My First Big Tank.

[gina1985]

I have never had a 55 gallon fish tank before.... I have however had various other sizes. Needing suggestions.... I already have about 20 fish in the tank ranging from tetras, guppies, Grammies?, 2 angel fish.

 

[gina1985]

Not sure where to go from here do I get bubblers ect ... good tank mates?

 

[threnjen]

What are you looking for suggestions about specifically? Fish to add?

For that you'll need to provide a full list of the fish in there.

I am guessing thought that if you have 2 angels already, you are probably full... probably overstocked

But let's see the list

 

[gina1985]

I have 2 mollies, 4 guppies, 4 gouramis, 2 angels, 1 shark (not sure what kind black red fins), 6 tetras

 

[threnjen]

Suggestion: If you want to keep more than 1 Molly, minimum recommend male to female ratio is 1:2 (M:F). You will be less likely to experience problem if you get even more females.
Suggestion: If you want to keep more than 1 Guppy, minimum recommend male to female ratio is 1:2 (M:F). You will be less likely to experience problem if you get even more females.
Warning: Rainbow Shark is too aggressive to co-exist with Neon Tetra.
Note: Rainbow Shark may jump - lids are recommended.
Warning: Neon Tetra may become food for Rainbow Shark.
Warning: Neon Tetra may become food for Angelfish

Recommended temperature range: 24 - 26 C. [SIZE=-1][Display in Farenheit][/SIZE]
Recommended pH range: 7 - 7.5.
Recommended hardness range: 11 - 15 dH
Recommended water change schedule: 30% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 100%.[SIZE=-1] [Generate Image][/SIZE]



I put your stuff into AqAdvisor (had to guess about tetra, gourami and shark types). The site seems to think you are fairly stocked as is. What kind of filtration?
I'd think maybe some bottom fish (kuhli loaches, coryadoras) IF you are VERY good at keeping on top of your water quality, but I would imagine that any other mid or top-level fish would be just plain too crowded for the space once they are all full grown.

 

[josh7]

What type of gouramis are they and In my experience do not keep gouramis and angel fish together.

 

[mistersprinkles]

What type of gouramis are they and In my experience do not keep gouramis and angel fish together.

That's not true at all. Three spot gouramis can harass angels but honeys, pearls, dwarfs, can all go with angels no problem.

 

[josh7]

I Said in my experience and I have had honeys, three spots, and dwarf gouramis with angels and it never worked out.

 

[gina1985]

My gouramis are orange with a blue top fin no sure what type they are my memory is not that good......

However I do believe that I have decided that if I am going to add a few more fish to the tank it will be just guppies and mollies..... I still have no idea how to tell them apart as far as male and female go... I goggled it with no look still don't get it.

 

[mistersprinkles]

My gouramis are orange with a blue top fin no sure what type they are my memory is not that good......

Those are "flame" aka "red" dwarf gouramis. They are all male. I would strongly suggest that you take 3 of the 4 out and return them to the store, leaving you with just 1. Keeping 4 males together will lead to eventual aggression. In the petshop they are fine together because they are too crowded to form territories. At home, it's another story. I strongly would urge you to take 3 of them out of the tank.

As far as telling any livebearer (guppy/molly/platy/swordtail/mosquitofish/etc)
male or female

Look at the anal fin (the fin on the bottom of the fish, just behind the belly)
See how it looks like a normal fin? This is a female

This is a male. Notice how different that fin looks? It doesn't even look like a fin. (It's orange on this fish).

 

[Rivercats]

I have 2 mollies, 4 guppies, 4 gouramis, 2 angels, 1 shark (not sure what kind black red fins), 6 tetras

I have 2- 55g tanks so I am familiar with the size and honestly with your stock you shouldn't add any more mollies or guppies. The angels will get quite large within the first 2 years and the shark will also size up. Mollies can get up to 5+ inches and have a heavy bioload. So considering the adult/mature size of these 5 fish alsong with the other smaller fish you really shouldn't add any more, especially mollies. As suggested you could add 6 cory cats or kuhli loaches. I also suggest returning 3 of the dwarf gourami's.

 

[gina1985]

Well I am not sure what is going to happen to the gourami's but they all hang out together for the most part right now.....
I am also not sure now that I even want anymore guppies because all the really do is hang out at the top of my tank... kind of boring really... could this be because I think they are all male......

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Well I am not sure what is going to happen to the gourami's but they all hang out together for the most part right now..... I am also not sure now that I even want anymore guppies because all the really do is hang out at the top of my tank... kind of boring really... could this be because I think they are all male......

No where they school has not take on gender. And ime, the more guppies you have the more lively they are, like most schooling fish (if not all). and just remember the juvenile gouramis may be friendly now, but will turn later. I had one in my tank with an angelfish and it was nice but ten one day it harassed the angelfish and killed all of the tetras. That's not common at all, but I'm just saying how weird they can be. So if I were you I would get rid of all but one gourami.