Finished 55 gallon build! Centerpiece fish?

[Rnbwfimmy]

I finally finally finished preparing my 55 gallon tank!
The setup: 2 54 watt t5 ho bulbs,
2 DIY co2 systems,
2 aquaclear 50s,
and a Fluval E 200 heater.
After some more experience and time to save money I'll be upgrading to pressurized co2 and probably another of the same light.
I'm also using 40 lbs of ecocomplete and 20 lbs of supernaturals. What ferts should I be dosing?

Currently I have a lovely shiny school of diamond tetra, but here's the stocking plan.
7 diamond tetra
3 dwarf gourami
5 platys
1 royal farlowella
1 angelfish

I'm at about 80 percent capacity with this plan, I want at least 1 big centerpiece fish or some other group of fish, or potentially some more cleaners? I'd also maybe like a sorority of female betta.
I have my awesome schooling fish. But I really can't decide, I feel like I'm always coming across fish I love but I can't think of the perfect addition. What do you think?

Plants:
Rotala
Hygro
Crypt
Wisteria

I plan to plant pretty densely on both sides. My current plants are doing extremely well, better then they did in the store. What are some other good plants for a medium tech set up?

 

[Rivercats]

With your lighting you have 1.964wpg. That would be good for low light plants. Look into plants like Bolbitus heudelotii (an african fern), various types of anubias (they come in sizes from tiny to large), and even a red or green tiger lotus. With that great piece of driftwood you could tie the Bolbitus and anubias onto it, which would look pretty great IMO. There are all kinds of crypts that would be great, Lutea is one of my favorites as it looks alot different than the Wendii's. For a tiny foreground plant in that light Crypt Parva would be a good choice. I have some of that too accenting some rock work and it is a neat looking little plant.

As for a centerpiece fish... your angel will get large! Might be small now but just wait. I have 10 in a 220g and they are my large "centerpiece fish". Algae eaters such a Bristlenose Pleco and Oto Cats (Otocinclus Catfish) would be good. For bottom feeders you can do a small number of Cory Cats. And with the fish you have listed if you want something alittle different that would still work with your list are german blue rams. A pair would work. Just take you time and don't make any rush decisions. I planned for almost a year what I was going to put in my 220g, in both fish and plants. Good luck!

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

Thank you so much for your input! I'll definitely look into those plants you mentioned, right now mine are doing spectacular. Even my rotala is devoloping healthy red top leaves.
We've been planning and researching for months, so it's great to see it finally coming together. I got my water tested today and everything is perfect! Even the driftwood was a week long project, but from here on out its a gradual process. ^^
I like angelfish but I would also like the addition of a more colorful centerpiece, I saw the German blue rams for the first time at my lfs today and they are adorable! are there other cichlids that are peaceful in a community like mine? Im prejudiced towards them as being aggressive, but really I just don't know a lot about them.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

What about adding another schooling fish with color? I've always loved Rummynose Tetras. They tightly school and have some nice coloration.

 

[Rivercats]

Cichlids are well Cichlids! All can be agressive, but it is usually aimed at thier own kind. Don't know if your LFS had adult GBR's but if they didn't you can't appreciate their true color/beauty. My favorite are the Gold Rams (a color varietion of the reg GBR's). There are also Electric blue rams. All rams, just different colors. I have all three. You need a big tank to keep multiples but just two, a pair if possible but not necessary, would work, especially if you are going to plant alot heavier. The DW with plants tied on helps too, it breaks the tank up into territories and breaks the line of sight if there is aggression (one can get out of sight of the aggressor by moving). Here is a list of my stock and I don't have issues other than the inner bickering of angels and rams.


List of my fish as example:
10 Veil and Super Veil Angelfish (3 juvenille, 1 pair, 1 male with his 4 female harem)
21 Rummy nose tetras
12 Diamond tetras
5 German Blue Rams
4 Electric Blue Rams
2 Gold Rams
3 YoYo loaches
4 Corydoras sterbai
4 Corydoras panda
Corydoras agassizi
8 Threadfin Rainbow Fish
18 Otocinclus Catfish
3 Whiptail Cats (Farlowella gracilis)

1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco

Just out of curosity what color is your angel? You know there are all kinds of colors. If I had to pick one of my angels that would just stand out with a wow factor in a single tank it would the Gold Super Veil. Golds are actually more of a dark golden orange. Then add that tail which is about three times the length of a regular veil's tail, and those ultra long fins and you have quite a wow factor. Another wow color are Pearlscale angels. Pictures don't always do them justice but they have the diamond sparkle effect. Koi angels (another orangey color look pretty impressive too. Or look into the Red Rainbow fish. I'm not a rainbow fish person (except my little threadfins) but I could look up the name if you need. You have some colorful choices with those too and they would be suitable for your community. Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

Thanks again, I'm looking specifically for a single or paired fish instead of another school.
I don't have an angelfish yet, but I'm looking at getting those pretty marbled tricolor ones. I love the look of rams, but according to aqadvisor there is a temperature conflict between my farlowella and rams, their minimum temp is a degree above his max, do you think there's wiggle room there? What temp do you keep yours at?

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

Maybe some kind of larger gourami?

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

I'm thinking about an African knifefish, I think they would complete our tank perfectly. They're very interesting looking, I think I was looking for a little bit of wierd

 

[Rivercats]

Do you have a Royal Farlowella Cat that gets about 8 inches or do you have a whiptail or some call them Twig Catfish ( Farlowella gracilis) which gets about about 6 to 7 inches. The Whiptail has an elongated snout , much more so than the Royal's and the dorsal fin is not erect like the Royal's is. The Whiptail is also thin, they do look like sticks and can be harder than heck to spot when in an amazon sword or laying on DW.

Rams do likeit alittle warmer but my tank is at 78 and I have 10. Whiptails high is supposedly 79 and Royals 78. A degree isn't going to matter much. What temp are you planning on keeping your tank at? I have found for me that 78 to 79 is perfect. And in a tank as big as mine I can guarantee there are spots that are colder.

As for gourami's... the only one I have heard others talk about that are the most peaceful are the Pearl Gourami's. Probably not as colorful as you want but with a beauty all thier own. Maybe there are others here that know more about these guys. Have you checked out the albino millinium rainbow? Talk about colorful!

 

[Rivercats]

Remember Knife fish can get big and some can get aggressive. You also need a piece of hard round plastic tube (or something) that they can use. You could keep one until it out grew the tank and then would have to re home it. I'd think twice about it IMO.

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

I'm hearing varying opinions on the knifefish, I know that black ghost knifes are definitely too big, but I'm not seeing anything saying that about African knifefish.
I'll be getting a royal farlowella, it's my partners favorite fish. I already had to let her down about the ghost knife, but I'll do some research on the African knifefish and find out more.
I keep my tank around 77 right now, I don't see it hurting much considering I have almost entirely tropical fish.
I love rainbows, but a school gets pretty pricey.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Pearl Gouramis are truly beautiful. It takes a bit for them to settle into their colors but after that you can appreciate their golds, whites, and reds.

I wouldn't do them with Dwarf Gouramis like your list entails though.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I also noticed that aside from your Farowalla, you don't really have any bottom strata fish. Ever looked into some Corydoras?

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

I'm definitely considering some Corys or pictus catfish along with 2 blue rams. I brought home two dwarf gourami today and they're awesome! I like pearl gourami, but are gold gourami aggressive? I'm reconsidering the African knifefish, because while it's awesome, I like to play it safe and reject fish that seem to debated about in regards to size or aggression. I'll have one source say a 55 is great and that they are very peaceful, and another say your fish end up as snacks.

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

I can't seem to sell my lady friend on the rams, I like them though so ill keep trying. I think she wants something a bit more unusual. But I am seeing now how cool my angelfish will grow up to be, and im agreeing that 'centerpiece' isn't the issue here. Just something to fill a bit of that extra stocking that people who don't keep aquariums aren't used to seeing.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I wouldn't recommend the Knifefish personally.

Also. Pearl =/= Gold. And I wouldn't recommend a bigger Gourami specie if you already have the Dwarves.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I can't seem to sell my lady friend on the rams, I like them though so ill keep trying. I think she wants something a bit more unusual. But I am seeing now how cool my angelfish will grow up to be, and im agreeing that 'centerpiece' isn't the issue here. Just something to fill a bit of that extra stocking that people who don't keep aquariums aren't used to seeing.

You know...you don't have to 100% stock an aquarium haha. You could get some more Diamond Tetras?

 

[Sharkbait54]

I have a brown knife in my 54g bowfront he does fine they arent suppose to get bigger than 8-10 inches in captivity my stock is in my profile.

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

I'm not planning to go 100 percent, but something else definitely needs to be added. Right now pictus and rams are winning

 

[Rnbwfimmy]

How big is his mouth? Would a diamond tetra fit deliciously in there?