Finding a centerpiece fish for my 37-gallon community tank

[navline]

So I'm on the hunt for a centerpiece fish that's super chill and won't bother my other guys. I've got a 37-gallon tank with sand and river rocks on the bottom, some spiderwood decor, and it's packed with plants.

My current crew is:
- 4 serpae tetras
- 2 black mollies
- 1 neon tetra (getting 4 more soon)
- 1 nerite snail
So far, zero aggression in the tank, which is awesome.

I'm looking for something that's gonna pop with color and draw your eye in. I thought maybe a honey gourami, but I'm not sure.

My tank's at 79 degrees, and I've got two bubble filters running to keep the oxygen levels up. The tank's pretty tall and vertical, too.

I'll throw up a pic of the tank, and with all this in mind... what fish species would be a great fit as the star of the show?!

[sSjey]

To ensure the well-being of your fish, I'd recommend checking the water hardness first. You've got a mix of hard and soft water species in there, which could cause issues - mollies might get stressed in soft water, while tetras could develop organ problems in hard water.

I'd suggest looking up the GH of your source water - your water provider's website should have that info. You'll need the exact number and units of measurement, as there are a few different ones they might use.

Rather than focusing on a centerpiece, I think it's crucial to prioritize increasing the numbers of your shoaling fish, assuming you've got soft water. Neons really need to be in schools of 10+, and serpae tetras can be notorious fin nippers if they're not in a large enough group - I'd recommend 15+ of them.

Considering the serpae tetras' fin-nipping tendencies, I'd advise against a gourami - those long, flowing fins would be like a temptation they couldn't resist.

[boomer]

@sSjey hit the nail on the head. I completely agree with the need for a larger school of neon tetras - a minimum of 10 is essential, but having a few more can only be beneficial for their overall well-being. The serpae tetras, on the other hand, are a recipe for disaster in this setup. Their fin nipping tendencies make them a poor match for your tank, and I would strongly consider rehoming them as soon as possible. A peaceful, laid-back fish like a gourami would be a poor match for the serpae tetras, and it's best to avoid any potential conflicts.

[WildFins]

I think you're running your tank a bit too warm for the neons, 79 degrees is a bit too toasty for them. 77 degrees is more like it, max.

[navline]

I think you're running your tank a bit too warm for the neons, 79 degrees is a bit too toasty for them. 77 degrees is more like it, max.

I'll adjust the temp to 77 degrees, thanks for the heads up WildFins.

[graye]

The centrepiece concept, I think it's a bit outdated, to be honest. The idea of having a slow-moving, flat-sided fish as the main attraction rarely works out as planned. I mean, mollies can be a bit of a nuisance when it comes to slow-moving fish, but that's not usually a major concern.

I've always had a soft spot for serpae tetras, despite their reputation. They can be a handful in smaller tanks, but if they've been behaving well for you so far, I wouldn't worry too much about them. The hybrid honey gouramis might actually work well as a centrepiece in your tank, though. I used to keep pearl gouramis as centrepieces, and they did really well.

To be honest, there aren't many fish that make good centrepieces, but the gouramis are definitely one option. Your tank would actually be fine at a slightly lower temperature, around 74-75°F. Most serpae tetras, neons, and mollies can thrive in temperatures around 72°F or higher. However, if you do decide to add gouramis, they will need warmer water.

I think we often make the mistake of keeping our tanks too warm, which can shorten the lifespan of our fish and even contribute to certain chronic diseases.

[navline]

The centrepiece concept, I think it's a bit outdated, to be honest. The idea of having a slow-moving, flat-sided fish as the main attraction rarely works out as planned. I mean, mollies can be a bit of a nuisance when it comes to slow-moving fish, but that's not usually a major concern.

I've always had a soft spot for serpae tetras, despite their reputation. They can be a handful in smaller tanks, but if they've been behaving well for you so far, I wouldn't worry too much about them. The hybrid honey gouramis might actually work well as a centrepiece in your tank, though. I used to keep pearl gouramis as centrepieces, and they did really well.

To be honest, there aren't many fish that make good centrepieces, but the gouramis are definitely one option. Your tank would actually be fine at a slightly lower temperature, around 74-75°F. Most serpae tetras, neons, and mollies can thrive in temperatures around 72°F or higher. However, if you do decide to add gouramis, they will need warmer water.

I think we often make the mistake of keeping our tanks too warm, which can shorten the lifespan of our fish and even contribute to certain chronic diseases.

So, I'm thinking of getting just one honey gourami as the centerpiece, and also adding a few more neon tetras to the group, maybe around 8 in total.

[WildFins]

The serpaes seem fine for now, but you never know how they'll react when they catch sight of a gourami's long fins - it might just trigger their fin-nipping instincts.

[WildFins]

So I'm on the hunt for a centerpiece fish that's super chill and won't bother my other guys. I've got a 37-gallon tank with sand and river rocks on the bottom, some spiderwood decor, and it's packed with plants.

My current crew is:
- 4 serpae tetras
- 2 black mollies
- 1 neon tetra (getting 4 more soon)
- 1 nerite snail
So far, zero aggression in the tank, which is awesome.

I'm looking for something that's gonna pop with color and draw your eye in. I thought maybe a honey gourami, but I'm not sure.

My tank's at 79 degrees, and I've got two bubble filters running to keep the oxygen levels up. The tank's pretty tall and vertical, too.

I'll throw up a pic of the tank, and with all this in mind... what fish species would be a great fit as the star of the show?!

A good middle ground for the water temperature for all the species in my tank would be around 75 degrees. This temperature range would give me a bit of wiggle room and cater to the needs of all my fish.

[graye]

When picking a fish, I think you want one that's pretty chill and has a small mouth. A honey gourami seems like a nice choice, they're small and gentle, but they do like to hide a lot. However, the hybrid ones are a different story, they can be pretty feisty.

Rather than focusing on a centerpiece, why not just get fish that you think look cool? The whole centerpiece idea is a bit outdated, it was mainly used to draw attention away from the fact that neons can be a bit boring on their own. But let's be real, if you're willing to take on the bioload of a medium-sized gourami, you could just add a bunch more neons instead. A big school of them would be way more impressive than a single centerpiece fish.