Stocking moms 55 gallon.

[HPballer76]

came in town for thanksgiving and im here for a couple more days. while im here mom wants me to help stock her 55 gallon. looking for stocking ideas. its fully cycled and has actually been up and running for a couple years with just one 12" common pleco and 8 long fin red minor tetra. what else would go along with those and be pretty easy to maintain?



tank setup-

55 gallon tank

aquaclear 70 hob filter

fluval m200 heater

20 inch bubble wall

smooth rock substrate

fake plastic plants





stocking-

1 - 12" common pleco

8 - long fin red minor tetra

what should we add??

 

[QuietPlotter]

Dwarf Cichlids (Rams), Gouramis, Tetras (any, really, depending on PH) loaches, platys, mollies, guppies, endlers, a betta fish, cories, otos.... Those are all that come to mind, undoubtedly the most basic list of fish.


I would add 2 rams, probably 12 tetras (6 of two different kinds).... That's about 22 fish right now. You could do 3 cory cats, and also add maybe 5 platys OR do 3 platys and a gourami. Dunno bout the rams and the gourami, may be some aggression.


Have plenty of hiding spaces.


Admittedly, 30 fish in a 55g considering the Pleco may be a little overstocked. Not too much, IMO.


All of this would be a great variety of color and bring lots of life to your mom's tank...

I hope the more hardened aquarists here can correct any of my mistakes if I made any during the stocking suggestions....



People generally take my advice, but I'm just a kid



QP

 

[HPballer76]

thanks for the advice quietplotter!

what does everyone think about adding 2-5 gouramis (not sure how these do in numbers?), 12 tetras ( 2 different kinds. let me mom pick whatever she likes.), and 3 cory cats.

so final stocking would be

8- red minor tetra

1- 12inch pleco

2-5 gouramis

6- tetra. whatever mom likes.

6 more tetra of a different kind. also whatever mom likes.

also what about switching out the gouramis for boesemani rainbows?

i would rather be understocked than overstocked cause i want mom to enjoy the tank instead of it being a hassle to take care of. and i don't want to stress out the pleco. she loves him and has had him for years.

 

[siva]

Cory cats are schoalers, so add atleast 6.

The pleco is waaaaay too big for the tank. It needs rehomed. A pleco that size should be in a 120 gal or larger tank.

What type of gouramis?

If you get rid of the pleco, since you don't have adequate filtration to stock the tank to capacity with a fish with such a massive bio-load in the tank, then I would say you could add the Boesemani's to your stock list. Get 6.

 

[HPballer76]

probably some sort of dwarf gouramis. whichever mom likes. i don't think getting rid of the pleco is an option. mom loves him and has had him for few years so im trying to make the stock list around him.

got it 6 cory cats.

what would you recommend for the main display fish? the gouramis or the rainbows? how many? i would love to have both but don't want to overload the tank. especially since i live across the country from my mom so i won't be able to pop in to check on things.

 

[HPballer76]

also what about some kind of shrimp to help keep the tank clean and give her something different to look at?

 

[siva]

I hope your mom is going to be very diligent about vacuuming up it's massive poops if she intends on keeping on it. Honestly I can't imagine keeping a pleco that large in a tank of this size...I would recommend she upgrade the filtration if she wishes to keep it. It could potentially still grow half a foot.

Mixing dwarf gouramis doesn't always work. There is often aggression between them. The Boesemanis would be a safer bet..but you have to wait until they mature to see their true beauty. I'd go for 6 of the rainbows.

 

[siva]

I would go with red cherry shrimp. They are the hardiest and reproduce a lot.

 

[HPballer76]

she does pretty well with the vacuuming like i said she has had him for a few years. i don't think he will get any bigger since he has been this size for over a year now. she just hasn't really had any other fish in the tank and has finally decided to re do things and add some fish. maybe i can talk her into adding a second ac70 or that could be a good christmas present .

if we were to go with one species of gourami would that work? probably will end up going with the rainbows but i would like to have other things in mind when we go to the store in case mom likes the gouramis better.

 

[HPballer76]

just saw the reply about the shrimp. that sounds good. how many should i start with? those would be ok with everyone else in the tank?

 

[siva]

One idea you could also do would be a school of rainbows and one gourami as a centerpeice fish. You could do any species of gourami. Check out paradise fish, they are gorgeous.

If you want to do a group of gouramis I think pearls would be your best bet. They seem to be the most peaceful.

Larger gouramis may pick at the shrimp, as might others in the tank, paticularly the rainbows once they get large, but because they will be reproducing, as long as there are adequate hiding places in the tank, the colony should be able to survive. Shrimp can be hit or miss in a community though. Sometimes you think it's going to work and it doesn't, or vice versa. If you'd like, you can start out with some of the cheaper ghost shrimp and see how it goes. If you are looking for the RCS, don't pay high shop prices like 2-3.99 per shrimp. They are often listed on ebay and aquabid for $1 each including shipping. I frequently see 25 for $25, which would be a greater starter pack.

 

[HPballer76]

hmm i think that is what i will do. i really like the idea of a having a school of rainbows and one gourami as a centerpiece fish. if was to do that i would be good with any gourami? how many rainbows would be best? would i still be good with the schools of tetra with the rainbows? already have 8 long fin red minors and was going to add 6 of another kind and then 6 more of another. should i cut that back or will they be fine with the rainbows?

so what im thinking as far as stocking right now.

8- long fin red minor tetra. already have these.

1- large pleco. already have him.

5- rainbows

1- gourami

6- tetra

6- more tetra of another kind or maybe some danios. (not sure if this will be to many?)

then some ghost shrimp to start out with to see if they will make it in the tank.

 

[HPballer76]

Anyone care to comment on the final stocking list? Also since the tank is already established and has been for a couple years can I add the new fish at once or how long should I wait in between adding fish?

Final list.

8- red fin tetra. Already in the tank.

1- 12 inch pleco. Already in.

New fish.

6 more tetra. Different kind.

5 boesemani rainbows.

1 gourami.

6 Cory cats.

Maybe some shrimp later on down the road.

 

[siva]

Yes, in a 55 gal any gourami works. Stock list looks good. I'd go with 6 rainbows since they are schoolers. Add one group of fish at a time, waiting atleast 2 weeks in between groups.

 

[HPballer76]

thanks for the help siva! went to the lfs today with her and came home with 6- black skirt tetra, a new rock decoration, and an aqueon siphon hose to make water changes easier. ill post some pics after dinner.

thinking i will have her add the cory cats in a couple weeks, then the rainbows and finally the gourami.

told her she could try some ghost shrimp and see how it goes. she loved that idea. when should she add them? how many?

 

[HPballer76]

here are some pics of moms tank.

this is what it looked like when i first got home.

yeah. no heater or anything except for the aquaclear 70. it had been running like this for a couple years with no problems but i talked to mom and didn't want to add more fish without one. a quick trip to the lfs solved that.

and as of today. added everything and a new rock decoration. plus the 6 new black skirt tetra.

 

[QuietPlotter]

Looks like a great tank! I know you are pressed by the length of the pleco (Excuse me, HOLY CRAP! I thought it was driftwood!) but a 2-3 more plastic plants or real, doesn't matter, would be appreciated and look better. The tank looks fantastic, but add a few more plants for a more realistic look, IMO. Great fish and great tank!

 

[HPballer76]

thanks! yeah i think she will probably add some more plants. didn't want to add to much at one time.

 

[siva]

LOL it's kind of hard to see that w/o going..woah..pleco waaay too big for tank... but otherwise it's looking great!

On the ghost shrimp, she can really add as many as she'd like. Their bio-loads are real small and they are really cheap. Usually you can find them around 3/$1. You could easily add 20 or 30 if you want to. Even more probably.

 

[LyndaB]

You should've just bought mom a new tank to house that enormous pleco..... he's amazing!