55 Gallon Stocking Help

[BelldandyShanny]

you can always get a pair of female kribs, the should still make a nice display setting off eachother's colors and no babies would happen

 

[Dmbandstef]

Hmm thats a good idea. Just did a little looking around on the internet and it seems like that would work, and i read and have been told that kribs and rainbow sharks can live together as long as there are 2 caves. I was looking into a blood parrot also. I dont wanna hear any crap about how they are mutants and whatever else. They need love too! Lol. Both of these cichlids can be successful with rainbows and tetras so looks like i have some choices.

2 female kribensis OR
1 blood parrot
10 skirt tetras
1 rainbow shark.

 

[BelldandyShanny]

oh yes, the more caves and hiding places the better! and plants, many many plants! I really do love watching them, mine have just spawned and I'm keeping a watchful eye on the baby cave =)

 

[Dmbandstef]

You think 2 female would get along?

 

[BelldandyShanny]

they would have territories, but it should work just fine.  The thing about kribs is that they don't show off their best colors alone (typically) Though you should provide a cave for each.... one for your shark as well. Put one in the middle and one on each side of your tank and you should be fine, they will argue a bit while they establish a home base but that will settle down after a while. I have kribs and rams and they do get alone fine once they know where home is.

 

[Dmbandstef]

I think im going with the parrot. They are large but i am able to keep tankmates with one in a 55 gallon. Also they are compatible with the fish i already have. Thank you for all your input.

 

[BelldandyShanny]

get what suits you! that is the beauty of fish keeping, every tank is a little different!

 

[Dmbandstef]

Absolutely. I want to make the best of my tank and need advice from other fish keepers from time to time. Cant believe everything they tell you at the LFS.

 

[BelldandyShanny]

you can barely believe any of it! haha *same with rats I've found* just cause someone works there doesn't mean they know squat

 

[Doomchibi]

If you really want to keep both the raphael and shark in the same tank, get lots of pieces of wood, plants etc to keep on the bottom and break up line of sight. I have a rainbow shark and african featherfin catfish sharing a tank and since they have had more wood and plants added, they hardly if ever get aggressive with eachother and when they do, one is always quick to move somewhere else. I also have angelfish in the tank and so far I don't think the shark has even noticed they exist, or if it has it doesn't care enough to nip at them because they hang around the middle and top of the tank.

 

[Dmbandstef]

Ok, it has been a little while so i figured I'd give you an update. I ended up getting a blue acara and everybody is doing great. Here is my stock:

1 rainbow shark
1 blue acara
6 black skirt tetras
6 giant danios
3 green cory cats
1 raphael catfish

I plan on trading in the raphael and rainbow shark due to overstocking issues that will come up in the future. I have started a topic on that if you would like to comment on that particular subject.

 

[Doomchibi]

You should up the corydoras to a school of 6 is possible, they like bigger groups.