Stocking 55 gallon planted tank

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Rnbwfimmy

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
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I recently inherited a 55 gallon tank in which I plan to implement an iwagumi style layout. I've been researching my stocking ideas endlessly, but Id love some feedback from more experienced tank owners. Id also like to know if anyone feels im overstocking, though no calculators have advised me so. I have about 80 gallon filtration. So here it is:
2 or three bristlenose Pleco
1 angelfish
3 platies
7 diamond tetra
1 rainbow shark
3 dwarf gourami
2 African dwarf frogs
I'm also keeping a separate triops habitat to use as feeders(the babies) and tank cleaners( the adults), also because adorable. Does anyone have experience with this?
In addition Im betta obsessed. I have an apparently nonaggressive male betta (woodrow Gillson XD) who has done very well with the frogs, and has showed zero signs of aggression when presented with a seperated male betta( the other one went completely batshit, but Gillson ignored him). I've considered adding him to the 55 gallon, or instead of him 3 female bettas. I know that it's a gamble with the male but could it potentially work in such a large tank? How do females do in communities in your experience?
 
Male bettas can do well as long as you don't put them with fish that nip fins, which tetras seem to like doing. You could always try, and if there's any nipping or aggression take him out immediately.

As for the females, they can do well as long as you get ones with a more gentle personality, but always do odd numbers, because in even numbers it seems that one out of a pair one usually bullies another. I'd say 3 would be great as long as they get along, and even with females it's a gamble with a community tank. You'd have to introduce them to eachother, watch, and then add them to the tank, and watch again. Totally worth it if it works, though!
 
I haven't heard of any issues with gouramis.
Im thinking I'll try it and just watch real closely, I really want to see him stretch his fins in that big tank. Also because I don't have many top dwelling fish, he might just establish his own territory and leave everybody alone. I was even told about someone who had such a big tank he kept two male bettas on opposite sides and they established their own territories! (I would never try that though.) the problem with betta aggression in community tanks may be more attributable to lack of space.
Should I introduce him first to the tank or wait until I've established my other fish? This is going to be a slow process for me. Actually which order should I introduce them at all?
 
If you add the betta, be very careful with the gouramis. Since they're related, they can have issues with eachother. My betta was fine in my community tank, but got angry with my hatchetfish, which are top swimmers. He looked gorgeous, though!
 
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