# Sugestions on a good "centerpiece" fish.



## jebusfreek666

I need a nice, docile fish for a centerpiece in my 30-35 gal tank. It will be stocked with smaller, easy to care for fish like neon tetras and other similar fish. I want a larger fish with nice color who wont attack the smaller ones, and will thrive in similar water conditions, who wont mind being solitary.


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## holly12

I've heard that a dwarf Gourami is docile as long as you keep it away from other male gouramis. They are also gorgeous! Try researching it... I don't think it will eat the smaller fish.... he may chase them if they swim into his territory, but in the long run, they should all be fine. There are different types of dwarfs: The Dwarf Gourami, Honey Gourami, etc.... so check out your options.


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## Sweetgreenleaf1369

You could try a Betta. I have a Royal Blue Betta In my 29 gallon tank


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## majerah1

I second the betta.


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## jebusfreek666

Any particular kind of betta? What Kind are the most common to find? Also how many could I keep with my neons, cory's and a gourami.


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## majerah1

Bettas and gouramis dont always mix.Most of the time they will fight as they both try to claim the same part of the tank,the top.

The most common bettas are the veiltails,found at any pet store.Some of them carry crowntails and some may even have halfmoons.But if you want a quality betta,your best bet is to look for a local breeder or go to aquabid.


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## jebusfreek666

Thanks so much... But you guys really advocate the "mail order" fish? I don't know anything about getting fish from the internet, but I would assume it would be very stressful, and hard to ensure quality of the fish.


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## Pigeonfish

jebusfreek666 said:


> Thanks so much... But you guys really advocate the "mail order" fish? I don't know anything about getting fish from the internet, but I would assume it would be very stressful, and hard to ensure quality of the fish.


I've been lurking on Aquabid for a bit now, and I can tell you some of the users make the health of the fish and the satisfaction of their customer number one. You should do research on who you plan to buy from and check their feedback before making any decisions.


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## jrman83

Mail order fish is cool, but expensive. Best to do it if you are getting quite a few to suck up some of the shipping cost. Most will do only overnight shipping which cost at least $25, depending on the distance.


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## majerah1

I do indeed advocate mail order fish,and ill tell you why.
First off the breeders make the health and quality of the fish a priority.Many of the breeders are into showing the fish.You cant show fish if they are unhealthy.Also think about this.All the fish at pet stores,are shipped there as well.But they are all crammed in a box with little care.Then when they arrive at the store,many of the people do not know how to properly acclimate the fish.All you are doing is cutting out the middleman.

So really whats the difference between getting a fish sent straight to your door in a box where the fish is packed carefully,and the fish being placed in a box with lots of other fish,shipped to a petstore,taken out of the box in bright lights(which by the way is a big no no,as thats stressful)plopped into a tank with tons of other fish,then chased around with a net,placed in yet another bag,then toted around a store,then plopped in another tank.

It is stressful,indeed.But if you start with a young healthy fish,who has been cared for with high quality foods and pristine water,then a little two day ride in a dark box isnt too bad.


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## Sterling70

I recommend the dwarf gourami as a centerpiece, even possiblly a slightly larger gourami like a honey/gold gourami... I have one as a centerpiece fish in a 20 gallon tank with no problems with a school of neons and some cory cats. But as mentioned above, dont put a betta in as well with a gourami- both are labyrinth fish, and could be a problem. one or the other. good luck!


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## 920kikipuff

I also like bettas for an aquarium focal point. There's a wide range of colors available and they are just gorgeous. I used to keep 1 male Betta in my 20 gallon along with guppies, neon tetras, mollies, and zebra danios. They all seemed to get along well. 
I've also never done the mail order thing, but you hafta know how to pick 'em when you get them from the store. When i really want a new fish, I always try to pick out the most active ones before I even consider which color I want. Then I spend a great deal of time watching the finalists to pick out signs of diminishing health or high stress like excessive panting or clamped fins. It can take me hours to make a selection.
I always feel so bad for those poor Bettas stuck in those little plastic cups on the shelf. What a sad existence. I feel like the fish's savior when I take him home


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## holly12

I finally ended up getting my Fire Honey Gourami's (1male and 3females) and they are all doing fantastic in my community tank! They swim at all levels of the tank, picking over rocks and plants for food, and can usually be found together in a group. Loving them to death! Super cute fish with loads of personality!


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## Carassius

Thirding on the bettas...my girlfriend got hers from BettaAkapes and the quality was just like the provided videos. 

Halfmoons are very impressive in my opinion!


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