55g stocking ideas

[rookiefishguy]

Hi all,

I have a 55g I just bought and am cycling. I am looking for some stocking ideas and have come up with the following. As a note, the 9 black skirt tetras will be coming from another tank I have and will have to be in the stocking plan no matter what.

Option 1:
up my black skirts from 9 to 15
7 peppered cories
3 honey gourami's
5 otos
2 german blue rams

Option 2:
9 black skirt tetras
9 cardinal tetras
7 peppered cories
1 honey gourami
5 otos
1 Electric Blue Acara (dont know if i can get away with this one)

Option 3
up my black skirts from 9 to 15
7 peppered cories
1 honey gourami's
5 otos
1 angelfish

Obviously the main difference in these ideas is i'm changing out the centerpiece fish but also open to other ideas not presented here.

 

[Guyb93]

Hi all,

I have a 55g I just bought and am cycling. I am looking for some stocking ideas and have come up with the following. As a note, the 9 black skirt tetras will be coming from another tank I have and will have to be in the stocking plan no matter what.

Option 1:
up my black skirts from 9 to 15
7 peppered cories
3 honey gourami's
5 otos
2 german blue rams

Option 2:
9 black skirt tetras
9 cardinal tetras
7 peppered cories
1 honey gourami
5 otos
1 Electric Blue Acara (dont know if i can get away with this one)

Option 3
up my black skirts from 9 to 15
7 peppered cories
1 honey gourami's
5 otos
1 angelfish

Obviously the main difference in these ideas is i'm changing out the centerpiece fish but also open to other ideas not presented here.

What are the tank dimensions, I’d always go for the electric blue acara if the tank is 55g long , that’s just personal preference

 

[rookiefishguy]

tank is 48inches long by 12 inches wide. so it is quite long which is why I even considered the acara. I just don't know how they would do alone since it would just be the 1 centerpiece fish with the other stocking i recommended. I could potentially drop the cardinals in Option 2 and do 2 acara's

 

[Guyb93]

tank is 48inches long by 12 inches wide. so it is quite long which is why I even considered the acara. I just don't know how they would do alone since it would just be the 1 centerpiece fish with the other stocking i recommended. I could potentially drop the cardinals in Option 2 and do 2 acara's

I think you could have two in a 4ft with the stock you want they are generally peaceful in there nature and I love them lol

 

[rookiefishguy]

I think the peaceful side of them is why I like them more than the angelfish option lol

 

[Guyb93]

I think the peaceful side of them is why I like them more than the angelfish option lol

Don’t get me wrong if you end up having a pair and they breed they can be aggressive but with the stock you plan on having with them I wouldn’t see any issue as they know they own the tank without displaying any aggression kind of thing

 

[rookiefishguy]

Thanks a bunch for your help! found someone who's selling 4 newer born EBA's locally so may pick them all up in 2 weeks. So may have to readjust my stock idea a bit hahah

Maybe just the 4 EBAs, the black skirts and then some cories and call it a day.

 

[AilyNC]

I love cories. I think they're the most fun in the tank. I found the best tank i have is fish that matched temperament and are all easy going. I hate fighty fish.

 

[Electric Warrior]

Just my opinion, but if you're definitely going to keep BST, then I would probably forget about the angelfish, especially if you're only going to have one. They are notorious at being fin nippers, and angels are like a dream on a plate for them. I've heard of them basically taking down much larger fish as well. Supposedly keeping a large group (10-12+) should minimise this behaviour, but even then nothing is guaranteed with them. I think acaras would be fine with them since they can hold their own, but I wouldn't try it with one single angel.

 

[rookiefishguy]

What are the tank dimensions, I’d always go for the electric blue acara if the tank is 55g long , that’s just personal preference

Just my opinion, but if you're definitely going to keep BST, then I would probably forget about the angelfish, especially if you're only going to have one. They are notorious at being fin nippers, and angels are like a dream on a plate for them. I've heard of them basically taking down much larger fish as well. Supposedly keeping a large group (10-12+) should minimise this behaviour, but even then nothing is guaranteed with them. I think acaras would be fine with them since they can hold their own, but I wouldn't try it with one single angel.

Yeah agreed, i'm moving away from the angelfish, I think i'm sold on the electric blue acara at this point as the centerpiece fish.

I have actually had nothing but good things to say about my black skirts, guess i got a good batch! I may up their number to 12.

So final stocking:
9-12 black skirts
3-4 Electric Blue acaras
6-7 cories (hopefully ones that are on the bigger side)

any objections before I seal my fate?

 

[UnknownFishies]

I personally have 3 dwarf gouramis( i know they aren’t the same fish) but i think they really bring the tank to life.

 

[rookiefishguy]

I personally have 3 dwarf gouramis( i know they aren’t the same fish) but i think they really bring the tank to life.

I actually have a honey gourami I was thinking of putting in there. Not aggressive at all but big enough to not fit in an Acara's mouth