Stocking advice for upgraded tank

[Virtus]

Hi all,

We're only a few months into the aquarium hobby but my wife and I have recently upgraded from a 20G tank to 55G.

It's pretty sparse right now as we're trying to let everything acclimate for a couple of weeks before we make any new additions.

We currently have:
2 Bleeding Heart Tetras
2 Swordtails
3 Balloon Mollies
1 Upsidedown Catfish
1 female Betta
6 Glass Catfish
4 Nerite Snails

Curious what additions you would recommend we add? We love odd and/or colorful species.

We've received advice that we should add a couple more Bleeding Hearts and Upsidedown catfish. Also considering a few other Tetras (Congo/Neon), Gourami (Dwarf/Kissing), Kuhli Loach, and I love German Blue Rams but have heard they're a little more difficult to meet water quality and habitat needs.

 

[Virtus]

Been playing around with different options on aqadvisor and am curious how accurate their stocking levels are? I've heard it's conservative but just adding a handful of new fish pushes it above 100%.

What I would consider ideal for what we want to add puts us at about 130-140%; would that be setting ourselves up for failure? The filtration capacity is still showing as 120% of needs at that level.

 

[Aiken Drum]

What sort of water change schedule does it advise? If its less than 50% weekly, then i would say you are good. Might look a bit crowded (less is sometimes more, visually) but from a water maintenance PoV if you can maintain water quality with 50% weekly water changes, then thats managable.

 

[Virtus]

What sort of water change schedule does it advise? If its less than 50% weekly, then i would say you are good. Might look a bit crowded (less is sometimes more, visually) but from a water maintenance PoV if you can maintain water quality with 50% weekly water changes, then thats managable.

At the top end of what we'd want to add it's around 45% weekly.

I know it depends on size/species but is there a ballpark number of fish that wouldn't look too crowded in a 55gal in your opinion?

We aren't going to add a huge number all at once but slowly add them over time. It looks really sparse right now as there is only minimal plants and decorations as well. We're going to add more plants, a Manzanita branch, and some Dragon/Ohko stones as well.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I think aqadvisor gives you good ballpark. The only better way is to monitor things as you add more stock. If you get to the point where you are getting towards needing 50% water changes to maintain nitrate below 40ppm you are getting fully stocked.