Help me stock a 55??

[redruckus]

on the feeder fish note i would try to get him off live food because fish you add in the future may look like food so i would stick to worms, bloodworms, and flake food if he eats it ....for a flake food i would go with "wardly essentials premium goldfish flakes" they have a full balance with high protien and lots of natural colour enhancers i bought a large container it has lasted along time and they still eat it up fast but i do feed blood worm ocasionaly

 

[Morgie]

He generally eats just large catfish sinking pellets, but I've given him one just to see if he will eat it (he hasn't yet) and as a treat just to get his strength up after the move. He doesn't eat flake food very well, he is very much a bottom dweller but loves his catfish pellets and the occasional worm or two

 

[redruckus]

ok then i wouldnt take the little fish out you may have a permenent tank mate..i think every tank no mater what kind of tank it is should have one of those cheep 5cent goldfish just to say "ya hes been ther since the start when i got him he was tiny"... they can actualy get big 4-6" and look realy cool later on if you like the patern i honestly would only take it out if it dies or "dissapears mysteriously"

 

[Morgie]

I moved the little comet goldfish to the tank with the other goldfish I'm growing, he was nearly impossible to catch in a 55 :<
Especially since he hid behind my catfish most of the time. And my stab wound from yesterday is swollen and has a purple-ish rim around the edge of it and is generally gross but not infected and not terribly painful.
I've been re-thinking some stocking ideas. (My friend's dad offered me a young frontosa for free) But I really don't know. Frontosas get gigantic but apparently he breeds them in a tank about the same size as mine. I'm planning on going and looking at them later but I probably won't get one (I've heard they can become tank breakers) Opinions?
I'm still definitely getting the sun catfish, but the rest of my list is very flexible. And now that I know my 4-Line will be unlikely to eat smaller fish that has opened up a lot of options. Also- on a slightly related note- I just started my application for petsmart, wish me luck!

After my "driftwood" gets fully waterlogged (It's heavy to pick up now, but still floats) I'm going to start getting several more Aquatic plants and remove the ones that aren't really aquatic. That would probably be a good time to add other fish, although I'm planning on getting two of the largest sun catfish at the LFS next time I go (hopefully this week or next week)

 

[Morgie]

Also, here was my original stocking list.
1x - Four Line Pictus (the one I have now)
2x - Sun (eclipse) Catfish
1x - Small Pleco (rubberlip or bristlenose or something similar)
1x - Red Tailed Shark (will be moved to another tank if it becomes a fin nipper)
3x - Angelfish
1x - BGK
2-4x African Butterfly Fish

The ones in bold are the only ones I'm definitely getting. The rest I'm considering.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES:
Frontosa, Blood Parrot, Freshwater Bream, anything really that can fit in a 55 and won't get too large or quarrel with my catfish.
SUGGESTIONS? They would be very much appreciated.
Some questions I have..
Do angelfish need to be kept in schools? Or could I just have one in my tank?

My friend who owns the frontosas said they were the most peaceful fish he's ever kept and would be fine to be kept solo. He keeps them with a few BGKs. Opinions on this?

Could a BGK live happily in a tank with other large bottom feeders?

Can African Butterfly Fish be kept in the same tank together? I've read a few articles that says they're so aggressive they'll attack each other if the share they same waterspace.

 

[redruckus]

ya i figured that would have been the case with the little guy...angel fish should at least be in pairs if not 3 but discus work just as well as another angel fish...blood parots are good if you can find one not deformed or one you think the deform looks ok on..i personaly would not get a frotosa they are tank busters and are one of the fish that stunting effects the health. i would also only get the bream if it is very small like 3" because they can be agressive if wild caught... your BGK will not have any problems with other bottom feeders but blood worm feed is manditory for BGKs...your ABF will be fine in that big of a tank just provide them with some sort of floating plant to make a "boundery" its a certain spieces of them that gets agressive but most are ok with each other if they have the plants NONE OF THE FISH YOU HAVE WILL SERIOUSLY ATTACK ANOTHER FISH UNLESS STARVED.....some other fish i have looked at are silver dollars just get the smaller variety they dont get more the 4" usualy and are mainly herbavors and will eat blanched letus, spinach, or duck weed but will eat a protien based food as long as plants are avalabe they shouldnt be a problem...some of the larger barbs would be good as well averageing max size of about 5-6" and dont get agressive if they are in goups of 3 or more such as redline barbs, the tiger*/albino*/green barbs* if you buy them smaller, checkered/gold/odessa/black ruby barbs (*the same spicies different colour).. if you want some amazing snail contol get 2 clown loaches they eat them like a fat kid eats cake no pun intended...once again just some ideas look forward to pics.....Hope your hand gets better

 

[DreD]

no offence but i think blood parots are the single most retarded looking fish of all time shure youl get 1 in 500 that looks nice but the other 500 they are SO inbread ther mouths dont work right and have trouble even opening and closing them if they can even move them at all
Properly shaped blood parot mouth 1/500

the slightly deformed blood parot fish mouth 300/500

the rest of the blood parot fish on the market higly deformed mouth

I think we got lucky, ours are really nice! They're orange but more of a creamy orange, and they change colors from white to a purple hue but I agree the others from the store are really ugly! >.< the biggest one has an open mouth, but not deformed, the smaller one has a almost closed mouth.

 

[Morgie]

If I get one I will definitely make sure it's not deformed in anyway.
Poor fishies.
They are really cute though and the fact that they come in so many colors is fun!

 

[Morgie]

UPDATE: :> Got my Sun Cats a few days ago and they've been chillin' in a QT. I moved them into the 55 today..

PICTURES!

Getting ready to be transfered. I love the range of color on these guys.

The darker and larger one (Who I've named Ben, because I'm a loser and name my fish :b )
He likes to show off.

Leo and Ben for size comparison. Sorry for the glare, but I think you get the picture. Leo's a big old pim

 

[redruckus]

lookin good i thought you wer going to get striped raphaels but the sun cats look cool i just expected the raphs and not the suns but they look good to i would go with the butterflys next but get some floating plants like wysteria/indian fern some places have it rooted just take the wieght off and let them float you will get the effect in a week or 2 or amazon frog bit befor or the same day you get them so they wont be as stressed becuase the have a place to hide and they are super good for keeping you parameters low if you have an almost full surface of them