LFS would order as well? :


*You could branch out to the rarer varieties within these more common groups- like, instead of a common betta, could do a Betta macrostoma. Which is this beautifully colored betta from Borneo that can live singly and thrive. It stays under 4 inches. Or, the Strawberry Betta (Betta albimarginata).


*Or, could do an unusual species like the Spadetail Checkerboard Cichlid (Dicrossus maculatus) or (Dicrossus filamentosusLyretail). Checkerboard Cichlid
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Dont get me wrong, I love gourami. Beautiful fish, great personality, and the breeding behavior is amazing. But the disease they get is just too awful to risk watching again. The rainbow fish aren't a bad suggestion, but I think theyd appreciate a wider setup vs my tall one. Might try those when I do a larger community tank though, perhaps a 40 breeder.

The discrossus seem like a they would be a good choice for this tank. I absolutely love the macrostoma, but that price tag is a nope. I wouldnt keep any fish that expensive in any less than a half stocked, 80 gallon aquarium. Beautiful specimen though and a great suggestion given I gave no expense requirements. Would the discrossus be acceptable as a pair, or would they be too aggressive for the neons?
These fish are fine with other peaceful fish. They are shy themselves. I would get a pair or a group of 5 and let them pair off.


https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/dicrossus-filamentosus/
How long do you think theyd take to pair off and how would I know? I have an LFS that would take the extra fish once I found my pair, but more fish = more water care; id just like an idea of what id be getting myself into. Secondly, if I came up with two pair and an odd man out, id likely want to keep both pairs. How safe would you consider these to be housed with amano shrimp?
 
#4 ·
The discrossus seem like a they would be a good choice for this tank. I absolutely love the macrostoma, but that price tag is a nope. I wouldnt keep any fish that expensive in any less than a half stocked, 80 gallon aquarium. Beautiful specimen though and a great suggestion given I gave no expense requirements. Would the discrossus be acceptable as a pair, or would they be too aggressive for the neons?
 
#9 ·
Yep, you wiped out 90% of your choices with your disqualifications. One of your big problems is small footprint of tank. It’s basically just a 10gal but twice as high. Your neons are going to occupy the lower-mid strata so a fish that will hang mostly in the mid-high area would be best.

Check out some Clown Killifish... definitely a show stopper centerpiece fish. Tank parameters match neons nicely as well.

 
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