Stocking new 55gal, possibly subtropical.

[Minnow]

I have a relatively new 55 gal tank that I would like to stock with fish and plants.

So far this is what I have:

(12) White Cloud Mountain minnow

(6) Zebra Danio

(3) Rosy Red minnow


The substrate is a 50/50 mix of black flourite and regular black sand. So far the only hardscape is a piece of "wonderstone" with 2 holes in it. I did not add a heater, the tank is at room temperature. I was considering a coldwater or subtropical tank, but it looks like I will have very limited options for fish and plants. Are there any plants that do well in cool water other then Anacharis/Elodea?


So far the WCMM and Zebra Danios are schooling together most of the time. The rosy reds usually hang out on the bottom looking for food.

My original idea was 3 or 4 species of small shoaling fish, that would swim in separate groups. So far that is not happening so I have been thinking of getting a larger centerpiece fish. According to a LFS, adding a larger fish might have a side effect of "scaring" the smaller fish into tighter groups. Is this true, is it a good idea?

What what you do with this tank?

 

[henningc]

Don't toss in the towel so quickly. I have done several native tanks that rival any tropical tank end of story. I would suggest the following: Get a good size net and head to the local stream. Here in the mid-west there is a native killie, the Northen Stud fish. They are beautiful with silver, blue, orange, red and matalic green. They can rule the top of the tank. There is a resource, Jonah's Aquarium that specializes in natives. Different color dance minnows, darters, sculpins and pigmy sun fish, stud fish just to name a few. You could also go with various types of Goodieds.

Trust me some current, flat stones, a mini gravel bar and some drift wood will set the stage.

 

[Minnow]

I'm on Long Island, NY. I don't think it would be legal or practical to collect my own. I have been looking at the Zimmermans fish and Jonah's aquarium sites. If I didn't already have some small fish I would probably go with dollar sunfish. The darters look interesting. How would a green banded darter do? Acording to the site it stays small and does not need a lot of current.

 

[Toad]

I had a tank like this, I had a bn plec, three line cories, guppies and cherry shrimp. All of these could handle temps as low as 65. There are other cories like greens that can handle lower temps.

They're still considered 'tropical' and some people would not agree, but I've been breeding guppies like this for literally years, and have had the bn for going on 11 years.

Going native, aquabid has a native fish section you could check out.

 

[brennae]

I know I am going to catch some crap for this but I'm going to post it anyway. My mom had the bright idea to do large, and I mean large flower pots as water gardens. Fine and dandy but one day she comes home with feeder goldfish even after my friend and I told her not to. So since it gets cold where I am I have goldfish and zebra danios in a 55g in my basement. It stays 68 to 70 down there all year and when summer comes they will go outside again. I don't have a top on this tank so I was able to bring in the pond plants as well. We have some kind of big water lettuce, water hyacinths and some bamboo stuff etc. That's an idea for how you can add plants. It doesn't hurt these water garden/pond plants to get nibbled on by the fish and they can handle the temps. Heck I'd even send you some of the lettuce and hyacinths as we have been throwing some in the compost because they rapidly reproduce. So yeah don't throw in the towel just yet. The pygmy sunfish I saw on Aquabid were just gorgeous!! I am sure you will find just the right fish.

 

[Minnow]

I know I am going to catch some crap for this but I'm going to post it anyway. My mom had the bright idea to do large, and I mean large flower pots as water gardens. Fine and dandy but one day she comes home with feeder goldfish even after my friend and I told her not to. So since it gets cold where I am I have goldfish and zebra danios in a 55g in my basement. It stays 68 to 70 down there all year and when summer comes they will go outside again. I don't have a top on this tank so I was able to bring in the pond plants as well. We have some kind of big water lettuce, water hyacinths and some bamboo stuff etc. That's an idea for how you can add plants. It doesn't hurt these water garden/pond plants to get nibbled on by the fish and they can handle the temps. Heck I'd even send you some of the lettuce and hyacinths as we have been throwing some in the compost because they rapidly reproduce. So yeah don't throw in the towel just yet. The pygmy sunfish I saw on Aquabid were just gorgeous!! I am sure you will find just the right fish.

Actually, I have thought of this a few times because I have a ton of water lettuce and hyacinth in an outdoor pond but from what I've read they don't overwinter indoors very well.

 

[Minnow]

I think I screwed up. I was in a LFS yesterday buying some Anacharis and asked the salesman if he had any fish (other than what I already had) that would work well in cool water. He said he had a fish that thrives in cool water and would get about 6", sounded perfect. It was about 2" and looked pretty cool. Here's a google image:

Turns out this impulse buy, a Myxocyprinus asiaticus, grows up to become this big ugly thing:

Can grow well over 2 feet and needs thousands of gallons.

According to a few sources it will only grow about 1" per year, so at least I have some to to figure out what I'm going to do.

 

[brennae]

WOW! That is one ugly full grown fish. I will have to let you know how the water lettuce and hyacinths do over the winter. So far so good but they have only been inside here about 2 weeks.

 

[jlk]

Actually, I have thought of this a few times because I have a ton of water lettuce and hyacinth in an outdoor pond but from what I've read they don't overwinter indoors very well.

Water lettuce will do fine as long as you have decent light. Any large mother plants will slowly die off but they will have a zillion tiny plantlets before this happens. The plantlets will stay very small (quarter size or smaller) and will not grow large indoors. Put them back out in the spring and they will grow huge again.

Water hyacinth really needs high light to survive at all indoors. It seems to have a set 'lifecycle' indoors and simply will not survive beyond a set period of time inside (unfortunately).

 

[brennae]

Ok, I will try to increase the light then on the hyacinths. If they don't make it that's fine. I paid $2 each for a few at the local flea market and they spread like crazy. The water lettuce and the bamboo looks good so far and the lettuce is producing more plantlets. Thanks for the tips!