55 gallon stocking plan

[Mtl Parrothead]

I am planning the stocking of my new 55 gallon (once It finishes cycling). It will be a joint effort with my kids.

Here is what we have so far

10 or so cardinal or neon tetras
10 or so celestial pearl danios
1 Platy (son loves the Mickey Mouse ones)
1-2 Bristlenose pleco

I think I should still have quite a bit of space but I’m not too sure of what else to add. Any ideas?

I know the kids would love some ghost shrimp or some other type
Personally I used to keep rams and other Cichlids but they will not be compatible with what the kids want.

 

[ZxC]

25 tetra
25 CPD's
A handfull of platys (they will reproduce) or stick with 1...

1 plec, or instead go with 5-10 oto cats.

 

[King Fisher]

I'll add that Cardinals have fuller color than neons and seem to be hardier.

My vote is to scrap the pleco and add Cory cats. You can also add otos as Z pointed out if you begin to have an algae problem.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

Thanks I like the idea of the Cory cats and/or oto from experience I know I need to wait a while for the otos until the tank has been running for a while

Personally don’t want to deal with platys reproducing that’s why I thought only one

So here is what the kids have agreed to (sure things will change by the time we are ready to stock)

15 CPDs
15 cardinal tetra
The platy
5 +/- Cory cats

Maybe some guppies but also don’t want to deal with breeding
Otos in the future

They also want a centrepiece fish or 2 not sure what would work well with the smaller fish

 

[ZxC]

5 +/- Cory cats

Otos in the future

They also want a centrepiece fish or 2 not sure what would work well with the smaller fish

Bump Cory cats to 10 if you want.

Gourami, appisto, angelfish (maybe not with small fish) rainbowfish

 

[rlederer]

I personally do not like the concept of centerpiece fish. Virtually all fish live in schools or shoals, rarely as one alone. I think fish are much happier and healthier in groups. If you don't want platy babies, get all males or get some other attractive egg layers.

 

[King Fisher]

A couple of dwarf south American Cichlids wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

A couple of dwarf south American Cichlids wouldn't be a bad idea.

That’s what I really wanted but I’m concerned they’re not compatible with the tetras and the danios.

 

[King Fisher]

Idk why they wouldn't be. For a dwarf Cichlid to eat your fish they'd have to be starving. I keep angelfish and firemouth cichlids with Tetras. Add your cichlids last to the tank and as juveniles. Let them grow up around your schooling fish. IMO this makes a big difference in temperament.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

Thanks for the info I used to keep Bolivian and German Rams, dwarf cockatoos and apistos for years. I had been warned then not to mix then with any small fish.

I was also thinking of maybe 4–6 Boesemani Rainbows those we also some of my favourites.

 

[King Fisher]

As you probably know, cichlids can be unpredictable depending on the particular ones you have. I've seen Cardinals work with dwarf Cichlids. But it's a good idea to keep full bodied schooling fish with cichlids.

You will probably have to keep the number of rainbows low. They get pretty big. As big or bigger than your dwarf Cichlids.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

I know all too well I was just in the brainstorming phase. I really loved my rainbows I had many years ago.

Saturday my wife and kids decided to surprise me with a platy and 3 guppies. The pet shop will not let me return them so now I’m no longer doing a fishless cycle but a fish in one.

Been testing my water no ammonia yet, it was lucky I was only going to start adding the clear ammonia Saturday night. Now I’m reading up on fish in cycling

 

[King Fisher]

Test the water daily until you get .25 ppm. That will give you a water change schedule. Change out 50%. Add Seachem Prime to keep ammonia and nitrites converted to a less toxic form.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

Test the water daily until you get .25 ppm. That will give you a water change schedule. Change out 50%. Add Seachem Prime to keep ammonia and nitrites converted to a less toxic form.

I guess I need to wait for the ammonia to show up before water changes.

I always use prime should I dose daily no matter what? With prime the ammonia will still show up on the master test I assume.

Fish seem to be fine feeding very lightly don’t need extra waste....

 

[King Fisher]

Nothing says you can't add prime daily. It does show up even when prime converts ammonia to the safer ammonium.

Personally I'd test daily until an ammonia reading showed up. Get my water change schedule down then change out 50% of the water using prime.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

I just tested my water again this morning, still no sign of ammonia really expected to see some by now. I checked my master kit expires in 2022, also tested with a drop of pure ammonia and it did turn colour.
I will test again tonight I want to keep the fish as healthy as possible

 

[King Fisher]

No reading then it's good to go. Keep on top of things to get a schedule down.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

I’ve decided the tank is cycled. I have had no ammonia(ever) had trace nitrites for a couple days. Now since the 14th I’ve just had nitrate between 5-10ppm.

On Sunday I went out to get some plants and well ended up 4 rosy tetras

One of the guppies had an injury when we got it and was not getting better lfs took swapped it for a rosy tetra and couple $ back (no good looking guppies in stock).

I discovered one of the other guppies was also a bully so could explain why it didn’t look so good.

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

Here is what it looks like as of today

 

[Mtl Parrothead]

Today I added 5 more rosy tetras to make 10 total. The lfs also had a great deal on ghost shrimp so picked up 12, 11(I think) made it into the tank those little guys jump! One got cannibalized on the way home. (I know shrimp can do that in close quarters)