I need bigger... better fish. Any ideas?

[Mistablik]

My 55 gallon aquarium seems a bit over kill for the size of fish i have in it. Well all but one...

I have 3 Green Tiger barbs, 1 Albino Danio and a Rainbow Shark that all grow no more than a couple inches. And then a Tire Track Eel that grows over 2 feet. My other fish seem way too small for my size of tank. Does anybody else have any ideas for fish for a 55 gallon aquarium? Or perhaps own an Eel and know the perfect "match" fish for the big guy?

 

[siva]

This tank is really no where near large enough for a tire track eel. I would highly recommend you trade that in for a peacock eel, which will work in a 55. As long as that eel is in there I definitely wouldn't add anything else.

Rainbow sharks might be larger than you realize, it should grow to be atleast 5". I would fill out your schools by adding more barbs and more danios, unless you are trying to phase those out all together.

 

[Mistablik]

This tank is really no where near large enough for a tire track eel. I would highly recommend you trade that in for a peacock eel, which will work in a 55. As long as that eel is in there I definitely wouldn't add anything else.

Rainbow sharks might be larger than you realize, it should grow to be atleast 5". I would fill out your schools by adding more barbs and more danios, unless you are trying to phase those out all together.

More of the barbs would actually look pretty good in my tank. I'm not sure what to do about the eel. At what point does a fish become "to large for an aquarium"?

 

[josh7]

How long is he now? I would recommend honestly over a 125 gallon for a tire track eel I would rehome it immediately. I would add more barbs up the school to 7 if you want a larger colorful fish look into a single blue Acara Cichlid it will reach about 6-8 inches and would be a perfect addition. As long as you got the danio out to the Acara would eat it.

 

[Mistablik]

How long is he now? I would recommend honestly over a 125 gallon for a tire track eel I would rehome it immediately. I would add more barbs up the school to 7 if you want a larger colorful fish look into a single blue Acara Cichlid it will reach about 6-8 inches and would be a perfect addition. As long as you got the danio out to the Acara would eat it.

Neel the eel is about 7/8 inches long right now. I'm feeding him about one baiting worm every day.

You don't think the cichlid will eat the danio but not the barbs? My danio is quite a bit bigger than my green barbs.

I really like this eel. Could I get rid of him when he gets larger. I mean I'm sure he's okay being 8 inches. What are downsides of keeping the eel until I feel he is a little less than "too big"

I'm not sure what makes a fish too big for an aquarium still? Is it oxygen levels? (I have a sump if surface area is a problem) Or is it just size vs room itself?

 

[Mistablik]

Also there are 2 types of tire track eels. Favus and Armatus.

The Favus (what I have) grows no more than 19 inches in captivity.

The Armatus is quite a bit larger.

 

[josh7]

Still though a 19 inch fish in a 55 gallon is ridiculous. I wouldn't keep him much longer you could keep him until he reaches 12 inches at that point he needs to go.

 

[Mistablik]

Here is the difference between fish and eels. Fish are pretty straight forward. Literally. The don't twist and turn like an eel does. I've heard eels are concerned with the environment and not so much size of the tank.

 

[josh7]

Still though a 19 inch fish in a 12 inch wide tank is kind of insane to me Idc how bendy it is. Plus a tank should be 4 times as long as the fish.

 

[Mebbid]

I'm agreeing with Josh on this one. It's better to rehome now rather than later.

 

[RookieFishOwner]

Mebbid is right, it also takes time to find someone who will actually take the eel

 

[thewood]

Hey what's up if you want something cool get a lungfish they look like a eel but they breath air all around one of the coolest fish I ever had

 

[RookieFishOwner]

How big do they get

 

[thewood]

Mine was about 18" they don't really swim they hang on the bottom then they swim up to get air they have African and South American the South American is what I had and I think they are cooler

 

[RookieFishOwner]

Yeah I looked up some pics they look pretty cool, what tank size should I have it in

 

[thewood]

I had mine in a 56 and a 75 it was plenty of room but the South American is harder to find you will have to special order one. I use to hold mine he was my favorite fish ever

 

[RookieFishOwner]

What online store did you get him from?

 

[mikem691]

Taken from another site: Lepidosiren paradoxa - South American Lungfish
Freshwater
Subtropical
Temp.76-82F
pH: 4.5-7.5
dH: 0-12
Size:4'
Description:The young look like tadpoles with four external gills. During the first weeks of their life they breath only through the external gills.Within 2 months the gills begin to disapear
and air breathing begins
Tank:Furnish the tank with bog wood and a dark, fine gravel substrate.
There can be subdued lighting and still water. Ideally, woody material should be the most prominent decoration in the tank.and open swimming areas.
Distribution:Argentina,Bolivia, Brazil,Colombia, Fr Guiana, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela
Enviroment: Prefers stagnant waters where there is little current.
Foods:juveniles eat larval insects.Adults:snails, clams and shrimp,algae and plant matter
Plants: Echinodorus tenellus,E. intermedius Cabomba aquatica or myiophyllum brasiliense,Sword plants, Vallisneria, Heteranthera, Ceratophyllum, Lemma, Limnobium,water lettuce,and lemna
Notes: Same as african except they are reported more tolerant of tankmates

 

[thewood]

Actually I went into a pet store and they had him I never seen one before after he died I tried ordering a new one and they kept getting in African ones and I never took them. You will probably have to search or your fish store might be able to order one

 

[mikem691]

Adult size is 4 ft