55g stocking help!

[Bobishu]

My 55 gallon is almost ready for fish. I'd like fish for all swimming levels, but i don't know which direction i want to go with it. Any suggestions? Thank you.

 

[blert]

There is all sorts of things you can do. Visit your LFS and take a look, or browse online. Come back here with the name of at least one fish you are particularly interested in keeping. This way folks will be able to help you better with tank mates and such.

Quick tip: don't come home with a fish yet... Esspecially a Bala "Shark"

 

[Bobishu]

I wasn't going to get any yet. Wanted to wait atleast another week, maybe two. I would like to do a good school of some kind of barbs, probably 5-8 tiger barbs. And then I really like clown loaches. But I've never kept the 2 in the same tank, would it be ok to start there?

 

[josh7]

I would do 11 tiger because they like a large group and in my experience do better with odd numbers. I would reccomend against clown loaches as they will require a 6 foot tank in the future. I would get 6 yoyo loaches instead also you could get another school of fish like 10 gold barbs. Also I would do small pleco species I would reccomend bristlenose plecos as they are extremely good algae eaters and you will need to supplement diet with zucchini and other vegies. I would do a final stocking of

11 tiger barbs
10 gold barbs
6 yoyo loaches
1 bristlenose pleco.

 

[Bobishu]

That's sounds good to me. Do you think any plants might go well with that set up?

 

[josh7]

Java ferns, Java moss, Anachris, Anubias and amazon swords all would work well also keep your tank water a little cooler like 74 -75 degrees because gold barbs won't do well if your water is like 78-80.

 

[Bobishu]

Thank you very much, I might go with that exact setup, I checked out those yoyo's, I really like them.

 

[josh7]

I have them in my 55 and those and my red tailed shark are by far my favorites the yoyos are always checking Out everything looking for any type of food.

 

[Bobishu]

I really love red tail sharks, never had any though, do you think it might be ok to add maybe 4-5 to that stock, or would that be to much? I would really like to have some.

 

[Coursair]

I really love red tail sharks, never had any though, do you think it might be ok to add maybe 4-5 to that stock, or would that be to much? I would really like to have some.

NO. RTBSs do not like each other. Very territorial.
1 is fine.

 

[Bobishu]

NO. RTBSs do not like each other. Very territorial.
1 is fine.

Thank you, see I was unaware of that, I would've gotten 5 and ended up with a bully problem.

 

[josh7]

You could add 1 rtbs to go with that stock list yah 5 would lead to many issues.

 

[Bobishu]

How big should that one shark get to be? Also, to provide hiding places, I was thinking about constructing a maze out of hamster tubes and such, that way there can hide, but I can still watch and enjoy them. What do yall think of that?

 

[josh7]

It should max out at around 5 inches and that idea sounds great should really make him feel secure and you should see him quite a bit more when he feels secure also should be a lot less aggressive.

 

[Bobishu]

Great, glad that sounds good to you as well, it kinda sounded like it might work but, I might have to anchor them.

 

[josh7]

It should still be fine plus if you get java fern or Anachris you can tie them to this and they will grow all over it which would look awesome.

 

[Bobishu]

Very good idea. I'll give it a shot, and ill post picks when its all done. Would you like me to keep you updated on it?

 

[josh7]

Yah that would be great good luck with it all.

 

[Bobishu]

Alright, will do.