Possible 55 Gallon

[Vatilla]

This may not happen, but a 55g tank may be going into my basement! I'm looking to ask for stocking advice on it. These are some fish I would LOVE in the tank, but I realize I can't have all of them. I'm looking for suggestions of species, along with people telling me what on my list doesn't mix well together.

*Note- I'm not interested in doing a Cichlid tank. Many people have told me they're great, but it's just not my preferred species.

Fish I'm interested in:
Plecos (BN or high fin)
Kuhli Loaches
Gouramis
Corydoras
Tetras
Barbs
Mystery/Apple snails
Danios
Bettas

If you could tell me what would work in here out of these fish (I'm interested in all sub-species of fish like Tetras, Danios, etc) and what is a big no-no, that would be awesome!

I'm also wondering about substrate- I've never dealt with sand before, but I've heard it's great. Depending on the species, what kind do you suggest between the two?

Thanks so anyone who replies!

 

[Bubbles0oO]

With all those tetras on your list, why not do a tetra tank!

You could have medium sized schools of many kinds of your tetras

(Always personally wanted to try this , but locally we dot have a large selection of tetras)

As far as cories, they would work very well with sand, (and tetras if there are caves or plants to hide in)
I use pool filter sand in my tanks, and its very forgiving to cories sensitive barbels (whiskers and very easy to clean and maintain.

You can find pfs (pool filter sand) at almost any pool store, they come in 50 lbs bags (you will have to rinse it, and i have always gotten a white sand with random fleck of black, super pretty)

Good luck with your tank!

 

[josh7]

In a 55 gallon you could have some of everything you listed except dont get a hi fin pleco.

I would get a school of
6-8 tetras
6-8 cherry barbs
1- BN pleco
1- honey gourami
1- mystery snail
6 corys or 5-7 kuhli loaches if you have sand do not put them over gravel unless its smooth with no jagged edges.

I would recommend sand it's much nicer looking and easier to clean pool filter is good. But if you want black sand put in a few extra bucks for black sand it looks great! It is expensive though

 

[mistersprinkles]

Fish I'm interested in:
Plecos (BN or high fin)
Kuhli Loaches
Gouramis
Corydoras
Tetras
Barbs
Mystery/Apple snails
Danios
Bettas

You could keep:
6 Kuhli loaches
a Bushynose pleco
7 corydoras
pair of pearl gouramis
7 black ruby barbs

or any other combination. Why don't you suggest a fish list based on what you like and people can tell you if it's good or not?

Also, why don't you check out some of the cooler, smaller snails like assassins and nerites? Apples have a very high bio-load. They need quite a lot of food and poop a lot.

 

[bettaowner]

You could have angelfish with large tetras like bleeding heart or gold hemmigramus tetras

 

[Vatilla]

Wow, a lot more replies than I was expecting! LOL! I'm thinking sand is the way to go! With this tank, I'm hoping my mother will be paying (probably not, but I can dream!) and black sand sounds really cool! I really like the Tetra species tank, but I think my mum wanted different kinds of fish, too. Would this work?

9 Painted Tetras
7-9 Cherry Barbs
7-13 Rummynose Tetras
1 Moonlight Gourami
7-11 Dainty Cories
1 Albino BN Pleco
And numerous MTS?

Just a randomly thrown together group, I don't have any of these fish but I have experience with the species they're from. Also, for filters, would 2 Aquaclear50 filters work for this tank? Would HOB filters just wreck the gravel?

I also really enjoy live plants, and would be planting the sides and back like nuts, but leaving the middle filled with some kind of hairgrass or moss with a large driftwood piece. Would any of these fish just wreck that?

Last two questions, I promise- how do you siphon sand? And what do you think it better, 55 long or just a regular 55 gallon?

Thank you for all of your help, guys!

 

[bettaowner]

Painted tetras are not a good option because they are dyed. A pair of moon light gouramis or angelfish would be nice. Other tetra options include bleeding hearts, glow light, silver tip, and Colombian tetras

 

[josh7]

Painted tetras are not a good option because they are dyed. A pair of moon light gouramis or angelfish would be nice. Other tetra options include bleeding hearts, glow light, silver tip, and Colombian tetras

Agreed don't get painted tetras buy bleeding hearts or perhaps serapes.

 

[bettaowner]

I wouldn't get the serpae since they are fin nippers and in the wild they feed on scales and fins of other fish

 

[josh7]

I wouldn't get the serpae since they are fin nippers and in the wild they feed on scales and fins of other fish

Really? I have never seen them a bio a fish I had a group of 7 and they were always fine with pearl gouramis.

 

[bettaowner]

I've heard a story about serpae tetras attacking rummy nose tetras in large groups so I'm pretty sure long finned fish would be harassed

 

[Vatilla]

Oh, I didn't realize they were literally painted! Poor little guys Okay, what about the fish I mentioned before and a school of 7-9 Ghost Catfish? I know absolutely nothing about them, but they look amazing. I'm still gathering information, and this won't be happening anytime soon. If not Ghost Catfish, would 8 Guppies work? Or maybe a school of 7-9 pearl Danios?

 

[Vatilla]

Update- it's looking like the space we chose won't work with a 55 gallon, so we're opting for a 50 gallon, which is like a foot less in length. I checked on Aquadvisor (not too trustworthy, I know) and this is what I was thinking:

1 Gold Gourami
9 Gold Barbs
2 male Guppies
6 female Guppies
1 Albino BNP OR 6 Otocinclus Catfish
9 Rummynose Tetras

Also, 2 Aquaclear 50 filters and a whole bunch of live plants. I only changed the Barbs and Gourami because my mum wants me to lose 1 tank, and they're in one of my other ones.

 

[josh7]

That stock should work except I would swap out the gold gourami for a smaller more docile gourami or the guppies will all be eaten. I would go with a honey or pearl gourami. Also I would switch the gold barbs with cherry barbs they don't fin nip like the golds will.

Go with the bristlenose pleco they are much cooler IMO and are much hardier.

 

[Vatilla]

So I was trying to figure out a stocking plan with the Barbs and the Gourami, but no matter what I did bio levels were always super high. So I'm trying to come up with a way to make this work... My mother wants me to put my Gourami and Barbs in there so I can have one less tank, but I just don't see it working out...

What about-

1 Moonlight Gourami
9 Cherry Barbs
1 BN Pleco
9 Rummynose Tetras
9 Dainty Cories
Possibly a few Guppies? I'm not sure about them

Mum says it won't be happening until spring, so I have loads of time to work things out. I could always rehome my current Gourami and Barbs to lose a tank, but they're just so adorable!

 

[josh7]

That stock should work you could probably get a dozen Cory's if you want they are very small.

 

[Vatilla]

That would be cool! I think I'll go for that Do you know what colours pool sand comes in? My mum wants bright colours, which I think we shouldn't so the fish will pop, but whatever XD

And totally off topic- I have a 30 gallon that currently holds 4 female Bettas, and they'll be leaving this wee with one girl left. In a month or two, I was planning on getting 7 Kuhli Loaches and around 17 Ember Tetras. I also have a BNP in there. I have rounded gravel and was planning on putting in some pipes for the Loaches- would this be sufficient, or would it hurt them to not be in the sand?

 

[josh7]

I would honestly put sand in there for the loaches it is really beneficial for them. I don't think there are any bright colored sands I would try to tell your mom to get a dark color sand so the fish colors will really pop!

 

[Vatilla]

That's what I was thinking too. My only problem that I have a lot of plant roots in my gravel, so I may instead keep my Pleco in there and put the Loaches in the 50g... Thanks, that's what I told her, but she wants coloured sand, and I keep trying to tell her it isn't a good idea XD

 

[Mama Karoti]

I did a lot of homework when I was stocking my 60 gallon. I wanted a peaceful, community tank with a calm energy. I didn't want a bunch of aggression or fast swimmers. I like watching my tank to be a calming experience.

I ended up with:

1 Pearl Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco
4 Julii Cory
3 Platies (female)
6 Neon Tetras
2 Siamese Algae Eaters
3 Assassin Snails

It is a planted tank, which also affected my decisions. I am 75% stocked and plan not to exceed that.