Stock my 55g

[cheeky_monkey]

We're moving just after Christmas (thousands of kilometres away) and of course the tank will then need time to cycle so I have a few months to get my "wishlist" ready.

I have a 55g and my only requirements is that there's colour in the tank for my childrens amusement. I want to get them involved in the care/upkeep of the fish and having interesting fish will make that a lot easier


I'm starting completely from scratch and I'm a newbie so I will need help in choosing appropriate filtration, heating etc. as well. I need to purchase the hardware quite soon, or be able to order it online as I will be living in an extremely isolated town with no possible means of purchasing locally.

So, throw your suggestions at me!

 

[adeebm]

55 is a good size to start with There are lots of options for fish, try looking around the site or at other member's tank threads. you could do a couple schools of tetras, angelfish, livebearers, etc. For filtration, more is always better! Try pickup up a canister filter if you can afford it, or an HOB. I'd recommend an Aquaclear 70 or 110 if you want an HOB filter, or an eheim ecco/classic canister filter. Heating depends on how cold your house gets. 200W or so should be good for that tank in most cases, any brand works. Then all you need is a substrate(sand is nice ), hood/lights, and water make sure to pick up a bottle of dechlorinator like Prime.

--Adeeb

 

[Newfishlover]

I have a 55 and I have a school of tiger barbs and rosy barbs. They follow me when I walk by the tank!

 

[Edwards36]

Wanting color you could get some african cichlids, very bright!

 

[cheeky_monkey]

I do like the tiger barbs so they're definitely a possibility.

My son likes the glass catfish, does anyone know much about those?
Oh and he loved the striped raphael catfish but I'm pretty sure that will get too big for the tank?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I do like the tiger barbs so they're definitely a possibility.

My son likes the glass catfish, does anyone know much about those?
Oh and he loved the striped raphael catfish but I'm pretty sure that will get too big for the tank?

The catfish I know gets quite large but not sure how big. The glass cats need decent sized schools. If kept in too small schools they have been known to die of loneliness. They are also a bit sensitive.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Have you considered guppies? My daughter loves our few male guppies. We had females but ended up with too many babies lol.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

I had a few guppies as a kid but he didn't seem very amused by them at the stores today. We went window shopping. He pointed out a few so I figure I would do some research (read: AA reading) to see what they were like.

Those I can remember were the glass catfish, striped raphael catfish, marbled peacock, black ghost knife, bumble bee gobby, red tail shark. The cherry shrimp and axolotl also caught his eye of course. I think he's a little ambitious!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I had a few guppies as a kid but he didn't seem very amused by them at the stores today. We went window shopping. He pointed out a few so I figure I would do some research (read: AA reading) to see what they were like.

Those I can remember were the glass catfish, striped raphael catfish, marbled peacock, black ghost knife, bumble bee gobby, red tail shark. The cherry shrimp and axolotl also caught his eye of course. I think he's a little ambitious!

Don't know about the marbled peacock is that a gudgeon?
Black ghost knives get huge and are nocturnal. They are all wild caught and some can be hard to feed. They wouldn't be suitable for a 55.
Bumblebee gobies are brackish (well most are, there is a bit of debate over that).
Ah, red tail shark. I have one of these and he is mean! I have one in my so called peaceful community tank. He terrorizes my cories. 55g is the absolute minimum for them. IMO would make a great tank mate for tiger barbs.
Cherry shrimp (these could not the same ones found in America, they could be natives) would be good if there is nothing that was going to eat them.
And the axolotl prefers cooler water to tropicals. It's not recommended they are kept with any fish. They will eat the fish and the fish could pick at it's gills.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

My 55g is very colorful. I have a mix of rainbowfish and purple passion danios (which are actually silver with pink and orange). I have muted bottom feeders, but there are other options of more colorful fish. So, that could be another option. Rainbowfish come in many different colors and work well with each other.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

My 55g is very colorful. I have a mix of rainbowfish and purple passion danios (which are actually silver with pink and orange). I have muted bottom feeders, but there are other options of more colorful fish. So, that could be another option. Rainbowfish come in many different colors and work well with each other.

Yes! Rainbow fish and blue eyes! You could do a Aussie native only tank. I'd love one of them! Native shrimp too if the rainbows don't eat them all.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

There are a few beautiful rainbow fish so I will put them on the list of possibilities.

The marbled peacock was a cichlid I think? I'm not too sure I just wrote down a few names short hand while he was looking at them all.
Actually I don't think the shrimp he saw are even a possibility, they were in a tank with sea horses so that would make them SW right, or do they do both?

TheCrazyFishLady - do you have a tank shot somewhere I can show my boy?

 

[Sisserydoo]

There are some genetically modified zebra danios called glofish. They have their own website so you can look them up. The only drawback is they're quite expensive at $5 each. Fortunately they school with normal zebras, so you can get just a few glofish. For instance, I have a purple one, a pink one, and three normal ones. Some people don't like the idea of them, but I think they're cute as heck!

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Mumma.of.two I will reply to your PM again as soon as the forum let's me. I'm apparently only allowed to send 10 in 24 hours lol

 

[cheeky_monkey]

There are some genetically modified zebra danios called glofish. They have their own website so you can look them up. The only drawback is they're quite expensive at $5 each. Fortunately they school with normal zebras, so you can get just a few glofish. For instance, I have a purple one, a pink one, and three normal ones. Some people don't like the idea of them, but I think they're cute as heck!

Wow they sure are colourful. I think my son would go crazy for them, but I'm not so sure if I agree with them.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Wow they sure are colourful. I think my son would go crazy for them, but I'm not so sure if I agree with them.

It's not that they're bad, they're just simply genetically modified, or selectively bred I would think, like dogs.

Also, if you're looking at colorful fish, research some rainbowfish. Very colorful IMO

 

[cheeky_monkey]

I'm sure there's something going to be wrong on my list so let me have it!

1 x RTS
1 x BN Pleco
6 x Black Widow Tetra
6 x Tiger Barb
2 x Blue Ram
4 x Albino Cory

Who is the RTS going to pester? I'm sure there's someone on there.

ETA: I forgot the rainbow fish. Will they fit in here somewhere?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I'm sure there's something going to be wrong on my list so let me have it!

1 x RTS
1 x BN Pleco
6 x Black Widow Tetra
6 x Tiger Barb
2 x Blue Ram
4 x Albino Cory

Who is the RTS going to pester? I'm sure there's someone on there.

ETA: I forgot the rainbow fish. Will they fit in here somewhere?

Looking good IMO except the rams and the RTS could pick on the cories. FYI I had 7peppered cories and my RTS killed two of them. If you didn't get the barbs then you could get a school of rainbows.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Do cory hide if I give them enough hidey holes?
Are 4 cory enough or do I need more?

My son chose the tiger barbs but I will show him some rainbows and see if he will switch them. Can we mix colours or do they need to be the same? Probably a stupid question.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Do cory hide if I give them enough hidey holes?
Are 4 cory enough or do I need more?

My son chose the tiger barbs but I will show him some rainbows and see if he will switch them. Can we mix colours or do they need to be the same? Probably a stupid question.

Cories do appreciate caves to hide in but if your getting the RTS I wouldnt get them. The RTS will be too stressing for them. If I did my tank again I wouldn't get the RTS.
All the different colors of of rainbow fish are actually different types of fish. So they need a school of 6 or more of there own kind (like tetras). The barbs will make good tank mates for the RTS they can both stand up for themselves.