55 gallon stocking

[Khij159753]

So I just got a free 55 gallon tank from a friend and will be looking to set it up whenever I find room for it. I plan on doing a fishless cycle and probably fake plants o start but will eventually add some live plants. I'm mainly just trying to figure out what I can stock it with.

As a little kid my dad owned 2 55 gallons so I kinda wanna stock them like he had them stocked but I think he may have had them over stocked.

He had 2 tiger oscars and 2 plecos in one tank

He had 3 angels, 3 sharks, a black shadow knife, a pleco, and a few small colorful fish.

In both tanks he also had feeders swimming around.

I really like the tiger oscars I would love to be able to have one. And a couple plecos would be nice. And maybe some other fish?

 

[Khij159753]

I also forgot to say I would love to have some sort of cool fish that I could breed. any options/ opinions are great!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Don't go with common plecos, they get way to big for a 55g. However you can look into bristlenose pleco's, they are a good size for a 55. You could easily do angels, just be sure that you have a back up tank incase two decide to pair up and spawn... I haven't witnessed this but I've heard it gets nasty and things get destroyed. If you don't have another tank try and do a designated spawning area for them, and be prepared that other fish may be attacked, possibly even killed.

 

[Khij159753]

Okay. What's a bristle nose pleco look like? And anything else I could add with some angels? How many Angels could I get?

 

[Khij159753]

And I'm pretty sure I'd have to chose between tiger oscars and angels right? I can't have both? :/

 

[Brox]

If your going with oscars. Only 1 Oscar and 1 bushy pleco will do (although some disagree)

 

[Khij159753]

Okay. So I can either have one Oscar and 1 pleco or some angels and a couple bristle nose plecos and maybe a couple other fish?

 

[Brox]

Ya I'd do this for angels: 2-4 angels a school of bigger tetras/peaceful schooling fish. 1 BN pleco and maybe cories or loaches

 

[Khij159753]

Ya I'd do this for angels: 2-4 angels a school of bigger tetras/peaceful schooling fish. 1 BN pleco and maybe cories or loaches

The Angels could I get 2 pairs? Or should i get 2-4 of the same kind? And could I get 2 BN plecos? And thanks any other fish I could get instead if tetras for schooling fish?

 

[Samzter]

So I just got a free 55 gallon tank from a friend and will be looking to set it up whenever I find room for it. I plan on doing a fishless cycle and probably fake plants o start but will eventually add some live plants. I'm mainly just trying to figure out what I can stock it with.

As a little kid my dad owned 2 55 gallons so I kinda wanna stock them like he had them stocked but I think he may have had them over stocked.

He had 2 tiger oscars and 2 plecos in one tank

He had 3 angels, 3 sharks, a black shadow knife, a pleco, and a few small colorful fish.

In both tanks he also had feeders swimming around.

I really like the tiger oscars I would love to be able to have one. And a couple plecos would be nice. And maybe some other fish?

Yeah I wouldn't do the sharks, oscars and pleco. The other posts have given really good suggestions as a alternative.

 

[Khij159753]

Yeah. Is there any colorful Angels you'd recommend? Or maybe an alternative to angels that's a colorful fish? Chichlids or However you spell them. Could i do them? I looked at them briefly and found some cool looking ones. I'm just tryin to get all my options

 

[Brox]

Yeah. Is there any colorful Angels you'd recommend? Or maybe an alternative to angels that's a colorful fish? Chichlids or However you spell them. Could i do them? I looked at them briefly and found some cool looking ones. I'm just tryin to get all my options

Just find angels you like. 2 BN pleco would be ok with just angels but they poop a lot and eat algae so they would need wafers or another food option. Other "bigger fish" ideas: gourami,rams,convicts,chubs. Schooling fish ideas: flathead minnows,danios,rasboras,barbs,white cloud mountain Minnows

 

[Khij159753]

Okay thanks a bunch!

 

[Khij159753]

I found Alot of chichlids I like. And a couple discuss. Either of those possible? Or would I be much better off going for smaller fish? No matter what I get I want to be able to breed them. I rose a baby guppy from birth and it gave me a very rewarding feeling and he is definitely my favorite

 

[Andrew McFadden]

This will help for the search of Cichlids and what will work together as a good stocking point
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_55g.php

 

[Brox]

If you plan on breeding I would do a species only tank.

 

[Khij159753]

Would a couple species work? Like one species and then a couple bristlenosed plecos?

 

[Brox]

If your breeding only 1 species will do with the expecting of plecos and other type fish

 

[Khij159753]

Oh okay. I might not try breeding then.

 

[Khij159753]

So are there any fish that will breed in a tank with more than just that species in it? I was hoping to keep a couple bristle nosed plecos (hoping they'll breed), then 1 or 2 other species that I was hoping would breed also. Is that just not gonna happen?