55 Gallon Community Tank

[AnimalCrazy]

Hi all-

I'm looking to start a new community tank in a 55 gallon. I have had many of the species I want before but I am a newbie at larger tanks. I currently have a list of what I want, but I am looking for advice on numbers of fish to get, as well as compatibility. Please feel free to give me all the advice I need. I will not be offended as I am in the position of veteran owner reprimanding newbies on many hamster and guinea pig forums.

Ok, here goes:

5 neon tetras
5 rummynose tetras
1 Mandarin Shrimp
1(or 2) German Blue Ram(s)
1 Cory Panda Catfish
1 Gold Mystery Snail
1 Albino Mystery Snail
5 Zebra Longfin Danios
5 Golden White Clouds
3 African Clawed Frogs
1 Assasin Snail
1 Ghost Shrimp
1 Japonica Amano Shrimp
1 Agazassi Cory Cat
15 or so Guppies

What do you think? Is this too many? Are they all compatible with each other?
Thanks for all advice!

 

[flchamp89]

1. Improper quanity of individual shoal/schools
2. Cw and tropical are mixed
3. Hard and soft gh/kh are mixed in your list.

Get tap ph, gh/kh and build your stock around that.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

1. Improper quanity of individual shoal/schools
2. Cw and tropical are mixed
3. Hard and soft gh/kh are mixed in your list.

Get tap ph, gh/kh and build your stock around that.

Sorry, could you give me an idea of which fish/invertebrates you are referring to?

I was unaware that any of these were CW fish.

Can you give an example of hard and soft gh/kh being mixed here?

Interms of the schools/shoals, which species are you referring to?


Thanks for your quick reply! I am just a little unsure of the abbreviations you are using. Would you mind using the whole words? Thank you!

 

[flchamp89]

Mountain minows are cw
Rest are tropical. Tetra mostly prefer lower kh/gh but guppies prefer harder water.

Most school/shoals are 5 or 6 and up. More the better. One cory isnt advised.

Not an assassin expert but I see no need for that with the other snails and it may kill them. Shrimp are not the most hardy ....starting with one.. May leave ya with 0. Ghosts are cheap.

Rams will probably wreck havoc on many of the smaller fish.

Imo just a poor list. Get tap params then build list.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

Mountain minows are cw
Rest are tropical. Tetra mostly prefer lower kh/gh but guppies prefer harder water.

Most school/shoals are 5 or 6 and up. More the better. One cory isnt advised.

Not an assassin expert but I see no need for that with the other snails and it may kill them. Shrimp are not the most hardy ....starting with one.. May leave ya with 0. Ghosts are cheap.

Rams will probably wreck havoc on many of the smaller fish.

Imo just a poor list.

Ok, thank you so much for that advice! I was also doubting the Ram...but now my suspicion that it wouldn't work has been confirmed! Same with the Cory. I read that I should get assassins to kill the baby mystery snails so I don't have too many. Is this not the case? And I will definitely plan to get more than one shrimp!

As I said, this was just a preliminary list that I figured I could throw at this forum full of experts to narrow it down. I assure you that the final list will not be "poor".

Thank you sooooo much for all your help.

Also, does this look like too many fish for a 55?

 

[flchamp89]

Ask Tmaier she snail queen. I wouldn't think you'd get over run with them. I only keep ponds, rams, and mts.

Many on the list will work...just need to change some numbers and tidy it up some.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

Ask Tmaier she snail queen. I wouldn't think you'd get over run with them. I only keep ponds, rams, and mts.

Many on the list will work...just need to change some numbers and tidy it up some.

Ok. thanks for all your help. How about this?

7 neon tetras
7 rummynose tetras
2 Mandarin Shrimp
3 Cory Panda Catfish
1 Gold Mystery Snail
1 Albino Mystery Snail
7 Zebra Longfin Danios (I read that these can live in warm enough water to be with tropical fish, is this true?)
3 African Clawed Frogs
1 Assasin Snail
5 Ghost Shrimp
3 Japonica Amano Shrimp
2 Agazassi Cory Cat
15 or so Guppies

I have always kept guppies and tetras together with no problems. I will look into this water issue.

I will definitely get in touch with Tmaier about the snails!

 

[flchamp89]

Im not a cory expert but they like shoals and some have different temp requirements. So research that and figure out which ones work together.

Guppies and those tetras will get along but you need your gh/kh ph tap numbers. Guppies like hard water those tetra like it softer.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

Im not a cory expert but they like shoals and some have different temp requirements. So research that and figure out which ones work together.

Guppies and those tetras will get along but you need your gh/kh ph tap numbers. Guppies like hard water those tetra like it softer.

Ok I will get on that. I don't think I have any other questions. Thank you so much for your help! You seem to really know your fish!

 

[flchamp89]

Ok I will get on that. I don't think I have any other questions. Thank you so much for your help! You seem to really know your fish!

Not my strong suite...im a plant guy mostly. Hopefully your getting them too lol. Good luck.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

Not my strong suite...im a plant guy mostly. Hopefully your getting them too lol. Good luck.

Yes hopefully...haha
I will look to you if I decide to plant my aquarium! Currently I'm thinking probably not, but it's a possibility!

 

[flchamp89]

Im guessing this tank isnt set up or cycled yet so...consider it. Research the benefits of plants in an aquarium. Many are easy and your fish will appreciate them. Will also help with parameters and create a more attractive scape.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

Im guessing this tank isnt set up or cycled yet so...consider it. Research the benefits of plants in an aquarium. Many are easy and your fish will appreciate them. Will also help with parameters and create a more attractive scape.

Yup you are correct...This is a project I will be starting in the summer. Just wanted to get an early start on planning what will go in it.

As a matter of fact, the 55g in question is currently full of my salt water-it was my mother's reef tank but it no longer has anything living in it. So I will not be putting any tropical fish in it yet lol.

I am definitely considering planting it, but I have a lot of research to do if I decide too.

 

[toolman]

Plants can be very beneficial in lowering nitrates and shrimp, snails, & fish all appreciate them.

Corys do better in groups of 6+, and imo you can never have too many.

If you do consider plants look into pool filter sand or black diamond blasting media for substrate plants and corys do well in both.

 

[AnimalCrazy]

Plants can be very beneficial in lowering nitrates and shrimp, snails, & fish all appreciate them.

Corys do better in groups of 6+, and imo you can never have too many.

If you do consider plants look into pool filter sand or black diamond blasting media for substrate plants and corys do well in both.

The tank currently has a sump and I will be using sand. Will that work for plants?

 

[flchamp89]

Absolutely....will work. Hide equipment. Massive media potential. Id even plant it.
Ive had many sump planted tanks.

 

[toolman]

Don't have any experience with sump, but have four planted tanks using pool filter sand...No ferts except micros and Flourish excel.

Can grow many low light/low tech plants this way and they're easy to care for.

 

[Toad]

No african clawed frogs, they'll eat anything they think they can fit in their mouth, and get as big as a man's hand.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[flchamp89]

Good catch Toad...missed that

 

[toolman]

Wasn't aware of that good to know.