Peaceful "big fish" to go in a livebearer tank?

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BadGaskets

BadGaskets

Exodon
MFK Member
Apr 1, 2023
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I have a 120 cycling right now that will be mostly livebearers. Your usual swordtails, sailfins, guppies, hard water with moderately high pH and all. Planted.

I'm considering putting a "larger" single fish in there (something 8-10") just as a spectacle but am striking out on ideas that won't also eat the smaller livebearers.

I thought about a severum, they tend to be pretty chill if you keep them well fed but they get bigger than I'd prefer and won't really enjoy the hard water.
 
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BadGaskets said:
I have a 120 cycling right now that will be mostly livebearers. Your usual swordtails, sailfins, guppies, hard water with moderately high pH and all. Planted.

I'm considering putting a "larger" single fish in there (something 8-10") just as a spectacle but am striking out on ideas that won't also eat the smaller livebearers.

I thought about a severum, they tend to be pretty chill if you keep them well fed but they get bigger than I'd prefer and won't really enjoy the hard water.
Click to expand...
They get close to 7 inches if conditions are right I suggest a group of Firemouth Cichlid.
 
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A large snakeskin gourami would fulfil your requirements. I have a 130g with all sorts of fish even as small as ember tetras in it. My 3 "centrepiece" fish are an 8" snakeskin gourami, a large female angelfish and a large female electric blue acara. I know the 2 cichlids pick off most of my livebearer fry (but leave the larger ember tetras). However, the gourami just doesn't really seem interested in predating. She has a very small mouth for her size (although still has a LARGE appetite !).
 
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Since most available live bearers are central American, and prefer hard, high pH water, choosing tank mates apprpriate to fit that that type water would seem, reasonable to me., as oppsoed to randomly selecting soft water species like South Americans, or Asian , out of chacacter and non-geographcally correct species.
The Dilema is choosing small enough species to not be predatory.
If ti were me I'd choose small hard water cichlids of genus Amatitlania, or other non-predatory types
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