55 gallon ideas

[Trabba]

My Jack Dempsey recently passed away and I decided to go back to a community tank. I have had community tanks in the past but I was a lot younger and did them haphazardly, basically bought a bunch of fish and let them live together but never had a 55 and want to do this one right. Having the JD taught me a lot about fishkeeping.

OK, so I know I want an Angel as my centerpiece fish. Right now, I have 6 pepper corys for the bottom and a pleco. I'm open to ideas. I'm looking for a lot of color and a couple of schools maybe. I also wouldn't mind one or two other sidepieces fish, so to speak, was thinking a gourami maybe, not sure? I have had a gourami and an angel before but not sure if that is technically a good mix or not. I would like bottom, mid, and top fish.

So, anyone have any ideas/suggestions?

 

[Hholly]

I think cherry barbs would look good with an angel.

 

[KaylNeko]

Double post -.-

 

[KaylNeko]

What kind of pleco?

Hatchets are good top dwellers.

Most any tetra will hang out in the middle--just go for the big ones with the angel if you go that route. Rasboras are another option.

You can add make a big school of corys if you like for the bottom--I'm biased since I'm planning between 10 and 15 corys (already have 8 *lol*) for my 55 gallon. Kuhli loaches would also be a fun addition.

 

[Trabba]

Pretty sure it is just a common pleco, probably about 2" right now.

I am quite partial to Cory's but never had much luck with them before although I used to only get 1 but now realized that they are a schooler and need some company.

I will look at the tetras but I think that my LFS only has Black Skirts for the larger varieties but I didn't look too hard either.

My plan was to fill out the bottow first, then middle, then top, with the angel being one of, if not, the last fish in. Is that good plan or does it really matter much?

 

[chew valley]

From everything I have read angels should only go on well established tanks and adding them last may help with any aggression. So probably right what you are doing.
Don't have angels myself though so no first hand experience. Have read a lot about them though but sadly decided against getting any as have a male beta and seems risky. One day though as beautiful fish. Got a gold gourami instead as my centrepiece.

 

[KaylNeko]

Pretty sure it is just a common pleco, probably about 2" right now.

I am quite partial to Cory's but never had much luck with them before although I used to only get 1 but now realized that they are a schooler and need some company.

I will look at the tetras but I think that my LFS only has Black Skirts for the larger varieties but I didn't look too hard either.

My plan was to fill out the bottow first, then middle, then top, with the angel being one of, if not, the last fish in. Is that good plan or does it really matter much?

Do you plan on keeping the pleco? They get too big for a 55 gallon, unfortunately. I saw one in a 125 gallon recently that looked cramped, for reference *lol* Bristlenose and Clown are nice options, too.

Filling out the bottom first is fine if you've either kept the BB fed and the tank running from the Dempsey or are planning to fishless cycle it back into service. Bottom feeders don't handle cycling all that well--it can be done, but you're more likely to lose them than others like Danios. Other than that, nope, doesn't matter. I stocked Corys, then Black Neon Tetras, pearl gouramis go in next--basically bottom, middle, top . Last species in will be pitbull plecos and a cockatoo apisto (centerpiece fish last), then I'll just focus on filling out the rest of the schools depending on the biological filtration and swimming room.

 

[Trabba]

Wow, really, I knew the plecos could get pretty big, have seen the large ones before but thought it took quite awhile. Last community tank I had was a 20 gallon and I had one in there that never got over 4 inches in the 3 years I had it before having to get rid of the tank. I'll monitor and if getting too big, will find a new home and look for a different species. Maybe it is a different species too, not sure, the LFS just sells plecos by size (S,M,L,XL). I will do some more research on that.

Tank is still cycled, kept it going from the JD, was only sans fish for about a week and kept testing water too. All the filter media/substrate/etc...is still there, just did a PWC and switched out a couple of the decorations. Will fill from bottom up.

Any good ideas for top fish? I'm not that fond of hatchets (nor does the LFS carry them). I have heard some swordtails are top fish and my gouramis used to live pretty close to the top too, but would a gourami or two and an angle co-exist?

 

[KaylNeko]

Unfortunately, plecos, if in too small a tank, will be stunted and won't necessarily continue to grow in size. However, their organs do continue to grow, getting squished. This leads to early death. That's where the "fish grow to the size of their tank" myth came from, btw.

From what I've read, people have kept angels and gouramis together successfully. Just don't let any of them set up to mate.

 

[calfishguy]

How about this for stocking

2 angels
black skirt tetras
3 dwarf gouramies
a school of 6 rainbows (boesemanis are nice)

ps THis is my current stocking only slightly alltered

 

[Trabba]

Thanks for the ideas all. I will look into exchanging the pleco for a clown or bristlenose. I'll also get a better look at him to see if he might be a different species.

Here is what I am thinking as of now:

1 - angelfish
1 - dwarf gourami
6 - pepper cory's (already in)
6 - leopard or panda cory's (or might just increase the pepper school)
6 - bleeding heart tetras (if I can find, else will do black skirts)

I'm thinking I should have room for another school (2-3" fish) in the tank with this setup. Ideas? Or is this pretty stocked as is? Will any of the barb species work (I noticed someone mentioned cherries above) as I read that barbs are nippy? Or what about mollies/swordtails/danios/??? Would like to get some more color if possible.

 

[chew valley]

Swordtails and danios are fine with what you have. Not sure about mollies but they need brackish water to thrive I think. I have 3 swordtails and they are great seem to poo a lot though

 

[calfishguy]

IMO you could add a school of rainbows if you have good filtration and keep up with weekly water changes at least 50% a week. I would get a bristlenose pleco to replace the one you have.

 

[calfishguy]

The danios mollies and swords would work too though.

 

[Trabba]

Not a huge fan of the rainbows, had them awhile ago, and just weren't my thing. Looking to stick with smaller fish other than the angel. Going to add some teras this weekend and go from there, things might change as we go along, but will add the dwarf and angel last, at the same time.

 

[calfishguy]

You could get more than one dwarf if you want.

 

[Hholly]

I think I read that cherry barbs are pretty peaceful. You may want to double check though.

 

[calfishguy]

I don't think barbs will work with an angel no matter what kind

 

[Trabba]

I'm just trying not to run into territorial issues which is why I was thinking the 1 dwarf or might do 1 pearl instead but like the dwarf looks better plus it might allow me to add a third singular fish if I just stuck with the one or another school, perhaps.

As for the cherries, I have read mixed reviews about barbs (except for tigers) with about a 50% success rate on fin nipping.

 

[IchthyChris]

Angels can be pretty nippy. It may just be when they are paired up and guarding their spawning area though. If you're just keeping one it might be ok. Still I wouldn't recommend any slow moving fish like guppies or mollies.

Have you considered Kribensis? A very colorful, active fish. If you get a pair their colors will be much brighter. They like caves and will usually stake out a claim if they find a good cave. They are territorial, but not nippy. They just let other fish know its their home. Mine are in my profile pic.