Unhappy community

[FishieMomma]

My 55 gallon community tank is unhappy. The matured paired angels have killed/eaten almost every fish school I've put in. What left is the pair, 4 neon tetras, 2 harlequin Rasboras, 3 un-identified tetras rescued from another tank, and a blue gourami. The little fish are skittish though I have lots of live and artificial plants. (This was my first tank and I know I made mistakes with the stocking.

All water parameters are excellent and I change 50% of the water twice a week. It was a fishless cycled tank and I only use Prime in it.

My question is should I re-home all the little fish and the gourami and let the angels have the tank?

 

[FishieMomma]

I re-homed the angelfish today and added 6 albino Cory catfish. All of a sudden my blue gourami is showing coloring on his fins I've never seen before! Could he be that relieved of the angelfish being gone?

I was thinking of adding 3 silver dollars to this community. It's a 55 gal tank. Would that be big enough for them full-grown?

 

[cgthebeast]

I re-homed the angelfish today and added 6 albino Cory catfish. All of a sudden my blue gourami is showing coloring on his fins I've never seen before! Could he be that relieved of the angelfish being gone?

I was thinking of adding 3 silver dollars to this community. It's a 55 gal tank. Would that be big enough for them full-grown?

A 55 is way to small for silvers and it great to hear about your groumai. I would stock up all schooling fish up to 8 or less then think of adding more new fish

 

[Rivercats]

Not only are the silver dollars too big for the tank but they would eat all the live plants. You have a lot of options open for your tank now but be sure to research anything your interested in before you get them.

 

[FishieMomma]

Thanks Rivercats. I'll be adding more neons and Harlequins over the next few weeks. I may re-home the three unknown tetras.


I have a some swordtails and mollies 6 females and 2 males in another tank and was thinking if moving them to this tank also. Aqua-advisor seems to think that won't be too much. The total stocking of the 55 gallon will be:
1 Blue Gourami
8 albino Cory cats
8 neon tetras
8 harlequin Rasboras
8 assorted mollies and swordtails (I got them from a school, they were already together)

How does this stocking sound. BTW, half is planted and half is artificial. Some wood is in there, too.

 

[Rivercats]

As the mollies and swords get larger you might be a little crowded. Only saying this because both mollies and swords can get upwards of 5". If they are small now it's okay but that will change later on. They also have heavy bio-loads.

 

[FishieMomma]

I used to have a second filter but it died. Perhaps another one would handle the bio-load. I have extra filter sponges in the tank all the time just in case.

 

[Rivercats]

Keep up on your weekly 50% WC's and monitor your water for ammonia and nitrates as they get larger. A second filter is always a good idea in heavily stocked tanks IMO.