BiomesInaBox

6 Large Peaceful Freshwater Fish

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There are countless fish species available in this hobby. Many new hobbyists start with small aquariums and grow into larger ones as time progresses. It seems like nano tanks have an unlimited amount of peaceful fish that can occupy them. The opposite seems true for larger fish and big aquariums. Luckily, there are large peaceful freshwater fish out there. This article will discuss a handful of large fish, that have a good chance of being peaceful.

Before we start, I want to add a disclaimer. Fish are opportunists and there is a saying “If it fits into its mouth, it’s likely to become food.” This saying holds for both peaceful and aggressive fish. The fish on this list may be peaceful but that won’t stop them from eating anything that fits into their mouth. Keep that in mind when you are planning on stocking your fish tank.

1. Silver Dollars

Silver Dollars are freshwater fish that get big, but are incredibly peaceful. They are an excellent choice for a large community tank. This fish species does best in a school of at least 6 individuals but more is always recommended. Silver Dollars become bolder and less fearful when in a larger school. They enjoy having a long aquarium when fully grown due to their active personalities. Ideally, they will do best in an aquarium that is at least 125 gallons or larger when fully grown.

The unique trait of Silver Dollars is that they are primarily herbivorous fish. I do not recommend putting them into a planted aquarium because the plants will quickly become a salad buffet. Silver Dollars will graze the plants down to the roots within a few hours to a few days, depending on plant density. Various rock, driftwood, and plastic plants will be ideal decor for this fish.

2. Rainbowfish

There are many different species of rainbowfish and all species are generally peaceful and keep to themselves. You may see fighting for dominance within a school, but they should not bother other species of fish. I recommend forming a large school of the same species of rainbowish over mixing many different species. This is to mimic the large schools they have in the wild. Some of my favorite rainbowfish are the Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish, Boesemani Rainbowfish, and Irian Red Rainbowfish.

One quirk of most rainbowfish species is that they are active and aggressive eaters. They can become bullies when food is present and scare away slower-moving fish by accident. This isn’t true aggression, they are just passionate about food. Once the food is gone, they will likely go back to their peaceful behaviors.

3. Elephant Nose

The Elephantnose Fish have a unique appearance as well as an interesting quirk to them. They have a trunk-like appendage that sticks out from their face. The trunk emits an electrical pulse that helps them navigate through the fish tank and also assists them with hunting for food. This species of fish is nocturnal but may come out of hiding at times when the lights are on. Elephantnose requires very pristine water conditions to thrive. They are very sensitive to water quality. Soft gravel and sand are needed for the Elephantnose so it does not damage its trunk while exploring.

Elephantnose Fish will be aggressive towards others of the same species. I do not recommend keeping more than one in the same aquarium. The more dominant of the two will bully and stress the less dominant one.

4. Severums

I am stretching the term “peaceful” for this next fish. Severums can be peaceful, for cichlid standards. There are many species of Severum and each fish has a unique temperament. Your Severem can be a model fish, but another hobbyist may have purchased a Severum that completely dominates an aquarium.

To help keep the aggression down for Severums, I recommend keeping them in at least a 125-gallon aquarium as they mature. On top of that, they do best with rocks, driftwood, and plants that break their line of sight. The more decorations you can provide, the better. If you have a male and female, you’ll see territorial aggression when they are trying to spawn. You can avoid this by keeping a lone Severum.

5. Goldfish

Goldfish that are kept with similar-sized Goldfish or Koi can be incredibly peaceful. Most Goldfish lumber around and wait for food, or churn through gravel looking for food. Feeding time may be the only time you’ll spot aggression from these fish.

There are a few drawbacks to Goldfish. They’re prolific poopers, messy eaters, get very large, and require large aquariums and filtration systems to thrive. Large filters are needed mostly because of their messiness. Common Goldfish do best in outdoor ponds over aquariums because of their husbandry needs. They’re great fish, with vibrant colors, but do best with other Goldfish and Koi in incredibly large fish tanks or ponds.

6. Discus

I was on the fence about adding Discus to this list. Similar to Severums, they can be peaceful compared to many other cichlids. However, Discus are not compatible with many fish species. They do best with high temperature, low pH, and pristine water conditions. The high temperature alone knocks off most fish from being compatible with Discus.

Discus enjoy being in schools of at least 4 individuals, but 6 or more are highly recommended. Being cichlids, you may see fighting within the school over dominance. 6 should do fine in a 75-gallon aquarium, but I recommend a larger aquarium. Due to the high-temperature needs, Discus’s metabolism is very high. This means a lot of feedings and water changes will be needed. More water volume will help prevent large swings in water parameters.

Final Notes

There are probably many more large and peaceful freshwater fish available, but these few are the first that come to mind. Everyone has different experiences with fish and not everyone will agree with the ones listed. From experience, discussing with hobbyists, and researching the subject, the fish listed above seem to fit the category of peaceful fish. If you have experience with any of these fish, or think others would do well on this list, please let me know!

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