# 'Centrepiece' fish for 75P......or larger schools?



## Kalum (5 Aug 2019)

So my journey continues and will be setting up my ADA 75P (75 x 45 x 45) having come from a 50L, to an 90L and now up to 140L

And now I'm thinking the same with regards to stocking as I'm fairly happy I'm learning how to keep a successful and healthy aquarium

I currently have:
12 x green neons
10 x CPD's
6 x habrosus cory's
4 x Ottos

But I really want to try and introduce between 1-3 'centrepiece' fish, I hate the term as it makes everything else in there seem insignificant but it's the easiest way to describe it, nothing too big at all but something with a bit of character and colour

But.....I also dont want to disrupt the masses and ruin the peaceful mix I have so far so it's the age old conundrum. If I fail to find anything that suits then I'll just up the numbers of what I have.

Any suggestions for fish that would fit this criteria? To give an idea I would love a pair of apistogramma agassizii but the aggression when breeding puts me off

And this is the first ideas of the scape that will be going in, central island and heavily planted at the rear


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## dw1305 (5 Aug 2019)

Hi all,





Kalum said:


> To give an idea I would love a pair of apistogramma agassizii but the aggression when breeding puts me off


I'm an _Apistogramma_ fan, but they probably aren't compatible with _Corydoras habrosus_. You could try a Gourami? <"Pearl Gourami"> (_Trichopodus leerii_) are probably a bit too big. Wild type <"Honey Gourami"> (_Trichogaster chuna_) would do, if you could find them.  I'm not keen on the Yellow (oligomelanic) type, they are a bit in bred and suffer from the same problems as many of the other Gouramis. 

Last one is a bit of a strange suggestion because they are another small fish, but <"Threadfin Rainbows"> (_Iriatherina werneri_) are compatible with your other fish, and interesting if you can get both sexes.

cheers Darrel


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## Kalum (5 Aug 2019)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,I'm an _Apistogramma_ fan, but they probably aren't compatible with _Corydoras habrosus_. You could try a Gourami? <"Pearl Gourami"> (_Trichopodus leerii_) are probably a bit too big. Wild type <"Honey Gourami"> (_Trichogaster chuna_) would do, if you could find them.  I'm not keen on the Yellow (oligomelanic) type, they are a bit in bred and suffer from the same problems as many of the other Gouramis.
> 
> Last one is a bit of a strange suggestion because they are another small fish, but <"Threadfin Rainbows"> (_Iriatherina werneri_) are compatible with your other fish, and interesting if you can get both sexes.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Thanks Darrel I actually spotted you were also on apistogramma.com as well when I've been reading up on them, that's my thoughts on them with habrosus as well, any experience or knowledge about male aggression on it's own or even with other males from other apisto types say agassizii and 
cacatuoides (just a male of each)?

I'm not a fan of gourami and will take a look at the rainbows cheers


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## tam (5 Aug 2019)

Do you want big? I have scarlet badis as standalone rather than shoalers ... they are colourful but really dinky, got that bigger fish personality though. Not sure what badis badis is like behaviour wise - they are bigger so if they are similar in personality might fit the bill?


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## Kalum (5 Aug 2019)

tam said:


> Do you want big? I have scarlet badis as standalone rather than shoalers ... they are colourful but really dinky, got that bigger fish personality though. Not sure what badis badis is like behaviour wise - they are bigger so if they are similar in personality might fit the bill?



No definitely doesn't have to be big and actually prefer 5-7cm max

Scarlet badis I love but I would worry they would struggle for food in a community tank with faster or more aggressive tank mates, badis badis just doesn't have the same appeal as colours are no where near as nice


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## tam (6 Aug 2019)

I've 7 embers tetras, 9 habrosus corys, 6/7 otos and 6 scarlet badis in a 180L - they are pretty bold at feeding time (hover front and centre when I walk up). They do only take live foods and the daphnia spread out pretty well so never seen issues with competing - they don't seem intimidated by the tetras... admittedly I have less mid-water shoalers in total. I want to add another dozen embers be interesting to see how that effects them but I don't think they'll be fussed.


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## Kalum (6 Aug 2019)

Ah nice I didn't realise you had a similar stocking to me @tam 

My only concern would be I mainly feed frozen food rather than live so would need to start and keep a daphnia culture as well, which I've never had success at keeping going so far


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## alto (6 Aug 2019)

I have three tiger Dario in my 60P (2 male, 1 female by chance - I just collected the odd fish that had ended up in the shrimp tanks (tanks get “reset” between shipments)
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/dario-sp-myanmar/

They eat whatever’s on offer, frozen daphnia, bw, bs, Bug Bites small pellets (tropical fish version I think)

While many people seem to feel these small Dario (it’s usually Scarlet Badis that are ordered) will eat only live foods, they seem to do fine with whatever the shop feeds (range of small/tiny foods usually decapsulated brine shrimp initially)

For a male Apistograma only tank, Mike Wise (I believe) suggested some combinations over on Apistogramma.com
I read the posts in passing some time ago while doing species information searches, unfortunately I don’t recall which
(I’ve a suspicion the question was raised mid-thread so likely not an easy Search)

It may be worth creating your own thread - provide tank details and hardscape photos and see what you _catch_ 

I must admit I’d keep the habrosus in another tank and look at adding some Apistogramma into the new tank - once tank is established, plants grown in, and those tiny fish resettled 
I’d increase the CPD to at least 20, they don’t have much impact on tank bioload as they are very tiny (though I’ve seen some tank bred out of Asia that are giants ... as always I’m somewhat suspicious of the provenance)


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## dw1305 (6 Aug 2019)

Hi all,





Kalum said:


> I actually spotted you were also on apistogramma.com


Started with forums on there. I actually became aware of UKAPS via a member of both forums (@Ed Seeley). 

I like it as a forum, it isn't particularly busy, but it has a lot of <"quality posters">. 





Kalum said:


> it's own or even with other males from other apisto types say agassizii and cacatuoides (just a male of each)?





alto said:


> For a male Apistogramma only tank, Mike Wise (I believe) suggested some combinations over on Apistogramma.com


<"Should be fine">, Mike says ideally use males with different body shapes (A. _agassizii_ is "long" fish & A. _cacatuoides_ a "tall" one). 

The other option  is two males of the same species, as long as they aren't too aggressive. <"_Apistogramma macmasteri_ "> would do, and should be easy to obtain, colourful etc. It wouldn't work with A. "Steel-Blue" or <"_A. trifasciata">.
_
cheers Darrel


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## alto (6 Aug 2019)

dw1305 said:


> Mike says ideally use males with different body shapes (A. _agassizii_ is "long" fish & A. _cacatuoides_ a "tall" one).



That was the example I recalled as well, but think there were other suggestions as well (though perhaps from other contributors)


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## tam (6 Aug 2019)

alto said:


> They eat whatever’s on offer, frozen daphnia, bw, bs, Bug Bites small pellets (tropical fish version I think)
> 
> While many people seem to feel these small Dario (it’s usually Scarlet Badis that are ordered) will eat only live foods, they seem to do fine with whatever the shop feeds (range of small/tiny foods usually decapsulated brine shrimp initially)



I feed bug bites on the days I don't feed daphnia - my scarlet badis still gather but just hover with disappointed faces as the bug bites float down around them  Might just be as I feed live 2/3 days a week they don't have enough incentive to try it. I haven't tried frozen food - with give then a cube later and see what the verdict is.


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## Kalum (6 Aug 2019)

@alto the posts by Mike Wise and his mantra about how community tanks aren't breeding tanks and suggesting male only is exactly where I got the idea from after I had started this thread 

Do you think the habrosus could be a problem even with just a couple of males? 

And yes my plan is to up the numbers of CPD's with maybe another 10 so great minds think alike. Mine are pretty big with a couple bigger than the green neons with very bright colouring 

@dw1305 it's a small world, and I agree that forum has some great info considering it's very niche and small

I think the different body shapes could be the way to go. Any idea if males still use caves or is it mainly the females for breeding? 

@tam when I have fed live food my tanks a free for all and I'd be surprised if the scarlet badis weren't out competed in my tank but I am tempted and it's great they do brilliant in some bigger community tanks


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## Jayefc1 (6 Aug 2019)

Hey kalum nice to see you back not seen a post from you in a while was wandering what happened to.your ada find did you ever get the light working properly
Cheers
Jay


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## Kalum (6 Aug 2019)

Jayefc1 said:


> Hey kalum nice to see you back not seen a post from you in a while was wandering what happened to.your ada find did you ever get the light working properly
> Cheers
> Jay



Hey @Jayefc1 thanks mate, yeh been a bit quiet on here as I've had a busy summer working down south a fair bit and holidays etc, need to update my 2 tanks but there will be a few changes soon.

ADA solar was always working but I couldn't find a dimming solution so it'll more than likely be replaced with a Chihiros Vivid. Might keep the solar for another project in the future though as it's a nice light


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## dw1305 (6 Aug 2019)

Hi all,





Kalum said:


> Any idea if males still use caves or is it mainly the females for breeding?


Mine haven't ever used  caves during the day, but I keep very weedy tanks with lots of structure so there are plenty of places which offer cover. The breeding caves the female use have very narrow entrances, so the male can't physically enter them.

I think one or two of the males have retreated to more open flower pots etc. at night, but others have definitely slept under bog-wood etc.

cheers Darrel


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## Kalum (6 Aug 2019)

Theres a few small ground level caves in the above hardscape but I might try and do something at either side to try and give better options for territory

I'm currently thinking 1 x male agassizii double red and 1 x male borelli since they will be very different colour, hopefully different enough body shape and finnage?


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