Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm getting a new 200 litre tropical tank soon, a Fluval Roma 200.

I've got a 450 litre community tank already, with a mix of fish like kitty tetras, ember tetras, guppies, rummy noses, bristlenoses and so on.

For this new tank, I'm looking for a single, larger fish - around 15cm adult size, give or take - to keep on its own.

The thing is, I've been searching and can only find extra large fish or really small ones that would get lost in a 200 litre tank.

Can anyone suggest a fish that would really love this tank and look great in it at the same time?

Before suggesting any fish, it's crucial to consider your source water parameters. If you have hard water with a high pH, you'll likely want to focus on fish that thrive in such conditions, like guppies or certain African cichlids. On the other hand, if your water is soft with a lower pH, you might want to explore options like South American cichlids or tetras. It's generally easier to maintain a tank that aligns with your source water chemistry. While it's possible to keep a tank with different water needs, it requires more effort, expense, and care. For instance, you could use RO water to soften your water or add minerals to increase its hardness.

Assuming your water is suitable, I've always been fond of pearl gouramis. Although I no longer keep them, they can develop stunning colors and often swim at the front of the tank, making them a great choice.

If you're based in Ayr, Scotland, you might be able to find your water hardness on Scottish Water's website, although they don't exactly make it easy to track down.