55g planted stocking

[Mae140]

Hey guys.

I'm in the process of setting up my 55g planted freshwater once again; my first time around it crashed after a year of running. I don't plan on making the same mistakes again

As I set things up I want to plan for the future of my tank in terms of the fish living in it. My stock now is a little mixed and has some problems due to my previous 55g being my first tank; I basically just got what looked cool and didn't pay attention to fish grouping.

So a bit about my tank...
55 gallons.
Lightly planted; I want to grow the plants out so it is dense.
Pool filter sand (HTH Pool Filter Sand, 50-Lb.: Model# 61308 | True Value).
Emperor 400 hob
Eheim Professional 2 Canister 2028

Current Stock
Since the tank isn't set up yet, these guys are hanging out in a 10 and 20 gallon tank. I picked up a bottle of safe start (tetratetra) yesterday and plan on using it when my sand comes in and I put everything back into the 55.
1 mature female Angelfish (Currently in 20)
1 Peacock Eel (Currently in 10)
1 Khuli Loach (Currently in 10)
1 golden dojo loach (Currently in 20)

If possible I'd like to pick up another angel and a group of 6 tetras. I want to also get at least 3 more khuli loaches so I'm not killing my current one with stress. Right now he hangs out near the eel or swims around following the dojo at night.
I'm aware the dojo is a coldwater fish. I'm going to look at setting up another 55 for him with like 2 more of his kind, plus a goldfish. If you guys have any secrets about energy conservation please let me know. I feel like I'm missing some big secret about it.

However aside from that, I'm keeping the dojo's presence into account for the new numbers.
Imaginary Stock:
2 Angelfish
1 Peacock Eel
1 Golden Dojo Loach
4 Black Kuhli Loaches
6 Tetras (Looking at different varieties to see options. I'm concerned about the eel coming out to eat them at night.)

Is this setup overcrowded? What are your suggestions?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Hey guys.



I'm in the process of setting up my 55g planted freshwater once again; my first time around it crashed after a year of running. I don't plan on making the same mistakes again



As I set things up I want to plan for the future of my tank in terms of the fish living in it. My stock now is a little mixed and has some problems due to my previous 55g being my first tank; I basically just got what looked cool and didn't pay attention to fish grouping.



So a bit about my tank...

55 gallons.

Lightly planted; I want to grow the plants out so it is dense.

Pool filter sand (HTH Pool Filter Sand, 50-Lb.: Model# 61308 | True Value).

Emperor 400 hob

Eheim Professional 2 Canister 2028



Current Stock

Since the tank isn't set up yet, these guys are hanging out in a 10 and 20 gallon tank. I picked up a bottle of safe start (tetratetra) yesterday and plan on using it when my sand comes in and I put everything back into the 55.

1 mature female Angelfish (Currently in 20)

1 Peacock Eel (Currently in 10)

1 Khuli Loach (Currently in 10)

1 golden dojo loach (Currently in 20)



If possible I'd like to pick up another angel and a group of 6 tetras. I want to also get at least 3 more khuli loaches so I'm not killing my current one with stress. Right now he hangs out near the eel or swims around following the dojo at night.

I'm aware the dojo is a coldwater fish. I'm going to look at setting up another 55 for him with like 2 more of his kind, plus a goldfish. If you guys have any secrets about energy conservation please let me know. I feel like I'm missing some big secret about it.



However aside from that, I'm keeping the dojo's presence into account for the new numbers.

Imaginary Stock:

2 Angelfish

1 Peacock Eel

1 Golden Dojo Loach

4 Black Kuhli Loaches

6 Tetras (Looking at different varieties to see options. I'm concerned about the eel coming out to eat them at night.)



Is this setup overcrowded? What are your suggestions?

I'd only get one angel since your one is mature. If you end up with 2 males they are going to pick on each other.

Because of the peacock eel I'd look at wide bodied tetras such as black skirts.

When I had an angel/dojo in the same tank I kept the tank at 75. Little low for the angel but manageable for the dojo. This work work until you can get the dojo his own tank.

The Kuhli *might* pose a problem with the peacock eel. Again because of size, peacock eels don't have a huge mouth.

Energy conservation? There's not much to it.. Gotta have filters, gotta have heaters, planted you have to have lights.

Nice plants for a 55g:
Amazon swords
Crypt Balansae
Cambomba(spelling?)
Bacopa Caroliniana
Tiger lotus
Anarchis

All those get pretty big^^

Smaller you could look at:
Hygro pinnatifida
Crypt parva
Crypt Undulata
Water sprite
Java Fern
Java moss
Wisteria
Star repens
Dwarf sag


Caleb

 

[Mae140]

Is my plan for stock acceptable or overcrowded? I don't want to overload the filters or stress the fish out/create aggression.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Is my plan for stock acceptable or overcrowded? I don't want to overload the filters or stress the fish out/create aggression.

I wouldn't say overcrowded more like non compatible IMO. Mainly the peacock eel, they get big and I wouldn't trust it with smaller fish like Kuhli.

2 Angels may also fight. They are cichlids and have territories. Not to mention if both turn out to be male.


Caleb

 

[Mae140]

My current angel is a female. I originally thought she was male, but then I caught her laying eggs on my hob intake.

Would be be a better idea to transfer the Kuhli into a 20g with a few others of his kind? So far the eel hasn't posed a problem with him, but I know he'll get bigger and more aggressive towards smaller fish. I was thinking of building a refugium/sump area for extra bio-filtration. I could move him there.