Want Some New Ideas

[juhason]

I want to get a centerpeice fish for my 30 gallon long:
6 serpae tetras (might add some more)
3 platies (all male)
  
As much as I love the common suggestions like gourami and angelfish or rams, I would like something unique and colorful.
Any ideas?
 
 
(Also will take suggestions on other fish I can add, not necessarily centerpeice)

 

[noobgamers]

hey look at spotted headstander sthey can be kept singly you could try a betta if you are careful ,synodontis not colorful but have nice patterns would fill the bottom of the tank and have lovely perosnalitys for toher gish for your mid to top you could add 2 serpae tetra 3 male platys and then have something like 8 hatchetfish danios halfbeaks(very interesting fish would recomend looking into)and 8 corydoras unless you are having the syno

 

[juhason]

hey look at spotted headstander sthey can be kept singly you could try a betta if you are careful ,synodontis not colorful but have nice patterns would fill the bottom of the tank and have lovely perosnalitys for toher gish for your mid to top you could add 2 serpae tetra 3 male platys and then have something like 8 hatchetfish danios halfbeaks(very interesting fish would recomend looking into)and 8 corydoras unless you are having the syno

Thanks for the recommendations Quick question though, don't synodontis catfish get too big for 30 gallons?

 

[noobgamers]

hey look at spotted headstander sthey can be kept singly you could try a betta if you are careful ,synodontis not colorful but have nice patterns would fill the bottom of the tank and have lovely perosnalitys for toher gish for your mid to top you could add 2 serpae tetra 3 male platys and then have something like 8 hatchetfish danios halfbeaks(very interesting fish would recomend looking into)and 8 corydoras unless you are having the syno

Thanks for the recommendations

Quick question though, don't synodontis catfish get too big for 30 gallons?
different species you will need to look into it tho as i cant say any of the top of my head some grow to about 10 -15cm which will be ok

 

[FlakeyBiscuit3.14]

I'm new to fish keeping, and am not too familiar with the serpae's, so I looked them up. I was surprised to read that they are more on the aggressive side and are fin-nippers. I'm not sure if they pester your platies much, but I wouldn't dare risk a betta. You could try rainbow fish, as some of those look very unique and lovely and yet have short fins. There are both high and low pH varieties, depending on your aquarium's parameters.

 

[juhason]

I'm new to fish keeping, and am not too familiar with the serpae's, so I looked them up. I was surprised to read that they are more on the aggressive side and are fin-nippers. I'm not sure if they pester your platies much, but I wouldn't dare risk a betta. You could try rainbow fish, as some of those look very unique and lovely and yet have short fins. There are both high and low pH varieties, depending on your aquarium's parameters.

Don't rainbows need to be in schools though? I'm look for a medium-sized single species

 

[FlakeyBiscuit3.14]

 

I'm new to fish keeping, and am not too familiar with the serpae's, so I looked them up. I was surprised to read that they are more on the aggressive side and are fin-nippers. I'm not sure if they pester your platies much, but I wouldn't dare risk a betta. You could try rainbow fish, as some of those look very unique and lovely and yet have short fins. There are both high and low pH varieties, depending on your aquarium's parameters.

Don't rainbows need to be in schools though? I'm look for a medium-sized single species
 

Yes; just a suggestion of something that will mix well with your tetras. Have you tried just going to your LFS rather than looking online? I found a number of options to research (I have primarily been looking at schooling species however) after going to a couple of my LFS and just looking to see what was available.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Apistogrammas or peacock gudgeons maybe? Please do keep an eye on the serpaes though since they can be nippy.

 

[juhason]

Yes; just a suggestion of something that will mix well with your tetras. Have you tried just going to your LFS rather than looking online? I found a number of options to research (I have primarily been looking at schooling species however) after going to a couple of my LFS and just looking to see what was available.
 
 

Ahh ok. Thank you! I will look into rainbows.
 

Apistogrammas or peacock gudgeons maybe? Please do keep an eye on the serpaes though since they can be nippy.

Unfortunately for me I've never had apistos for sale near me. I'll look into the peacock gudgeons though they are stunning. And I've noticed that my serpaes are actually nippy towards ANY newcomers, whether they are tiny or extremely large (I had them with a cichlid for a little bit) but after a day or two they go back to pestering each other.  

 

[Ninjouzata]

What's the length of the 30 long? You'll want it to be 48" if you get the larger rainbows and they are schooling fish so you'll want 6 or more. There are smaller ones like spotted blue eyes/pseudomugil gertrudae.
 
Have a look for empire gudgeons as well, they get a big bigger than the peacocks

 

[simplyfish]

I'd love to go for the peacock gudgeon (sometimes called Goby...) Think they would fit with the tetras you have and have lovely colours.

 

[juhason]

Ok thank you everyone!