55 stocking advice

[Kellie]

Yay! I finally infected my man enough with MTS that we are getting a 55 gallon tank. Now i need stocking advice, lol.

Currently we have a 10 g with a betta and black neons.

An adf tank.

A 36g with harlequin and espei rasboras, black phantom tetras, panda cories, 2 rams, cardinal tetras, and a Siamese algae eater.

The 55 is going to be planted and scaped with rocks and caves (he wants to try his hand at the under water waterfall thing but it's a maybe). I have my heart set on a red tail black shark, he wants a gourami. Based on research a large school of tiger barbs should work here if it's a more aggressive gourami (thinking pearl?) But i don't know much about gourami other that what I've been reading. I like the idea of a.few smaller cichlids but not sure how that would work with those other fish. From what I'm reading a convict would be good. What else? Ideas, suggestions, opinions please!

 

[Majbarsalona]

). I have my heart set on a red tail black shark, he wants a gourami. Based on research a large school of tiger barbs should work here if it's a more aggressive gourami (thinking pearl?) But i don't know much about gourami other that what I've been reading. I like the idea of a.few smaller cichlids but not sure how that would work with those other fish. From what I'm reading a convict would be good. What else? Ideas, suggestions, opinions please!

I feel that you shouldn't add tiger barbs in this situation because of them being aggressive fin nippers. I have successfully kept a gourami with a red tailed shark with black skirt tetras, long fin zebra danios and scissor tail rasbora

 

[Wolfsblood]

Barbs will likely nip the Gouramis fins even with a large school of them.

 

[CharlieKlein]

Hello! I believe the shark and gourami will work, but Mabye no the barbs
How bout this?
1 RTBS
2 pearl gouramis
6 black skirt tetras
8 lemon tetras
2 German blue rams or 3 apistogrammas

The last I listed are SA dwarf cichlids, reaching around 3" and are perfect for a community! And the pearls are one of the only gouramis that do better in m/f pairs

 

[vao71]

Try a three spot gourami. They are the most aggressive type of gourami there is, they will usually keep to themselves but if provoked will fight back against the tiger barbs. But if you're keeping a school of tigers than there shouldn't be any aggression problems outside of the school

 

[Majbarsalona]

Hello! I believe the shark and gourami will work, but Mabye no the barbs
How bout this?
1 RTBS
2 pearl gouramis
6 black skirt tetras
8 lemon tetras
2 German blue rams or 3 apistogrammas

/QUOTE]


I personally wouldn't put the rams or any other bottom dwellers with a RTBS due to them being so territorial

 

[Majbarsalona]

I don't know why my last post did that^^

 

[CharlieKlein]

Yeah wasn't sure bout that , thanks for input

 

[Kellie]

I already have German rams (metallic blues) in my 36, they are my favorites but i wanted to do something different in this tank. I liked the idea of tiger barbs because they are so different then the other fish i have, i had them when i was younger and their antics in a school is really amusing and i had them with a red tail with no issue. are any of the other barbs of similar shape (black ruby maybe?) of better temperament for other tank mates? Bf said he's willing to scrape a gourami if we could get some different kinds of cichlids. i wanted to keep this tank as semi aggressive with no one centerpiece, a variety of singular fish (3-4 different "personalities" including the rtbs) with one dither school of tiger barb shaped/sized fish.

 

[Samzter]

I wouldn't put a RTBS in a 55g. They can get aggressive, need a school and get way too big to live in a 55g permanently .

 

[Kellie]

I wouldn't put a RTBS in a 55g. They can get aggressive, need a school and get way too big to live in a 55g permanently .

Red tail black shark are usually 6" full grown and hate their own kind.

 

[Wolfsblood]

I wouldn't put a RTBS in a 55g. They can get aggressive, need a school and get way too big to live in a 55g permanently .

A school of red tails? Perhaps you are thinking of a different fish?

 

[Samzter]

Red tail black shark are usually 6" full grown and hate their own kind.

Actually they don't hate their own kind, they prefer groups of 3+ they can be known to reach to reach sizes exceeding that.

 

[Kellie]

Actually they don't hate their own kind, they prefer groups of 3+ they can be known to reach to reach sizes exceeding that.

Epalzeorhynchos bicolor? Everything I've read and seen about them state they should be kept as single specimens and don't tolerate fish that are closely related or similar shaped and for this reason are near impossible to breed in home aquariums.
Back to my original post you guys think some apistos would be ok with the rtbs and barbs to dither? No longer even considering gourami.

 

[Kellie]

Did some more research and am now thinking:
1 rtbs
18 tiger barbs (6 of each color variation)
And 3 out of these 4:
1 convict
1 festivum
1 blue acara
1 jewel cichlid

Everything i find on the cichlids is so conflicting so looking to gather opinions before making a final choice.

Opinions? Please?

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Did some more research and am now thinking:
1 rtbs
18 tiger barbs (6 of each color variation)
And 3 out of these 4:
1 convict
1 festivum
1 blue acara
1 jewel cichlid

Everything i find on the cichlids is so conflicting so looking to gather opinions before making a final choice.

Opinions? Please?

I've read that tiger barbs are best kept in a species only tank. I could be wrong and they may work with your stock, but that's just what I've read. Hopefully someone else you has had them before can comment on their experience.

 

[Kellie]

I've read that tiger barbs are best kept in a species only tank. I could be wrong and they may work with your stock, but that's just what I've read. Hopefully someone else you has had them before can comment on their experience.

Thanks for the reply! I've had them before with the a red tail shark and cories (not at the same time) and black neons, my experience was fine as long as the school was large. I just really don't know about the cichlids I'm starting to think it will come down to individual personalities, but i want more validation before i try it.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Thanks for the reply! I've had them before with the a red tail shark and cories (not at the same time) and black neons, my experience was fine as long as the school was large. I just really don't know about the cichlids I'm starting to think it will come down to individual personalities, but i want more validation before i try it.

I'm curious to know what others say their experiences have been with them. I really like them, but this goes back to things I've read on articles... Is that tiger barbs and cories are a no no.

 

[Kellie]

I'm curious to know what others say their experiences have been with them. I really like them, but this goes back to things I've read on articles... Is that tiger barbs and cories are a no no.

Back when i did it was in the days of dial up internet wow i feel old saying that! And i got my info from books, i went by the get a big shoal and no long fins. It worked that time. The cories were peppers and emeralds and they lived together about six months until i got a second tank and re-homed the cories to get the black shark.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Back when i did it was in the days of dial up internet wow i feel old saying that! And i got my info from books, i went by the get a big shoal and no long fins. It worked that time. The cories were peppers and emeralds and they lived together about six months until i got a second tank and re-homed the cories to get the black shark.

Don't feel old, I'm 23 and I dealt with dial up Internet in high school because my mom was so stubborn and didn't get DSL for forever lol. I have bronze and peppered cories, I have Bolivian rams so that would probably exclude them for me.