Stock help

[chickie_online]

Hi all. First thanks to all those who helped me get this far with the new tank. My 55 gallon is up and running and fully planted (plants aren't huge yet but doing well so far). Tank has cycled in four days with the help of gravel, driftwood, plants and media from existing tank so now I'm looking at stock. Tis will be my only big tank due to room so I wanna be sure haha. (Info 2x20" finned planted lights - therefore I love the blue light feature and want fish that will look good with it as well .... No co2 just daily dosing with flourish excel and I also weekly dose with flourish comprehensive and add root tabs when needed) ph 7.5

So far I'm doing ...
2 albino bristle nose
3 otocinclus
8 neon tetras
8 pink danios (zebra)
2 dwarf frogs (May need to be relocated)
And some cherry shrimp

I would also like to add in a school of harlequin rasboras and some glofish danios if I can find them.

Now I want my showpiece
So far suggestions have been given of angelfish or blood parrot (both bought young to grow up with smaller species). I've also been considering congo tetras, German blue rams and bosemani rainbows. Thoughts or suggestions welcomed!

 

[tomtom14]

Stocking sounds good and can't wait to see it when it's done. I have 4 angels and 2 pearl gouramis as my big fish in my tank and they look amazing. So I would recommend that. Bossman rainbowfish are nice too. I wouldn't recommend the rams as they would be as small as the other fish so they won't look like the main fish attraction. If u have angels or the parrot I wouldn't have the cherry shrimp as they would be dinner. Show a pic when it's done can't wait to see it and hope this helps.

 

[chickie_online]

Just nervous if I go with angels that they will eat my tetras and shrimp. Do you think I'll be ok if I get a young angel? I'm thinking on doing just one to avoid aggression.

 

[fishyd]

Just nervous if I go with angels that they will eat my tetras and shrimp. Do you think I'll be ok if I get a young angel? I'm thinking on doing just one to avoid aggression.

My danios eat my shrimp when they get a chance so yours might also. Angels definitely will eat shrimp when they see them. As for the tetras, if they grow up together, should be fine. When the angles get big, its a possibility but lessened when the angels grow up with the tetras.

 

[Fishfanboy]

I would do the rainbows

 

[tomtom14]

Fishyd is right. But if you get a tetra larger than a neon tetra, such as a rummy nose tetra and you put them in the tank first. As long as the angels you get are young they will never bother the tetras. I did this and my rummy nose tetras are fine with my 3 angels.

 

[Coursair]

Up your Otos. Skip the Cherry Shrimp, you could try a couple, but Tetras and Danios can be relentless. The Glofish might be too zippy. Angels and Gouramis usually prefer slower peaceful fish. IME.

+1 for a Pearl Gourami. But usually not with Angels. But it may work. Pearls are usually very calm. You might look at other Rainbows as well. Threadfins are my favorite...but they need tiny food.


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[chickie_online]

I currently have the danios and the tetras. I could always take them back if they became a problem but so far they have been keeping to themselves. I'm looking for colourful fish for the most part. The tank sits far away most of the time from people so we want to still be able to notice the fish, especially at night under the blue light which is what the danios provide even though they're tiny. The thread fun rainbows look beautiful but they don't have much color. Are there other species? Same for the pearl danio. Beautiful but just silver. Keep the help coming!

 

[chickie_online]

Oh and the shrimp are already in there. There's quite a little colony going haha

 

[tomtom14]

I would recommend a Bossman rainbowfish they are amazing. I have 4 of them.

 

[chickie_online]

ok so here's what I'm thinking now. Anyone see any problems or have any other suggestions?

1 bristlenose
4 otos
8 neons
8 danios
8 harlequin rasboras (or 8 glofish depending on what the fish store is keeping)
5 bosemani rainbows
1 german blue ram
1 cockatoo cichlid
2 dwarf frogs until they're moved haha.

 

[grode15]

I'm not sure but I think the blue ram and cockatoo cichlid would fight so I think you should pick one of them.

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[chickie_online]

I'm also in love with the electric blue rams but I heard they're not as hardy... hmmm

 

[agrasyuk]

Rams are awesome, from what I know you probably will want not just one but a pair of them. From my experience they indeed picky. My first store bought pair died within 48hours. The ones I got from local breeder though are doing great, eating excellent . very entertaining fish, they are always near the glass when they see anyone passing by and nibbling on my hands even if no food there (when I try to rearrange a plant that floated). Wife adores them.

 

[chickie_online]

K so I'm thinking in this.

1 albino pleco
4 otocinclus
2 dwarf frogs (May be moved if needed)
5 bosemani rainbow fish
7 pink danios
7 neon tetras
7 harlequin rasboras
7 rummynose tetras
2 German blue rams
1 pearl gourami (possibly)

Anyone see any problems?

 

[venymae]

looks good to me. I wouln't add any more though. Just a suggestion in my opinion your tank would look much nicer with fewer groups of schooling fish and upping the numbers of the ones left. You have 4 schools right now of 7 each. Maybe drop it down to 3 schools of 9/10 each or 2 schools of 14 each would look even nicer. While variety is nice, it really brings out the fish to have larger schools. Also I'd add the gourami last. See how you like your tank without it, and then add only if you feel like it would add something after you see it in action for a couple weeks. And make sure you cycle your nitrogen cycle for sure!

 

[venymae]

Also, make sure you set the temp so it's within all of their ranges. There is not much overlap.

 

[chickie_online]

looks good to me. I wouln't add any more though. Just a suggestion in my opinion your tank would look much nicer with fewer groups of schooling fish and upping the numbers of the ones left. You have 4 schools right now of 7 each. Maybe drop it down to 3 schools of 9/10 each or 2 schools of 14 each would look even nicer. While variety is nice, it really brings out the fish to have larger schools. Also I'd add the gourami last. See how you like your tank without it, and then add only if you feel like it would add something after you see it in action for a couple weeks. And make sure you cycle your nitrogen cycle for sure!

My initial plan was to do 3 schools of ten but I can't decide between those four groups! I want them all hahaha. I may drop the rummy nose yet. And the gourami will def be the last edition. I wanna do just what you said. See the tank dynamic first. (Tank is also cycled. I brought a whole bunch of gravel, driftwood and plants in from an existing tank and it took no time at all!)

 

[venymae]

also make sure your pleco is a bristle or rubber or other small variety, not the common. They get huge. Plecos also need driftwood.

 

[venymae]

Awesome! Well, whatever you end up with, make sure you post pictures!!!