55 Gallon Stocking

[Ripley]

I know how absolutely thrilled you guys are with another stocking question! I'm going to try and make sure my possible fish choices are realistic.

Okay, come May I'm planning on buying a larger tank - most likely a 55 gallon, but possibly a 75 gallon.

I have fish right now that I will be switching over:
- 1 Spotted Climbing Perch (only about 2 inches or so now, but I do know he'll reach 6 inches)
- 2 Angelfish
- 4 Otos

And there are some other fish I'd like to move over to the new tank, but aren't a necessity (though, the parents might kill me if I buy another 10 gallon!)
- 2 Honey Gourami's
- 2 Female Bettas
- 5 Cherry Barbs

So, as other fish for the new tank, I'm thinking some combo of...
- 6-8 Emperor Tetras (or maybe Congo Tetras)
- 2 Kribs (a pair)
- 3 Pearl Gourami's
- 6 Panda Cories (or Pygmy Cories - I like their small size!)
- 1-2 more Angelfish
- Suggestions!?!?

So, thoughts? What might be a good combo?

Thanks!

[flamingo]

I'm kind of having a brain explosion, but all I really have to say is keep in mind that the Ctenopoma will eventually get to a size where it can easily eat some of the fish on that list. I'd keep the cten with possibly angelfish (if they don't stress it being so active) but that's just my opinion. I can't really suggest a real good fish out of that list, it really depends on a lot of things. Some fish like the kribs may stick to themselves, but most cten species don't tolerate fish that are active and like to "move around", if that makes any sense lol.

Angelfish, kribs, and gouramis are the three that seem "okay" at least.

I hope that helps in anyway.

[swordtailbreedr]

pearl goromis killed my kribs,cories,angels and otos

[emc7]

A pair of kribs or angels will decide they need half the tank when they spawn and and won't tolerate other fish in the area. If you are prepared for that (like having a divider or empty 20 gallon tank standing by), they may do okay, but I tend not to keep them together because the kribs need caves on the bottom and the angels like leaves on top. Still they might work out in a large enough tank (75-90). I had one pearl gourami living with angels peaceably, but every time I've had 2 gouramis together, 1 kills the other. It may be a tank size thing, I got 4 kising gouramis that lived peacably in 150 (owner was moving), but they started attacking each other in a 20. I ended keeping them 1 to a tank.

[Ripley]

Originally Posted by flamingo

I'm kind of having a brain explosion, but all I really have to say is keep in mind that the Ctenopoma will eventually get to a size where it can easily eat some of the fish on that list. I'd keep the cten with possibly angelfish (if they don't stress it being so active) but that's just my opinion. I can't really suggest a real good fish out of that list, it really depends on a lot of things. Some fish like the kribs may stick to themselves, but most cten species don't tolerate fish that are active and like to "move around", if that makes any sense lol.

Angelfish, kribs, and gouramis are the three that seem "okay" at least.

I hope that helps in anyway.

Thanks Flamingo. I am aware that 'Spot' will be quite large when he's done growing, and he definitely could eat some of these fish - which is why I'm trying to stock the tank with fish he won't be able to gobble up! And Spot seems very happy with his current tankmates - he swims among the bettas and the angels without any problems (comes right up to the surface to grab the flakes). (I had Danios in there for about a day and a half, and poor Spot was petrified to come out, so I moved them and brought back some of his previous tankmates.) Spot was originally in with guppies and platies and their rather active movement didn't bother him once he settled in - so I don't think my suggestions will be much of an issue for him (obviously him specifically, not his entire species). Thanks for the reminder, though!

[Ripley]

Originally Posted by emc7

A pair of kribs or angels will decide they need half the tank when they spawn and and won't tolerate other fish in the area. If you are prepared for that (like having a divider or empty 20 gallon tank standing by), they may do okay, but I tend not to keep them together because the kribs need caves on the bottom and the angels like leaves on top. Still they might work out in a large enough tank (75-90). I had one pearl gourami living with angels peaceably, but every time I've had 2 gouramis together, 1 kills the other. It may be a tank size thing, I got 4 kising gouramis that lived peacably in 150 (owner was moving), but they started attacking each other in a 20. I ended keeping them 1 to a tank.

I have been thinking about what might happen if kribs or the angels spawned, and it could work out okay, or be horrible! Hmmm... Should I maybe just keep one angel then? And no kribs? Stocking can be so tricky!

I'm trying to come up with something like, Spot, then another semi-large fish (kribs/angels/gouramis), and then a small/medium school of a larger tetra (the emperors or congo tetras), with the possibility of the cories for the bottom. It seems (to me) like that would cover most areas of the tank, without being horribly busy.