55G Stock

[QueenKiara]

I just recently acquired a 55 gallon tank. I'm SO excited to begin on this new project. My ideas for stocking it right now is:

4 Mollies - 1 Silver Lyretail, 1 Cremesicle Lyretail, 1 Black, 1 Dalmation. All female.
4 Bolivian Rams - I don't plan on breeding these, and don't necessarily want them to breed either. I've heard I should get 2M 2F anyway, though. Is this correct? Would it be possible to just get all of one sex, and them all get along?
20 Neon Tetras - Getting these as the schooling fish. Changed my mind from Cardinals, because getting such a large school of those would be $5 a piece instead of $1.
15 Black Kuhli Loaches - I'm dead set on getting these. These are why I wanted a bigger tank to begin with. I just think they're so cute! I already bought smooth rocks for the substrate so that it doesn't hurt them.

Does this seem like a good stock? Is it too much? Could I add more? What are your comments on this? I've been anticipating this tank for about a month now, and I want to do it perfect. Any comments are welcome!

 

[Darkseid76]

I would hold off on the rams. They need established set ups to thrive. Once set up I would just stick to the mollies until you've got everything running smoothly. Meaning survived unforeseen water parameter spikes, initial diseases, and mistakes from lack of general knowledge. Mollies can be pretty hardy but are also inexpensive and can help you through your first few months.

Also make sure to do plenty if research into fish comparability. Different species require different water parameters.

Invest in a decent testing kit. API Freshwater Master Kit is the most commonly used. Has all the basics. Read up on cycling and ask a ton of questions.

Also important and most often neglected is invest in a quarantine tank. It could a simple bare bottom 5.5 g. This small step can and will save you a TON of headache/heartache in the future.

Neons are a great idea but are delicate. Again try to hold off until your tank is firmly established. Trust me I've learned the hard way lol

Rushing will just cost you money.

Hope my feedback is useful!

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I would only do 2 Bolivians 1m and 1f and skip on the mollies and get 2 or 3 angels and I think it would be a great stock as long as you keep up on your water changes. Is it going to be planted?

 

[QueenKiara]

I would hold off on the rams. They need established set ups to thrive. Once set up I would just stick to the mollies until you've got everything running smoothly. Meaning survived unforeseen water parameter spikes, initial diseases, and mistakes from lack of general knowledge. Mollies can be pretty hardy but are also inexpensive and can help you through your first few months.

Also make sure to do plenty if research into fish comparability. Different species require different water parameters.

Invest in a decent testing kit. API Freshwater Master Kit is the most commonly used. Has all the basics. Read up on cycling and ask a ton of questions.

Also important and most often neglected is invest in a quarantine tank. It could a simple bare bottom 5.5 g. This small step can and will save you a TON of headache/heartache in the future.

Neons are a great idea but are delicate. Again try to hold off until your tank is firmly established. Trust me I've learned the hard way lol

Rushing will just cost you money.

Hope my feedback is useful!

Thanks! Yeah, I was definitely planning on adding in the mollies first, then waiting for everything to establish itself. I already have an API Master Test Kit for my 20G and my 5.5G. I'm planning on doing a fishless cycle, but I have no idea if I'll be able to buy pure ammonia anywhere near here. I'm not considering a fish-in, because I had to do that with my 20G, and it was way too hectic. Daily water changes and all of that for at least a month. Is there a good, reliable way to fishless cycle without ammonia? I've heard about using just a store-bought shrimp and put it in there inside nylon, and it will cycle all by itself. Is this a good way? How many of the mollies would I be able to put in there initially, after the shrimp? Could I add multiple shrimp in order to put all four mollies in, if one shrimp isn't enough? Thanks in advance!

 

[QueenKiara]

I would only do 2 Bolivians 1m and 1f and skip on the mollies and get 2 or 3 angels and I think it would be a great stock as long as you keep up on your water changes. Is it going to be planted?

I'll lower it to 2 Bolivians then. I was thinking about angels, but I absolutely love the mollies. Would it be possible to do some of both? Maybe 2 mollies and 1 angel? Do angels need to be kept in groups? I do weekly water changes on all of my tanks. I believe I'm going to plant it, but the hood it came with needs its bulbs replaced, and I don't know what kind of bulbs I should get. Any advice there? I'd probably only want low-med or just low light plants.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Yeah angels can live by themselves and mollies are a great fish. For a planted tank I would recommend a dual t-5 fixture which you can get for 65-70$ on amazon and will grow almost any plant with the correct fertilization. What will your substrate be?

 

[QueenKiara]

This is my substrate. I would have gone with sand, but it's not an option anymore, and since I plan to have Kuhlis I knew I needed a smooth substrate so it wouldn't scratch them. I have no idea how to keep plants, I only have a green Cryptocoryne in my 20G that's at least 3 times the size as when I got it. It's been growing fine just from the LEDs that came with the tank, no fertilization. But it seems whatever else I put in there dies. I know nothing about fertilizing, what are good brands?
Also, so, if I took away two mollies, 2 rams, and added an angelfish, that would still be fine stocking-wise?

 

[QueenKiara]

Also, these are the dimensions of my tank and the stocking plan so far, on aqadvisor.
http://aqadvisor.com/AquStockImage....200909300144:,2:200909300031:,1:200909300009:

 

[Rivercats]

The crypt is doing well as it is a very low light tolerant plant. What type bulbs does the hood hold? If they need replacing look for something in the 6000K to 6700K range. The are probably standard Fluorescent bulbs which you can go to somewhere like Lowes or Home Depot and pick them up. These will be okay if you strictly stick with low light tolerant plants such as Crypts (which you can get some different ones at Pet Smart in tubes), Anubia's, Java Ferns (regular and Wendilov), and Bolbitus. That is about all that those bulbs will support. If you want a larger variety of plants you will have to replace the light fixture with something like a 2 bulb T5HO fixture. But you have large gravel which isn't the best for planting stem plants (well many of them but not all) so honestly for now I'd replace the bulbs, get some nice driftwood and tie the Anubia's, Java Fern's, or Bolbitus on and plant some Crypts in the substrate. I would however suggest getting some root tabs to place by the Crypts as they are very heavy root feeders.

 

[Rivercats]

Forgot to tell you I do not suggest 4 rams in a 55g. I know many people stock that many and more in smaller tanks but honestly your tank will be much more peaceful only have a pair of rams. When younger rams are aggressive but not anything like when they get older, especially males. I only keep 2 pairs of rams in my 100% planted 220g tank. It is also less stressful when a pair doesn't have to constantly defend it's territory from another pair. Again I'm not saying it can't work but it's something I personally don't suggest.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

You could keep all of your mollies and add an angel fish without a problem. Seachem has a great line of fertilizers. You would need root tabs for crypts,swords,wisteria etc... As they are heavy root feeders and a co2 booster like seachem flourish excel and an all around liquid fertilizer like seachem flourish for basic nutrients with this fertilizer regime and the lights that I recommended you could grow almost anything you want in your tank.

 

[QueenKiara]

The crypt is doing well as it is a very low light tolerant plant. What type bulbs does the hood hold? If they need replacing look for something in the 6000K to 6700K range. The are probably standard Fluorescent bulbs which you can go to somewhere like Lowes or Home Depot and pick them up. These will be okay if you strictly stick with low light tolerant plants such as Crypts (which you can get some different ones at Pet Smart in tubes), Anubia's, Java Ferns (regular and Wendilov), and Bolbitus. That is about all that those bulbs will support. If you want a larger variety of plants you will have to replace the light fixture with something like a 2 bulb T5HO fixture. But you have large gravel which isn't the best for planting stem plants (well many of them but not all) so honestly for now I'd replace the bulbs, get some nice driftwood and tie the Anubia's, Java Fern's, or Bolbitus on and plant some Crypts in the substrate. I would however suggest getting some root tabs to place by the Crypts as they are very heavy root feeders.

Forgot to tell you I do not suggest 4 rams in a 55g. I know many people stock that many and more in smaller tanks but honestly your tank will be much more peaceful only have a pair of rams. When younger rams are aggressive but not anything like when they get older, especially males. I only keep 2 pairs of rams in my 100% planted 220g tank. It is also less stressful when a pair doesn't have to constantly defend it's territory from another pair. Again I'm not saying it can't work but it's something I personally don't suggest.

Okay, I think I'll go to one of those stores and look for something like that. Thank you! I figured the plants would be hard in that big of gravel, but it was the only smooth rock they had. I think it looks gorgeous now that it's in the tank, too. I'll just stick with those plants. I've never used root tabs before, do they just go under the plant?
Also, thanks for telling me. I saw so many different opinions on it, I wasn't sure. I think I'd rather have one pair anyway, since they'd have to defend their territory. I'll definitely only get one pair of rams.
I've never had driftwood in my tanks. Is there anything special you have to do with it? Can it just be any piece from the shore, and do pet stores sell driftwood?

You could keep all of your mollies and add an angel fish without a problem. Seachem has a great line of fertilizers. You would need root tabs for crypts,swords,wisteria etc... As they are heavy root feeders and a co2 booster like seachem flourish excel and an all around liquid fertilizer like seachem flourish for basic nutrients with this fertilizer regime and the lights that I recommended you could grow almost anything you want in your tank.

Great! I was wondering which 2 to decide, so that eliminates that problem. I'll look into the root tabs and I'll buy those two fertilizers. I don't think I'll be able to buy those lights though, because I'm on a pretty tight budget. I only have about $100-200 for the rest of this tank, so that'd get rid of about half. I don't think it's an option. I only have low light plants in my other tanks, and I love them. So I think it'll work out fine.

 

[Rivercats]

Fish stores often have some types of driftwood. If it's in the fish section then it's safe to use. Many people boil their driftwood to remove tannins that yellow the water but it's not necessary. If you happen to find a piece of DW screwed onto a piece of slate of flat rock they don't leach tannins and don't need boiling.

All the plants I listed except for the Bolbitus I've recently seen at Pet Smart in either boxes or round cylinders. I've saw 3 different types of crypts the other day there, crypt wendtii, crypt balanese, and crypt something that started with a U. The balanese grows tall so can be used for a background plant.

You just push root tabs in the substrate right next to crypts or at least that's what I've always done. Be sure to add new root tabs every 3 months or so or whatever the directions say.

 

[QueenKiara]

Fish stores often have some types of driftwood. If it's in the fish section then it's safe to use. Many people boil their driftwood to remove tannins that yellow the water but it's not necessary. If you happen to find a piece of DW screwed onto a piece of slate of flat rock they don't leach tannins and don't need boiling.

All the plants I listed except for the Bolbitus I've recently seen at Pet Smart in either boxes or round cylinders. I've saw 3 different types of crypts the other day there, crypt wendtii, crypt balanese, and crypt something that started with a U. The balanese grows tall so can be used for a background plant.

You just push root tabs in the substrate right next to crypts or at least that's what I've always done. Be sure to add new root tabs every 3 months or so or whatever the directions say.

Awesome. I'll try to find some driftwood when I go to the fish store next. If it does yellow the water, will it go away on it's own, and does it harm the fish?
I've seen those as well, that's where I got my crypt. I'll have to look for Crypt Balanese, because I'm not sure what other tall plants I could have, and I'd like some for the background. Are there any other suggestions for tall plants?

 

[Dallascowboys16]

In my experience wisteria has been very low light tolerant and should grow good for you as a background plant. The tannins should go away by themeselves after a while, just boil it for a while and that should help.

 

[QueenKiara]

Thanks! I'll look into Wisteria. How long should I boil it, and how should I do it? Should I replace the water every once in a while, or just add water as it evaporates?

Also, if I were to use a dead shrimp to cycle, how many mollies could I add safely after it was done? Could I use multiple shrimp to be able to add more shrimp, or would it create too much ammonia and cause it to stall?

 

[Rivercats]

Tannins are actually beneficial. They have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Many people just don't like the water colored. I actually have a 55g that I add several Indian Almond leaves to in order to put tannins in the water. If you don't like the tannins you can always add carbon or purgen to your filter to remove them. Different types of DW release different amounts of tannins so it's impossible to say how long the wood will leach. Some people boil their DW for a couple hours let it soak a day or two and continue to do this until the water finally stays clear. It's just up to you what you want to do.

Usually Jungle Val will tolerate low light but IMO the Crypt Balanese looks much nicer.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

For your first fish 3-4 mollies would be good then your angelfish then the neons then the loaches and then the rams as your last addition as they need an established tank.

 

[Rivercats]

Small fish, except for the ram, should always be added before angelfish since angelfish even while small get very territorial with the "this tank is mine" syndrome. I would also suggest going with cardinals over neons as many times angels will hunt and eat neons. This is less apt to happen if the angels are small and are raised around small fish .

 

[QueenKiara]

Tannins are actually beneficial. They have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Many people just don't like the water colored. I actually have a 55g that I add several Indian Almond leaves to in order to put tannins in the water. If you don't like the tannins you can always add carbon or purgen to your filter to remove them. Different types of DW release different amounts of tannins so it's impossible to say how long the wood will leach. Some people boil their DW for a couple hours let it soak a day or two and continue to do this until the water finally stays clear. It's just up to you what you want to do.

Usually Jungle Val will tolerate low light but IMO the Crypt Balanese looks much nicer.

Small fish, except for the ram, should always be added before angelfish since angelfish even while small get very territorial with the "this tank is mine" syndrome. I would also suggest going with cardinals over neons as many times angels will hunt and eat neons. This is less apt to happen if the angels are small and are raised around small fish .

I'll probably just leave the tannins, since they're good for the tank. Yeah, I've heard a lot that angels should be added last especially when with smaller fish. I was going to go with Cardinals, but they're $5 at my lfs versus $1 for Neon Tetras. Do you think it'd be okay if they grew up with the neons? I know it depends on the personality of the angel, but I'm hoping it'll be fine. I can't afford $100 worth of Cardinals.