Trying to get ideas for my new 55 gal

[Mikejr20]

I'm basically just seeing if I can put some ideas together from other members on how to decorate my tank. I know I'm gonna use play sand as my substrate and I'm still unsure of what kind of fish I'm going to put in it. I know definitely not cichlids or aggressive fish. I usually get colorful, exotic, or oddball fish most people wouldn't normally have. I don't mind getting semi aggressive fish either. So if anyone has any ideas or pics to put up to show their tank set up, that would help. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

For a 55 you have a lot of possibilities. I have a 55 coming to me soon as well and I've been thinking and thinking on this. If you don't mind having semi aggressive fish you could do a school of tiger barbs, they are very active! As far as a bottom feeder goes... I would recommend you check out an albino longfin bristlenose pleco, they are so neat looking. I had never heard of them until someone here suggested I check them out, and I was hooked ever since I saw a picture! You could also consider doing some kind of gourami as a centerpiece fish, or even a single angelfish if your into them (but if you do a single angel do not get tiger barbs!), I haven't had any luck finding one near me yet though, however they are sold online if ordering fish online doesn't bother you (me it does... I'm just concerned about the fish not arriving live). As far as I know (still a noob an learning what fish can co-exist m together and which can't), if you chose to do tiger barbs you can do about any other kind of fish, not sure if they eat fish smaller than them
Or not... Maybe someone else with more experience can chime in on that, but to be safe I wouldn't get anything small enough to fit in the barbs mouth. As far as color goes guppies would be a good option (if you don't want your tank to be overtaken by fry then stick to one sex, preferably males because even if you keep to all females you always take a chance of a female being pregnant when you buy them, and I believe they can store sperm (I know platys can, not 100% about guppies though), platys or mollies (platys and mollies are both livebearers as well so stick to same info as guppies). Cory's make for an interesting (and I personally love the looks of them!) bottom dweller that schools (schools need atleast 5 fish). Also if you have an fish favorites list them and if theirs a co-existing issue or the fish isn't suitable for your tank someone will
Chime in at some point

 

[Mikejr20]

Definitely good ideas. I don't think I have any favorites but I had a 29gal with a pleco, a couple crayfish, tiger barbs, bala shark, red tail and rainbow shark, and a gourami. I sold the tank with all the fish and moved so now I'm lookig at getting a 55 with a nice stand but have no ideas on decor options. I'd like a natural look with driftwood and fake plants. I have no experience with real plants.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Definitely good ideas. I don't think I have any favorites but I had a 29gal with a pleco, a couple crayfish, tiger barbs, bala shark, red tail and rainbow shark, and a gourami. I sold the tank with all the fish and moved so now I'm lookig at getting a 55 with a nice stand but have no ideas on decor options. I'd like a natural look with driftwood and fake plants. I have no experience with real plants.

I don't see anything wrong with the stock you had in your 29 (except it was possibly over stocked for a 29), I would say you could easily replicate that stock again if you wanted. Like I said just stay away from the common pleco as they get to big. You could definitely do a nice size school of barbs if you wanted.

 

[Mikejr20]

Ok I might stay away from crayfish this time cause they killed my last school of barbs I had. I was wondering if I could find a dwarf crayfish. Maybe that would help keep my fish from getting eaten.