Help me make up my mind?

[MacDracor]

So I have a 55 Reef and a 55 fresh.
The freshwater tank has:
4 bala sharks (rapdily outgrowing the tank. 4-6 inches each)
1 opaline gourami, male
1 gold gourami, female
2 tiger barbs (one green, one albino)
Lightly planted tank.

I am in the process of finding a more suitable home for the balas, but I can't help but feel like I need to do something totally different with the tank. I've kept livebearers, tetras, gouramis, crustaceans, and the balas. I need a new project for once it is empty. I have a few ideas, but I am having a really hard time choosing. So I would like input from all the other fish nuts!

Idea 1: Tropical Paludarium. 8 inches of water, cork bark background and ledges. One or two medium sized fish (3-5") and a small school of small tetras, frogs and/or salamanders or land portion. Possibly fiddler crabs. Lots of colorful tropical plants. I worry about the cost and the maintenance, though.

Idea 2: Local Biotope Paludarium! Every living thing locally collected, but same general layout as above. Would fudge the rule slightly and use Gambusia affinis as filler fish, with some native cyprinid as focal fish. All native plants and mosses. I have no idea how the plants that are used to western washington weather and seasons would adapt to a constant temp/humidity/light cycle. Would I need to simulate seasons and have an ugly tank several months of the year?

Idea 3: Cichlid tank. Never kept cichlids. I really would be starting from research on this, as I have done very little on them.

Idea 4: Just redo the tropical FW with new livestock, aquascaping, and plants. Angels as focal fish, and fill it with color and variety. Probably the easiest option, and I could start it tomorrow.

Thoughts? Is there a poll function on here? LOL

 

[Scouser]

Cichlid tank for sure!

With the vast amount of knowledge needed it can be extremely rewarding to pull one off

 

[Cynic]

So I have a 55 Reef and a 55 fresh.
The freshwater tank has:
4 bala sharks (rapdily outgrowing the tank. 4-6 inches each)
1 opaline gourami, male
1 gold gourami, female
2 tiger barbs (one green, one albino)
Lightly planted tank.

I am in the process of finding a more suitable home for the balas, but I can't help but feel like I need to do something totally different with the tank. I've kept livebearers, tetras, gouramis, crustaceans, and the balas. I need a new project for once it is empty. I have a few ideas, but I am having a really hard time choosing. So I would like input from all the other fish nuts!

Idea 1: Tropical Paludarium. 8 inches of water, cork bark background and ledges. One or two medium sized fish (3-5") and a small school of small tetras, frogs and/or salamanders or land portion. Possibly fiddler crabs. Lots of colorful tropical plants. I worry about the cost and the maintenance, though.

Idea 2: Local Biotope Paludarium! Every living thing locally collected, but same general layout as above. Would fudge the rule slightly and use Gambusia affinis as filler fish, with some native cyprinid as focal fish. All native plants and mosses. I have no idea how the plants that are used to western washington weather and seasons would adapt to a constant temp/humidity/light cycle. Would I need to simulate seasons and have an ugly tank several months of the year?

Idea 3: Cichlid tank. Never kept cichlids. I really would be starting from research on this, as I have done very little on them.

Idea 4: Just redo the tropical FW with new livestock, aquascaping, and plants. Angels as focal fish, and fill it with color and variety. Probably the easiest option, and I could start it tomorrow.

Thoughts? Is there a poll function on here? LOL

Clown Loaches Sure they'll get too big but after 5-6 years with them you'll want to get a bigger tank

 

[MacDracor]

Not really a huge loach fan. I mean, they're cute and all, but they don't give me to Oooh factor. Plus I'm looking for things that won't outgrow this tank. I have a reef tank that is already going to expand proportionate to the contracting of my wallet. LOL
I've been giving a little thought to maybe compromising, and combining Paludarium with 3 or 4. I could have 10 inches of water with 8 inches of land/plant space, and then keep a few dwarf cichlids or something.
Would 10 inches deep with a 55 gallon's footprint be acceptable for Angelfish? I know they get as tall as they do long, but do they really require a lot of depth?

 

[VTFish]

I am starting a Lake Malawi Biotope in a 55 gallon tank. Here is the thread.
55 gallon Lake Malawi Biotope construction. It is my first time i have never kept cichlids before either but i am going to try. It might give you some ideas.
Eli

 

[Keao_m]

Cichlids for sure!! They have tons of personality and a lot of different colors.

 

[awilson133]

I'm starting a 75 and I'd like to do ciclids too. But I'm afraid too..lol try something new!!

 

[Freakgecko91]

Not really a huge loach fan. I mean, they're cute and all, but they don't give me to Oooh factor. Plus I'm looking for things that won't outgrow this tank. I have a reef tank that is already going to expand proportionate to the contracting of my wallet. LOL
I've been giving a little thought to maybe compromising, and combining Paludarium with 3 or 4. I could have 10 inches of water with 8 inches of land/plant space, and then keep a few dwarf cichlids or something.
Would 10 inches deep with a 55 gallon's footprint be acceptable for Angelfish? I know they get as tall as they do long, but do they really require a lot of depth?

I do like the idea of a paludarium, but I'd have to say no to an angel fish, but maybe a couple Bolivian rams or apistogramma. You would probably want to stay away from most true frogs (like green, bullfrog, wood, pickerel, etc).but fire belly newts would work. Tiger salamanders would up root everything and eat all your fish.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

What are you going to do with your current fish?

 

[bettaowner]

Cichlids.

 

[MacDracor]

Current fish I would be willing to sell to anyone local, but otherwise I'll try to get store credit at the LFS.