55 gal stocking ideas

[Gizaroo2]

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I've been on the site. I finally was able to get a 55 gallon tank to go on the stand I've had in storage for years.

Now that I have it, I need stocking ideas! I kind of would like to have some angels, but am pretty open to ideas. I want a community.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Sgooosh]

wow
thats a nice deal!
not good with stocking, perhaps i can help with decorations..
i think an angel only tank would be good, they are aggressive.
tetras maybe?

 

[Gizaroo2]

I haven't thought of a theme yet. The wood there jumped out at me so probably will have that as the centerpiece..using black sand as substrate. Thinking lots of crypts, Java ferns. Going to try some sword plants and maybe vals again but didn't have much luck with then prior.

 

[Sgooosh]

I haven't thought of a theme yet. The wood there jumped out at me so probably will have that as the centerpiece..using black sand as substrate. Thinking lots of crypts, Java ferns. Going to try some sword plants and maybe vals again but didn't have much luck with then prior.

make sure you dont give a lot of lihgt to sword plants
and a lot of light to crypts (in my opinion)
swords dont like a lot of light
idk about java fern cuz mine is not good
ooh vals, tell me how it goes.
w/about anubais?
at my lfs a bunch of anubias was on a huge wood and looked amazing

 

[Gizaroo2]

make sure you dont give a lot of lihgt to sword plants
and a lot of light to crypts (in my opinion)
swords dont like a lot of light
idk about java fern cuz mine is not good
ooh vals, tell me how it goes.
w/about anubais?
at my lfs a bunch of anubias was on a huge wood and looked amazing

I have a ton of anubias and Java fern that I can use from my other tanks. I'm just not sure how I want to use it yet lol

 

[Sgooosh]

I have a ton of anubias and Java fern that I can use from my other tanks. I'm just not sure how I want to use it yet lol

oh ok.
what i was thinking is that you could attatch anubias to wood, and plant some nice tall ferns in the back?

 

[Circus]

Do you know the ph and gh levels? That will probably be the deciding factor in the range of fish kept, unless you are willing to soften or harden your water (which can be tricky without practice).

 

[Gizaroo2]

Do you know the ph and gh levels? That will probably be the deciding factor in the range of fish kept, unless you are willing to soften or harden your water (which can be tricky without practice).

Last I checked (it's been a couple of years) Tds was 40ppm, from what my tester says. Ph with my liquid test kit somewhere between 6.4 and 6.6.

 

[Gizaroo2]

I'll look around and see if I can find the tester again. I may have to order a new one

 

[Circus]

Soft water then, which gives you a lot of options. You could do angels, but it seems like people get mixed results for community tanks with them.
For soft water there are so many options. Most tetra, barbs, rasbora, anabantoids, eartheaters, plecos, and catfish would work. Central and South American cichlids.
In my 55 I have pearl gourami, black ruby barbs, harlequin rasbora, cardinal tetra, a longfin bn pleco, and yoyo loaches. That gives me top, middle, and bottom dwelling fish.
I am not sure what community fish could go with angels. Perhaps someone else could input? Perhaps @Byron ?

 

[BlueJungle]

I have 245 litre (approx 65 us gallon) community tank with a single Angelfish, dwarf neon rainbow fish and harlequin Rasbora. This combination has worked really well for me, although I believe my Angelfish is a very laidback dude

 

[Gizaroo2]

Soft water then, which gives you a lot of options. You could do angels, but it seems like people get mixed results for community tanks with them.
For soft water there are so many options. Most tetra, barbs, rasbora, anabantoids, eartheaters, plecos, and catfish would work. Central and South American cichlids.
In my 55 I have pearl gourami, black ruby barbs, harlequin rasbora, cardinal tetra, a longfin bn pleco, and yoyo loaches. That gives me top, middle, and bottom dwelling fish.
I am not sure what community fish could go with angels. Perhaps someone else could input? Perhaps @Byron ?

I'm not 100% sold on angels...I've just kind of always wanted some. I can definitely go a different route

 

[Astronomiii]

I haven't thought of a theme yet. The wood there jumped out at me so probably will have that as the centerpiece..using black sand as substrate. Thinking lots of crypts, Java ferns. Going to try some sword plants and maybe vals again but didn't have much luck with then prior.

i was thinking since u have that beutiful wood, try making a river themed! Fine black sand, or fine river(light brown) sand, and stock with maybe gouramis or angels for your starpiece top dweller, and a rainbow shark for your bottom dweller, for schooling to go with ur starpiece, try african congo tetra

 

[Byron]

I haven't thought of a theme yet. The wood there jumped out at me so probably will have that as the centerpiece..using black sand as substrate. Thinking lots of crypts, Java ferns. Going to try some sword plants and maybe vals again but didn't have much luck with then prior.

Th issue with Vallisneria is most likely the soft water; I have very soft water and the Vallisneria "managed" for a time, but never really thrived. They are native to one of the rift lakes, which tells us they like hard water. The other plants mentioned are OK in this regard.

When you come to build the aquascape, position the wood off centre; the space will appear larger, and it will not be so "artificial".

 

[Byron]

Re the angelfish, that could be done but not all angelfish aquarists would agree in this small a tank space. A group of say five or six might start out OK, but along the way a pair is likely to form, and that can spell trouble, requiring the removal of either the pair to another tank, or the removal of the other angelfish. A dominant male could easily result in the harassment and even death of subordinate fish. Gourami would be a better option, Pearls were mentioned and a good species; or rainbowfish. Then smaller shoaling/schooling species in decent-sized groups depending what centrepiece you go with. Some rainbowfish need harder water than what seems to be the case here.