What options do I have for a 55 gallon?

[Sartor]

On 4/15/2024 at 5:35 PM, madmark285 said:

How about Odessa Barbs? Nice color and mine are more hyper than the Tiger Barbs. The ones I got from Aqua Huna are coloring up much better than the PetCo ones I got a few years ago.

 

 

I had never heard of those, they are beautiful!! Are they peaceful ish? Like nip slower fish fins. Or mostly inner species?

[TJ _isme]

If you don’t mind some semi aggressive fish I would recommend tiger barbs, maybe yellow lab cichlids, and red tailed black shark,

they are all very unique fish but if you do go with semi aggressive fish I would highly recommend lots of hiding places rock structures and lots of plants will make the tank into a very natural looking habitat for the fish, and the rock structures also give tons of hiding places for the fish to help keep the aggression low.

[Lennie]

On 4/17/2024 at 1:22 AM, Sartor said:

Yeah currently this is a rough idea of a stock list. 
 

Tank stock list:::

Rummy nose tetra x15

Long fin Bristlenose pleco  x2

Kuhili loach x7

Melanotaenia sp. "Kali Tawa" x 6

Honey gourami or pearl gourami 

Cpd x10

I still need to look into those species before I decide for sure… also need more driftwood for the Pleccos. 

I would skip kuhlis and add corydoras as you mentioned you like activity. Im not sure how I feel of tiny cpds with big fish 

 

Also whiptails are great oddball. I love whiptails. Check them out!

 

I wouldnt add fairly big and medium size barbs with gouramis. They are slow eater and can be shy sometimes. Barbs are crazy energetic, and can be stressing for calmer fish

And outcompete them for food and such

[anewbie]

I'd get your gh/kh tested - vaguely it sounds like you might have harder water and if so i'd drop your current stocking plans and go for either central american fishes or lake malwai fishes. Also keep in mind  you have a narrow tall box so it favors short tall fishes as oppose to long fishes. 

 

Nearly every fish you have mentioned so far favor softwater. Why make a square peg fit in a round hole ?

 

[Sartor]

On 4/17/2024 at 11:00 AM, anewbie said:

I'd get your gh/kh tested - vaguely it sounds like you might have harder water and if so i'd drop your current stocking plans and go for either central american fishes or lake malwai fishes. Also keep in mind  you have a narrow tall box so it favors short tall fishes as oppose to long fishes. 

 

Nearly every fish you have mentioned so far favor softwater. Why make a square peg fit in a round hole ?

 

Yeah, I thought of cichlid, but honestly I don’t want to deal with the tank aggression I’ve heard of with them. And, generally just haven interested me much. 

 

I’ll have to look at the Kh, to see where it’s at. 

For most other fish though, is it harmful/ stressful to have a high Kh? I’ve been told stable parameters and slow acclimating are most important, most species can adapt to KH.  

Edited April 17 by Sartor

[anewbie]

On 4/17/2024 at 12:30 PM, Sartor said:

Yeah, I thought of cichlid, but honestly I don’t want to deal with the tank aggression I’ve heard of with them. And, generally just haven interested me much. 

 

I’ll have to look at the Kh, to see where it’s at. 

For most other fish though, is it harmful/ stressful to have a high Kh? I’ve been told stable parameters and slow acclimating are most important, most species can adapt to KH.  

i never mentioned cichild (though most fishes in lake mawai are such); i only mentioned areas where fishes that like hardwater frequently originate. 

[johnnyxxl]

Many fish that people say are aggressive it can be easily averted either by stock numbers, or by having lots of cover.  You could get a nice school of angels they are easy going in a tank with cover, and really pretty.  I am partial to barbs but I also have acidic softer water.  

   Go with Cherry Barb, endlers, platties,etc.  But go big school's lots of just random colours.  Just throwing ideas 

[madmark285]

On 4/16/2024 at 6:41 PM, Sartor said:

I had never heard of those, they are beautiful!!

The Odessa barbs I have are very hyper. I have them with Tiger barbs, a rainbow shark and some serpae tetras, no issue with them.  I am not sure how some calm slow moving fish would get along with them.

Odessa and Tiger barbs is a great combination.

 

 

[Lennie]

On 4/14/2024 at 10:40 PM, macdaddy36 said:

I have A. panduro and so far I have had them kill beckford’s pencilfish, guppies, endlers, and nipped honey gourami and took off one of their fins. The guppies are too large to completely be eaten by an apisto but they tear off their fins and then they die. Granted, I have been told A. panduro are one of the more agressive species and all this happened in 20 gallon tanks, not 55s. If you want to try it get one or the more peaceful species like A. borellii, and only get a male, not females.

The only thing I have to say about Kuhlis is apistos don’t like other bottom dwellers and would probably beat them up over time, although they are very fast. Overall they are a pretty simple fish to keep as long as you understand they hide most of the time unless in a very large group. I have 5 now but I used to have 8 and even then I only saw 2-3 at a time. I’m pretty sure I have 5 left because I moved them a few months ago.

I have never had rams so I couldn’t tell you. I expected the apistos to be peaceful but later I went on an apisto specific forum and they said that my apistos behavior was basically the norm.

Panduros are one of the aggressive ones just like you mentioned. Dont let their size bait you.

Panduros are one of my dream apisto species but the apisto breeder guy I know said they are pretty aggressive so I hesitate to try. Speaking of it, some say they act like forming pairs in captivity and very picky about partners so that is also problematic

Also keeping a breeding pair or harem in a community tank is almost never a good idea anyway

[mynameisnobody]

Those cod’s are not going to eat with Kali Tawa’s and rummynose tetras in there. These are not shy fish, unlike the cpd’s and possibly even the gourami. 

[macdaddy36]

On 4/22/2024 at 6:48 PM, Lennie said:

Also keeping a breeding pair or harem in a community tank is almost never a good idea anyway

This is generally true, although I have found in larger tank (especially taller) that a variety of tetra and rasbora can work. I current keep mine with splash tetra and harlequin rasbora. Definitely not suitable to go with cories, gourami, live bearer, etc. though.

[Sartor]

On 4/22/2024 at 6:35 PM, mynameisnobody said:

Those cod’s are not going to eat with Kali Tawa’s and rummynose tetras in there. These are not shy fish, unlike the cpd’s and possibly even the gourami. 

Yeah I’ve been rethinking that since I posted, I’m researching perimeters and behaviors on all before the tank is even set up. Just listed what I liked, then I’m looking over everything and weeding out won’t work.  

[Billipo]

I'm assuming this is your feature tank set up in your residence community space. One thing I would consider is the viewing of the tank.

If you are going to primarily enjoy your tank standing up to the glass, then probably any "appropriate" 55G. stocking scheme would work.

If you plan on primarily viewing from a distance like relaxing on the couch across the room, then I'd recommend larger specimen fish.

My two cents. 

[Sartor]

On 4/23/2024 at 4:34 PM, Billipo said:

I'm assuming this is your feature tank set up in your residence community space. One thing I would consider is the viewing of the tank.

If you are going to primarily enjoy your tank standing up to the glass, then probably any "appropriate" 55G. stocking scheme would work.

If you plan on primarily viewing from a distance like relaxing on the couch across the room, then I'd recommend larger specimen fish.

My two cents. 

Yes it will be! What would you suggest for larger fish stocking?

[Billipo]

It's really hard to recommend for someone else. Let's face it, investigating stocking choices and making them is a big part of the fun.

My comment only to include tank intent in up front stocking decision.  

[TJ _isme]

You could do a few fancy goldfish

[Shrimp Doggy Dogg]

I'm a big fan of corys, cardinal tetras, and a single pearl gourami.  Maybe an albino bristlenose as well. Or you could do a betta instead of the gourami.

[Shrimp Doggy Dogg]

On 4/16/2024 at 3:22 PM, Sartor said:

Yeah currently this is a rough idea of a stock list. 
 

Tank stock list:::

Rummy nose tetra x15

Long fin Bristlenose pleco  x2

Kuhili loach x7

Melanotaenia sp. "Kali Tawa" x 6

Honey gourami or pearl gourami 

Cpd x10

I still need to look into those species before I decide for sure… also need more driftwood for the Pleccos. 

 

Your list contains multiple schools of fish that want to occupy the same space in the water.  In my experience, this really just adds confusion and the true schooling behavior gets obscured.  My advice would be to just stick with one mid water school and get more of them.  If it were me, I'd probably just do 25 rummynose and drop the cpd/rainbows.  But that all depends on the vibe you want.