55G set-up

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Mako_

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
151
I know I made a few topics on my 55 gallon but this one is different. Instead of asking what I need for the tank, I want to know what you guys think is a good stock list for a 55 gallon tank. I don't want to buy fish that will grow out. It's going to be freshwater for now. I don't have any plans to do a saltwater tank and I was thinking brackish water but I think freshwater might be better for a starter like me. Can you guys give me a list of what you think good plants would be for a freshwater 55 gallon tank and what fish also? Two fish I was going to ask you all is, Would Pirahnas do good in a 55 gallon? Or are there any freshwater puffer fish that do good in 55? I'm not sure what I want yet because there seems to be a lot to choose from since my 10 gallon was very limited and since I am moving to a 55 gallon, I have a bigger choice of different fish I can add. I was thinking on some type of shark fish. It can't be Silver-tipped sharks though. They get too big for a 55 gallon. I don't know about plants at all.
 
I think pirahnnas would be OK in a large group with just them. I think it is on this site somewhere, someone has a bunch of Exodon's . But that is the only thing you could have in the tank and the more you get the better chance that they won't tear each other up. I don't know too much about sharks but maybe a red - tailed shark would do good? Or you could get some cichlids, there are many different kinds of those. If you are going for a community tank you could some cories of some sort (about a dozen) and then some barbs or tetras maybe? I think there is quite a lot of options for that size tank but it sounds like you want more predatory fish. You could google predator fish for a 55 gallon freshwater tank... I am always telling people to google stuff lol. Good luck ! :)
 
Yeah. I was looking into predator fish but I was also thinking Bala sharks which wouldn't go with predatory animals like pirahnas. I have a lot of thinking to do with this tank along with steps of getting it started.
 
I read that pirhana are kinda hard to keep.. they are messy eaters and will not clean up after them selves. After they are done eating , what ever is left over stays in the tank and can rot and cause all kinds of problems. You only have to feed them every two or three days , but it looks like you have to clean their tank every time you feed them.

i also read that the bala shark can grow to something like 12" and are very fast swimmers and jumper.. cant remember exactly cause i wanted them too.. Google the bala shark..


Just something i read.. wanted them too in my 55.. ended up with a community...

I have tiger barbs and blood finned tetra in my along with many others .. but these two i think are the most playful and fun to watch.. and with the room in a 55, my tiger barbs absolutely love it

Edit.. maybe a cichlid tank? jack Dempseys or oscars are neat i think...
 
Jack Dempseys are neat I love my guy even though he was a impulse buy and he caused me some panic as he grew and grew and grew...lol I also have an Oscar (not my choice) he is cute and personable but I think he acts like a spoiled brat. I wouldn't recommend an Oscar in a 55 unless you plan on upgrading soon they grow rather fast and large and they do have personalities that get you attached to them.
 
Please don't get bala sharks. I don't even know why pet stores sell them. they get up to 16" and i'm pretty sure they need AT LEAST 150 gallons, maybe more. you MAY be able to get away with one oscar but that is pushing it. they get up to 12" sometimes and to be really happy they need at least 75 gallons. i think a 55 gallon would be perfect for a cichlid tank (small ones!) and they come in all kinds of colors and varieties. don't know how well they do with plants. just research the bejeezus out of anything before you get it. i think a nice big school of tetras or barbs would be cool to watch, too
 
i really liked my rosy barbs for the whole week and a half we had them. they're really pretty and i'm sure very cool to watch in a big group. i'd get a school of them if we had a bigger tank. a 55g would be perfect for them, they are fast swimmers.
 
Tiger barbs are fun , just be careful what you put in with them and make sure you get enought. They seems to get bored and want to play with other fish if there arent enough. I had two of them to start and they stayed together , but when one tuckered out and the other wanted to keep going , he would look for something else , but never really bother anything.

Edit: i have six now and they stay occupied with each other
 
because barbs are schooling fish. if they are not in a proper sized school they will harass other fish or get stressed out. i'm pretty sure you need 6+ with barbs
 
If I had a 55 I would get probably 8 to 10 tiger Barbs and a couple otos or some type of dwarf cory, but just like anything else I would research first. Basically a school of something and then a solitary fish or something in pairs.
 
Back
Top Bottom