Stocking for 55 Gallon Tank

[phoenixkiller]

Hey all!
I am about to purchase a 55 gallon long aquarium to add to my collection.

1. Can 1 rainbow Shark, 2 Angelfish, and 5 Australian Rainbow fish be kept "safely" in this size tank??

2. Or, what fish would you recommend for a novice fish keeper like me?

-- I welcome all questions, comments, and criticisms for this post. --
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"From the ashes shall rise a Phoenix"

 

[KaylNeko]

Australians for the Top/middle, shark for the bottom/middle, angels everywhere...so long as you set it up with territory for the shark to claim if he wants, I'd say it would probably work out. Sounds pretty. Just make sure to cycle it, keep up with water changes, and make sure you have enough filtration for them.

 

[phoenixkiller]

What would be a good schedule for water changes?

 

[KaylNeko]

My opinion, 50% weekly (getting or making a Python water changer helps immensely with this if you don't already have one) but it depends on how your tank reacts to the load. Once you're cycled, see how long it takes for your nitrates to build with your fish in it. They get around 20 to 40, it's about time for a water change, whether that's weekly or twice a week, or every other week. Some people change monthly because their bioload allows for that. I'm all for the phrase "freshwater fish like freshwater" though, so I change weekly even though my nitrates don't climb that high between changes.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Thank you!
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