Requesting Thoughts on First Build

[Tab981]

So I've been thinking of getting into fish keeping for a few months now, and I think I'm at the point where I'm going to pull the trigger. The tank I plan to buy is 55 gal, freshwater, with sand substrate. I enjoy gardening so I want live plants. I'm looking at Java Fern, Hornwort, and some floating moss(because that sounds pretty cool). For fish I prefer small schooling fish so they have plenty of buddies and room. I wanted a spread of top and bottom fish so the full tank is utilized and they don't get in each others way. 6-12 Cories for the bottom and 6-12 Zebra Danios for mid-top. Snails are pretty rad so I was looking to get a pair of those as well. I feel confident about my selections but if y'alls more experienced eyes see something amiss please let me know.

My main concern is I want a Clam but the more I read about them the less sure I am. They seem to be short lived and when they die they can take your whole tank with them. So the big question is To Clam or Not To Clam?

 

[charliebankston]

Danios are very hardy and active fish. But they more shoal than school. Just depends on what you want. You can't go wrong with corys and danios, but if I was wanting a group of swimmers that go back and forth in a school together, I'd get rummy nose or lamp eye tetras instead of danios. There are other cool schooling fish too, but my danios always just swim every which way, sometimes together, sometimes not. Both of my schools of those tetras go together everywhere and school beautifully. Like a flock of birds or marine species.

 

[charliebankston]

I can't input on the clams and veggies
. I don't keep either. But the 55g is a great tank, you'll love it.

 

[Tab981]

Thanks for the input! I will definitely check out Tetras, swimming insync does sound fascinating.

 

[eon aquatics]

my 55 gallon is bare bottom with six air strips and a underwater filter
i had giant zebra danios before and they do very well

 

[charliebankston]

my 55 gallon is bare bottom with six air strips and a underwater filter
i had giant zebra danios before and they do very well

I have some giant too. Very hardy like the little ones. Have a shoal of 7 in my African cichlid tank. Water is very hard and very high ph in there. Haven't lost a single one in over a year. I think you have to drop them on the floor for a couple of days to kill them. There's prob schools of them living in the NY sewer system, avoiding the giant alligators

 

[Tab981]

my 55 gallon is bare bottom with six air strips and a underwater filter
i had giant zebra danios before and they do very well

That's good to know! I hope mine do as well as yours.

 

[Tab981]

Haven't lost a single one in over a year. I think you have to drop them on the floor for a couple of days to kill them.

That's good to know makes me feel a little better that if I make a beginners mistake they'll survive my ineptness.

 

[eon aquatics]

i dont have the giant zebra danios anymore i returned them to petco

 

[Tab981]

i dont have the giant zebra danios anymore i returned them to petco

Was there a negative reason why you returned them?

 

[Gianna]

I would recommend a few guppies. I have a 29 gallon with 9 guppies, a snail, and a cherry shrimp. I only have males in mine but have had females and males together for a while before that. I would recommend if you do get some to only get one gender, females if you want the tank to be really calm because males are a little more intense with each other. They swim everywhere in the tank love going through currents in the water and the air streams. Beautiful fish as well with their bright colors and you only need 3 minimum for them to hang out together. They school a little bit as much as tetras though.

 

[eon aquatics]

they weren't very healthy because i needed more aeration

 

[Tab981]

they weren't very healthy because i needed more aeration

Okay, I'll make sure I have enough oxygen in the water.