stocking suggestions welcome for 55 gal! :D

[SeymourFRESH]

alright, i've now begun stocking my 55 gallon. some of the current residents may or may not be permanent. my problem is since i've already got a diverse selection of fish in there, i'm not sure which biotope i should lean toward the most, because each type of fish i have in there are from somewhere completely different lol!

right now i have 4 otocinclus, 2 synodontis eupterus cats, 3 black mollies and some ghost shrimp.

all i know that i positively want to add are some sort of loaches to feast upon the snail infestation. i'm thinking about some clowns, but i know they can potentially get too big. i might go with some yo yos instead.

other than that...i have no idea what i should get. i don't really plan on keeping the otos in there forever, eventually i'm going to move them to my 92 gallon amazon biotope. the mollies i just have so i can move them to my 10 gallon QT tank when it's not in use just to keep it cycled.

any thoughts? picture of tank is provided at the bottom

 

[Andyvette]

all i know that i positively want to add are some sort of loaches to feast upon the snail infestation. i'm thinking about some clowns, but i know they can potentially get too big. i might go with some yo yos instead.

Remember that not only will they feast upon snails.... but say bye bye to your shrimp too. So if you want to keep your shrimp, move them also (not in the QT- due to medications), but in your 92? Or lettem be eaten... either or

 

[Menagerie]

I love yo-yos! You need to ask yourself what you want out of this tank. Smaller schooling fish and a centerpiece fish? Lots of color and movement? Only bigger fish? A soothing, calm tank? Once you know what you REALLY want, making suggestions will be easier

 

[SeymourFRESH]

indeed, yo yos are cool! i have a few in my other tank and they are some crazy little devils!
the only reason i was thinking i wanted clowns are because i already have yo yos

but the problem is i don't really know what i want! let's see...i definetely don't want smaller schooling fish because my catfish will eat them. probably leaning toward a balance between soothing and really active

i'm not sure...:-/

 

[unfamous]

go with an asian biotope!...get the yo yos and a red tailed shark..which can act as a center piece fish.

go peacefull or semi agressive so...either a school of rasboras or a school of barbs

if u go with the peacfull then a gourami may be a better choice then a red tailed shark but i have succesfully kept both in the same tank...just my suggestion!

 

[SeymourFRESH]

yeah a red tailed shark is probably too much on the aggressive side for me, i was thinking of getting a couple gouramis if i got anything

i'm now sort of thinking asian would be good, but i also kinda want some more african fish too...perhaps i can do an asian/african split after i move my otos to my SA tank.

 

[Menagerie]

Don't forget clowns and yo-yos are not the only fun loaches out there. Khuli loaches are fun and look like little eels.

 

[SeymourFRESH]

yeah, i got some kuhli loaches a loooong time ago, and all they did was bury themselves in the gravel and then i never saw them again after that :-/

they are neat looking though...maybe i'd have better luck if i tried them again

 

[lovemybarbs]

My loach is always out. He hid the first day, but he is very active. I get my 55 in a couple of days. Hopefully tomorrow. I think I'll get a clown. I don't have one yet.