Top 5 Centerpiece Fish for Your Small to Medium Sized Community Aquarium

Creating your own ‘school of fish’ in a medium-sized or small fish tank is a fun and rewarding experience. You can make it even more enjoyable by adding a showpiece fish as your aquatic pride & joy. A centerpiece fish draws attention, stands out through either color or size, and also gets along with the other swimmers in the community tank. What fish should you choose? We don’t want the larger fish eating the smaller ones!

What should you look for in a centerpiece fish?

Let’s look at some key characteristics you need to be aware of before you head out fish shopping for the right species. Your centerpiece fish must be noticed and stand out. Two key factors are important here:

– Color – Size

The five fish we’ve picked below each feature color and pattern variations that would catch your eye as soon as you look in the tank. These fish tend to grow slightly larger than most community fish. Even if your tank is smaller, you can still have fish that stand out.

This article will discuss our top five favorite fish and the aquarium’s centerpiece fish. These fish will live happily in a tank of 29 gallons or less – and they won’t eat any other fish!

Our Top 5 Picks

No matter how big your tank is, it doesn’t matter if you have a 10 gallon or 20 gallon tank.

5. Angelfish

With their beautiful shape, distinctive fins, and lovely striped pattern, the striking angelfish certainly lives up to its name. These little beauties aren’t for 10-gallon tanks, but if you have upwards of 20 or 25 gallons (especially a vertically tall tank), they’ll fit right in and enjoy the space. They can be aggressive, but if you only have one – and we do encourage just one – then they’ll be much more easygoing and docile.

4. Gourami

Gouramis look a lot like bettas. They are both part of the Siamese fightingfish family. Honey gourami makes a great centerpiece fish. It only grows to 2 to 2.5 inches in length and has a distinct warm yellow color. Another choice? The female powderblue gourami is beautiful and shimmery. It’s slightly larger than honey. Only get one to prevent aggression. Shrimp can be eaten by fish, but it is up to them whether they like it. There’s always risk in adding shrimp to fish that are too big for their mouths. We recommend at least 10 gallons for the ideal habitat size.

3. Apistogramma / Dwarf Cichlid

Our number three recommendation is this striped fish with its flaming orange and black fins. Choose a male for the best color. The Agassizii color range is also available. The double red is especially striking. The mostly orange Japanese Fire Red is another variety. You can also choose the Apistogramma Borellii (yellow dwarf) if you prefer a yellow colour. They can grow up to 3 inches in length and can tolerate a low pH. A 10 gallon may seem small, but you can get by with a minimum of 20 gallons.

2. Bolivian Ram

This species has fewer bright colors, thanks to its muted striped color palette. However, they are 3 inches in size, making them a great centerpiece fish. They have beautiful trailer fins that extend from their tails. They’re easy to keep and have a calm demeanor. They won’t harass other species. It is fine to live with one fish.

1. Betta Fish

Our top pick is the Betta Fish! The stunning half-moon or crown tails with their huge flowy fins might get pecked at by other fish, so we recommend the Plakat Betta or Betta Pugnax, with much shorter fins. The Koi bettas look very much like real koi, and they are quite beautiful. Male bettas can be aggressive but as long as only one is kept and given enough space in a 20-gallon tank, they’ll do just fine. Each betta is unique, so it all depends on the fish! However, we recommend it as a centerpiece.