New 55 gal...

[ReneeMarie]

Hello all! I recently lost my betta Jules and I thought I would buy a new 55gal to cheer myself up (Petsmart has a complete kit for only 229$). So, here's my question - would a 55 gal be large enough for 4 silver dollar tetras (each about 2-2.5 inches)??? Would it be large enough to add anything more? If so, what might make good tankmates for the sdt's???

Thank you!

 

[mr funktastic]

lol ok u will have alot of room left if all u are putting in was 4 silver dollars. u could put 2 or 3 more schools of different tetras and then some type of cories for clean up crew. it is all a matter personal preference of what u add. i really like rummynose tetras as well as neons and i think they would be fine with the silver dollars but i am not sure. u may want to think about adding another small filter to the set up becasue the petsmart kit does not come with a very good filter.

 

[ace]

$229! That sounds pretty nice. Ohhhhhh man I wish I had some extra cash...

 

[Japola44]

I got the same kit. I would suggest getting a different filter if you want bigger fish. I have a fluval 304, they made a 305, but you could probably get the 304 pretty cheap online.

Any way you can put a lot more fish in a 55gal. Just be sure you cycle the tank before you add fish.

 

[ReneeMarie]

Yes, I will definitely add another filter. I currently have another 50 gal that I added a second filter to as well - that one houses three fist sized fancies and a 7 inch pleco named Alfredo!

Abouth the new 55 - I was just curious about stocking/overstocking because I was told the silver dollars can grow up to 8 or 10 inches if kept in an optimal (aka over-abundant) environment????

Renee

 

[Japola44]

well reading up on silver dollars it doestn sound like a good idea to keep them in a 55gal. If those did get up to 8 inches it seems better for you to keep them in a 75gal. If i were you I would go for making the tank a community tank. The one thing iregret about my bichirs although they are my favorite fish is that i have to keep them alone in my 55gal. The silver dollars would be fine for a while in the 55gal, just be ware it might get a little crowded

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Silver dollars are too big for a 55.

if You like tetras, I think Congo's are amazing to look at, as are Diamond tetras.. But be careful, congo's will decimate a neon population (21 in 1 week for 3 of them).. But putting 6-8 Congo's with 6-8 Diamonds then 8-10 Black neon's could result in some amazing shows, esp. if you would like to plant the tank.

Tetra's (not talking about Silver dollars, pirahna or pacu's) don't produce that much waste, so this would actually be a surprisingly lightly loaded tank..

 

[BrettRox]

In my experience I have kept Silver Dollars in a 55 gallon aquarium for years without much of a problem. I've had a school of 5-7 and have never had them get much bigger than 5 inches individually.