Got a New 55 Gallon help me pick out my fish

[The Gallonator]

Hey everyone, this is my first post, but not my first fish tank. I've just got a 55 gallon got a 70 gallon sized filter with bio-wheels, 200 watt heater and powerhead. The bottom is silca sand. My pervious tank was a tall 20 gallon that i had for 2 years. I had to give it up when i moved but now i just got a 55 for my brithday. I've only had it a week, its cycling right now, so it will be about a month before its ready. Orignally i wanted to try a Cichlid tank, but i think this is alittle to small for most, so i think i'll stick with tropical.

I dont know my speices and habbits all that well, so i'm looking for help from you guys. I'd take a hardy fish over a pretty one. Size and number doesnt really matter to me, the only fish i dont want are tiger barbs, i had them before and took a long time to get the fin nipping down. Odviously i dont need bala sharks, or a common pelco, or something that will get tooo big

So what do you guys recommend

[Dr_House]

Congratulations on the new tank! We always love stocking other people's tanks for them.

Are you into slow-moving fish or a more active tank?

If you like slow-moving, a couple pairs of angels, a school of harlequin rasboras, a pair of rams (blue, gold or bolivian) and a school of cories is a nice touch. A few Otos to control algae, if you have decent lighting.

If you prefer a more active tank, perhaps a pair of firemouths, a group of dwarf rainbows as dithers and a group of yo yo loaches.

Or you could do a pair of severum, if you like fewer really big fish.

Just some ideas. If you like any of them, I can get more specific on numbers. I'm sure you'll have a lot more ideas to think over.

[locojay]

That's funny, I just bought my 55g with birthday money and will be starting my cycle hopefully in the next couple weeks. I'll have to tag along with you here looking for ideas.

[Phantom_Cichlid]

are you going for color

[The Gallonator]

i'm really just going for hardyness over anything else, medium sized fish, other than that, i'm open to any suggestsions

[Zoe]

You could go with a mbuna tank, get lots of nice rocks in there and some colourful chichlids...

You could get a few discus

You could get some angels and some neons and harlequin rasboras

You could get some dwarf gouramis and some neons and harlies and glass catfish

There are some cute community cichlids like kribensis, blue rams, apistos, keyhole, that you could build your tank around. get a pair of whichever you like and add some schoals...

Lots and lots of possibilities What do YOU want?

Zoe

[girth vader]

I say go with a nice shoal of Parkinsoni rainbows and bosemani rainbows, a few dwarfs and a shoal of cories with a male BN to top it off. Lots of plants too. Heck sell the 55g and grab a 100g and then double the numbers of the fish I just gave ya! but seriously I did that same setup and it looked great. they are in a 90g now with a few other tank mates. hearty, active and colourful can you tell I like rainbows?????

[JustOneMore20]

I second the rainbowfish idea. I wanted to do my new 55g as a Rainbow tank until I decided to go with African Cichlids. Girth gave ya a good idea!

If you do want African cichlids though, you could have a Peaco-ck tank or a Mbuna tank easy. I have a 55g Mbuna tank with Yellow labs (Labidochromis caeruleus) and P. socolofi albinos. I'm going to add some Cynotilapia afra cobue and Rusty cichlids too! All these get about 5 inches with the cobue getting about 4....so it works in a 55g.

You could go with the old 2 schools of tetras, a few angelfish, and some cories tank....thats what I have in my other 55g.

Its really up to you. I'd browse around at the LFS and see whats available...that way we will know what fish you can get (if you want to buy locally) and you can get some ideas.

Welcome to the site by the way!!

[girth vader]

Originally Posted by JustOneMore20

I second the rainbowfish idea. I wanted to do my new 55g as a Rainbow tank until I decided to go with African Cichlids. Girth gave ya a good idea!

If you do want African cichlids though, you could have a Peaco-ck tank or a Mbuna tank easy. I have a 55g Mbuna tank with Yellow labs (Labidochromis caeruleus) and P. socolofi albinos. I'm going to add some Cynotilapia afra cobue and Rusty cichlids too! All these get about 5 inches with the cobue getting about 4....so it works in a 55g.

You could go with the old 2 schools of tetras, a few angelfish, and some cories tank....thats what I have in my other 55g.

Its really up to you. I'd browse around at the LFS and see whats available...that way we will know what fish you can get (if you want to buy locally) and you can get some ideas.

Welcome to the site by the way!!

Good point JOM, I'm such a jack*ss. What we suggest may not be what's available to you. What sort of fish stores are available near you, large chains, mom and pops (lfs). that will probably dictate what you put in just as much as our suggestions. also cost. Rainbows are not cheap. So maybe you could give us a budget you had in mind for livestock.

zig.

[The Gallonator]

LFS are Petsmart (about 2 miles away) and PetCO about 10miles away. There are a few mom and pop fish stores, but they are mostly marine.

Do you guys have any pics of the fish you listed, that would help out alot. I've got a book that has several i'm reading right now.

I'd really rather not got more than $30.00 a fish, but thats not a absolute limit. Oh i got an areator today to for a 40-70 gallon tank. Tank should have plenty of 0xygen

[locojay]

Originally Posted by The Gallonator

Do you guys have any pics of the fish you listed, that would help out alot. I've got a book that has several i'm reading right now.

Here's a website that was given to me in another thread. It should be of some help.

http://www.aquahobby.com/e_gallery.php

[Dr_House]

parkinsoni rainbow
boesmani rainbow
dwarf rainbow
firemouth
green severum (comes in several variants including gold, which is quite attractive)

There are a few to get you started.

[The Gallonator]

of all those, the firemouths look very pretty. What would go good with them? Can you keep just one firemouth or must they be in pairs?

[JustOneMore20]

Just wait until you see these guys!

Cynotilapia afra (cobue)
Yellow lab
Rusty Cichlid
Snow White Socolofi

Ahh...the firemouths always attract people . They are pretty...but I'm not sure about tankmates....or if they must be kept alone...sorry! I'm one of those people that like to put alot of small fish in a big tank...not a big fish kind of person. Maybe one of these other guys can help ya with the firemouth question.

[The Gallonator]

oooo that yellow lab is nice too

[Dr_House]

Always gotta swoop in and steal my thunder, don't you, Kristin? jk

With the firemouths, it's good to have some dithers to get them out. Mine were very shy until I added fish. You can go with most any smaller fish with these guys. As long as the tank isn't overcrowded and they have a little cave for territory, your options are pretty well open.

If you want a single specimen, that's fine. I'd make sure to get a male since they are more attractive (males have fin extensions on the dorsal fin and tend to have brighter colors).

The dwarf rainbows have already been suggested and would be a good choice.

You could also add a good size group of Congo Tetras. I've never seen a picture of these that does them justice, but they are quite attractive and will do well to fill in the upper portion of your water column.

If you want some larger fish also, you may want to consider a couple of pearl gourami . Were it my aquarium, I would omit the gourami and have larger groups of rainbows and congo tetras, but that's just me.

I would also have a group of yo yo loaches or corydoras catfish as bottom feeders. This stocking list would achieve a very balanced, active aquarium with some fairly resilient fish.

Of course the mbuna, as Kristin suggested, are very popular and the color can't be beat. I prefer the firemouth only because of its personality.

[JustOneMore20]

Always gotta swoop in and steal my thunder, don't you, Kristin?

Sowwy!

Dr House has given you some excellent suggestions! Congo tetras are gorgeous. I've never seen them in person, but in pictures they are beautiful. And I personally love Pearl Gouramis. They look so peaceful.

I would also have a group of yo yo loaches or corydoras catfish as bottom feeders.

You definitely need some loaches or cories...no tank is complete with one of the two IMO...and a tank with both is even better!

[Fishfirst]

Quote: "There are a few mom and pop fish stores, but they are mostly marine."


that should be a hint on what you should do right there! Look at these beauts! You'll never find a freshwater fish as pretty as these!

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=444
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=551
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=181
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=366
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1397

[Dr_House]

Fishfirst

You've got a point, but...

Originally Posted by The Gallonator

I'd take a hardy fish over a pretty one.

We all know what happens when we assume, but it sounds like The Gallonator is a fish-keeper after my own heart. I'd love a gorgeous saltwater aquarium, but that's a lot of extra work and expense.

[Fishfirst]

there are plenty of marines who are hardy enough for the occasional small mishap...

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=755
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=228
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=199
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=168
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p....cfm?pCatId=85

+hundreds of spp. of damsels.

Heck, most of my marines have lived longer than any of my tropical fish except for my piranhas.