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Hi,
I've had my 23 gallon tank set up and cycled for 2 months now. So far, my stock is:

3 male guppies
1 male platy
2 julii cories
2 blue rams (they spawn every few weeks)

Since I've been able to keep my rams healthy, I think my water quality and maintenance is pretty good. For some reason, the nitrate is always zero in my tank (but it is cycled).

I'm trying to decide what other fish to put in the tank. I would love to try something like a single discus or angelfish, but I think my tank is too small and that might be pushing my limited fishkeeping experience. The tank has some live plants and driftwood. I would ideally like to have a nice centerpiece fish or two. Here are some ideas I have:

1 male powder blue dwarf gourami (I've heard they can be mean though) OR
1 pearl gourami
4 dwarf neon rainbows (1 male, 3 females) OR
5 rummynose tetras (I hear they are hard to acclimatize?)

Any thoughts on combining some of the above fish with my current tank inhabitants? I think I'm leaning towards the dwarf neon rainbows if I can find any. Thanks.

I would add:

3-4 more juilis
1 dwarf gourami
and the rainbows



I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

I would add at least a couple more Julii Cories to make a small school as cories like to have company. Don't go for the Angelfish as they need a larger tank as they grow and can sometimes get alittle aggressive twords other fish. Go for the Blue Dwarf Gourami or the Blue Gourami but make sure to watch it at the LFS to see how it is with the other fish in the tank. I have a Blue Gourami in my 20g and it does good with my other fish. The normal Blue will be alot more eye catching in my opion. I had mine with some male guppies and cherry barbs at one point and it did goos with them. I guess more or less the same as the last post just wanted to explain why though.

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Live life to it's fullest
Who knows what tomorrow holds

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I also think you should go with the dwarf gourami, 4 more cories, and the rainbows.

You say you want a centerpiece fish, but IMO rams are a very beautiful centerpiece....especially a pair. You can still go with the gourami though. Blues are one of the meanest gouramis, so you can never tell if the one you'll get will be nice to the other fish or not. I have a blue/opaline in my 29g and it chases my neons and glowlights. They also get to be about 4+ inches, so if your tank isn't that long, it could be cramped.

Go for the dwarf. They are really only mean when you put 2 males in the same tank. If you get one, it should be peaceful.

*Kristin*