Looking For A New "big" Fish Centerpiece.

[CrazyAirborne]

ok, i know these kind of questions can be a dime a dozen, but i have some specifics, and hope you guys bring some more fish to light that i can say "oh yeah! why didnt i think of that!"

ok, my 200L is heavily planted, now that ive moved my rainbow cichlids to their own home, i can have the plants i want again. i have hard water, and ph of 7.8 ish.

so the main thing is, they HAVE to be gentle with plants, I DO NOT want another fish that tares up anything other than amazon swords.
right now my stocking is 10 harlequins, 8 cories, a couple male platys, a longfin swordtail, a clown plec, and an otto. I have room right? i feel the tank just needs 2 larger type fish, as a kind of centerpiece, tho i think the harlequins look great against the plants. my other half says no more small fish, she misses the cichlids in there i think.

theres really nothing i wont consider. give me some ideas!

and the current pics.
FTS

my corys hanging out in my micro swords - im excited about these plants!

and my new growth on my Ludwiga? . will this plant turn green completely? i dose liquid carbon and ferts.

 

[minnnt]

I would like to suggest an Ellioti How high is your PH though? Thats the only thing that is putting me off.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

7.8 ish?

 

[mattlee]

aequidens metae
angels
discus

 

[CrazyAirborne]

discus need soft water yes?

 

[minnnt]

Angels would also prefer a lower ph... Unsure if 7.8 would be a little high for an Ellioti too...

 

[CrazyAirborne]

how are elliotis with plants?

 

[minnnt]

Mine is excellent. He has never bothered any plant what so ever.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

yellow acaras like soft water too, so 3 strikes your out mattlee!

what are boesemani rainbows all about?

or maybe a pearl gourami?

 

[mattlee]

my tap water is about 7.6-7.8 and medium/hard and ive bred angels and kept discus. fish these days are tank bred and not wild caught so tap water thats not perfect for a wild caught fish is fine for most lfs or fish from a local breeder.

going by the books most fish (tetras, corys, discus, angels etc etc) arent suitable for water that i have but ive never had any issues with any fish ive kept so dont let this put you off too much.

 

[minnnt]

Awesome Awesome fish!!

 

[CrazyAirborne]

my tap water is about 7.6-7.8 and medium/hard and ive bred angels and kept discus. fish these days are tank bred and not wild caught so tap water thats not perfect for a wild caught fish is fine for most lfs or fish from a local breeder.

going by the books most fish (tetras, corys, discus, angels etc etc) arent suitable for water that i have but ive never had any issues with any fish ive kept so dont let this put you off too much.

yeah i feel you on that. i just dont want something thats too far off the 7.8 mark.

maybe a trio of bolivian rams? they can handle harder water right?

 

[mattlee]

not really a big centre piece fish though.....

boesemani rainbows are great fish and very colourfull that would look great in a planted tank. they also prefer higher pH than most other fish

 

[CrazyAirborne]

not really a big centre piece fish though.....

boesemani rainbows are great fish and very colourfull that would look great in a planted tank. they also prefer higher pH than most other fish

hmm i would love them, but they need numbers like 5? or 6? do i have the room in my tank?

 

[mattlee]

what size is the tank?