Advice With Stocking My Tank....want A "showfish"

[Squeegeatc]

I have a 55 gallon.  The only preferences are that I love kuhli loaches (and hope a school of 6 will make them happy and safe enough to be more active) and the husband wants a sizable school of neons.  Other than that, we are fairly open.  Above I posted about the other fish we are transfering to the 55, as well as the hope for that 1 (or 2) special fish that drag people to the tank.  Honestly, upping the neons to 18 or 24 might be that hook, if they school tightly.

 

[noobgamers]

I have a 55 gallon.  The only preferences are that I love kuhli loaches (and hope a school of 6 will make them happy and safe enough to be more active) and the husband wants a sizable school of neons.  Other than that, we are fairly open.  Above I posted about the other fish we are transfering to the 55, as well as the hope for that 1 (or 2) special fish that drag people to the tank.  Honestly, upping the neons to 18 or 24 might be that hook, if they school tightly.

 

a true flying fox would solve the algae problem and the show fish problem but you would have to get rid of the ghost shrimp if you have further algae problems consider a small pleco like a pitbull although they do count towards the bioload what is the stocking of your 10 gallon you might be able to transact some fish between tanks (just a suggestion) which could solve overstocking problems in the small tank hope it goes well

 

does that answer your question

 

[Squeegeatc]

Yes......and no!  LOL  There are so many options.  My LFS tried to tell me that a discus would be great in my tank.  Everything I read here says NO!.   Of course, one of my closest friends has an Angel pair in a 20 gallon with loads of neons.   And she has no problems.  I suppose I could take a gamble, grow my neon school, then toss in baby angels and pray.   But I'm really not a gambling kind of gal. 
 
And the flying fox looks boring!!!  I'd rather a dozen cherry shrimp. 
 
This is going to take a while anyway.   I need the current fish in their homes, with proper schools, and happy.  Then we can decide what else, if anything, can be added!!!
 
I truly appreciate the help! 
 
I know what I want........a BIG blue fish!  LOL   And that won't happen in a community tank!  But I'll be OK!  Can't have everything we want in life!

 

[Ninjouzata]

I'm a bit unsure as to why you're not going with the gourami? Not blue enough or? ;o
 
*Edit* I'm going to answer from your other thread here, since it seems to fit better here
 
I'd think a gourami would be fine with the neons, but have not had mine with neons personally. She is in with rummynose tetras though.
And at one point she was with spotted blue-eyes which are small like the neons, no issues.
 
I think the gouramis that come in blue are dwarf & 3-spot.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I really thought they were more aggressive.  I love them!!   Looks like I know what I will end up with then.   How many are recommended?

 

[Ninjouzata]

I really thought they were more aggressive.  I love them!!   Looks like I know what I will end up with then.   How many are recommended?

I'd think 3 is the limit, but that will also depend upon the other stocking. I'm not quite sure what it all is yet.
It may have gourami, khuli loaches, neon tetras..and I know you have other stuff but not sure what's staying and going anymore due to difficulties re-homing?

 

[Squeegeatc]

Following the current plan of stock I will have:
 
6- Black Skirt Tetras (long fin)  (already have)
6- Harlequin Rasboras  (have 3)
12 -Neon Tetras    (hope to add half next week)
5- Kuhli Loaches (I REALLY want)
5- Otos  (i like a lot but could pass if i needed to)
10- ghost shrimp (have 1, so could easily just drop them from the list, but they are fun to look for)
 
I also have a single guppy, a female Red Wag platy, and a Mickey Mouse platy.   I'm attempting to rehome them.   if NOT, I may just add a few Red Wags and hope they aren't as fertile as the mollies I had once.
The kids are begging for a frog, but the last 2 died very soon.  One got caught in the filter intake.  We put a foam cover on it.   Not sure WHY the 2nd one died.  High nitrate might have had something to do with it.  That was before I knew to test.
 
I think my new tank is doing decent.......There is already a slime of sorts on the hoses.  Still using test strips, but I hope to move to vials this weekend.  At the very least, an ammonia test.  If the levels look OK, I may add stock a tad faster.   Adding the old filter really seems to be speeding up things.   I LOVE it.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Hmm..
 
You could add the blue gourami, though I'm not sure how many since I'm not the best at stocking numbers.
Concerned about the skirt tetras though as they can be pretty nippy & gourami have these long feelers that are enticing.
 
Have you looked at german blue rams? They're also blue.
They stay at the bottom mainly so wouldn't be as much of a target by the skirts. You'd want to provide some caves though.
 
Platys are livebearers so if you have a male & a female..you're going to have fry.

 

[Squeegeatc]

Fry----exactly!   Trying HARD to rehome the suckers!!!  LOL  I have at LEAST a month before I work on the fancy fish.  One skirt is extremely nippy.   A bully!  I'll keep my options open for now. 

 

[Squeegeatc]

MIGHT have a home at the school for the platys.  YAY.  I'll probably have to help them set it all up, though.  I'll send them with my filter AND my water, so that will help a LOT.  OH----nitrates now down to 20!!  YIPPEE!!!!  I'm saving that dang tank 1 WC at a time!!

 

[noobgamers]

Yes......and no!  LOL  There are so many options.  My LFS tried to tell me that a discus would be great in my tank.  Everything I read here says NO!.   Of course, one of my closest friends has an Angel pair in a 20 gallon with loads of neons.   And she has no problems.  I suppose I could take a gamble, grow my neon school, then toss in baby angels and pray.   But I'm really not a gambling kind of gal. 
 
And the flying fox looks boring!!!  I'd rather a dozen cherry shrimp. 
 
This is going to take a while anyway.   I need the current fish in their homes, with proper schools, and happy.  Then we can decide what else, if anything, can be added!!!
 
I truly appreciate the help! 
 
I know what I want........a BIG blue fish!  LOL   And that won't happen in a community tank!  But I'll be OK!  Can't have everything we want in life!

for a show fish you might be able to have a blue or opaline gourami and just hope for the best after all it is quite often possible to return fish if things dont go well as you said your friend has kept fish in one of the most unlikely partnerships and its worked out fine so a gourami and shrimp/small-ish fish is easy in comparison

We have a new 55 gallon tank.   I have an overstocked 10 gallon right now (thank you PetSmart) and am now trying to do things the correct way.  The old fish to be moved are as follows
 
Harlequin Rasboras--3
Black Skirt Tetra---3
Ghost Shrimp--at least 1, but maybe more.  
Rainbow Guppy--1
Red Platy--1
Mickey Mouse Platy--1
 
 
I know the last 3 should be kept in schools.  The guppy was a surprise fish.  It came as fry with the ghost shrimp!   I had 3 of each kind of platy, but I didn't realize the tank wasn't heated.  That problem has been rectified.  I do NOT want to add more platys or guppys.   I don't have a problem growing my Tetra and Rasbora schools to a proper size.   The online info all says 3, but you guys say 6.  Why?  My husband wants a fairly large school of neons.  Probably 10 or 12.  I want some khuli loaches.  Adding just those 2 fish breeds to the tank almost brings us to full stock.  I have maybe enough room for 1 larger showcase fish.   I love the angel fish, but realize that will be a nono with the neons.   Is there anything else that we can add?
 
Also, we will need the cleanup crew.   The Otocinclus---does that "count" toward the bioload?  Snails, or not?   shrimp, crabs, even frogs? 
 
Or do I need yet a bigger tank for all that I want??!! 
 
Thank you in advance.  
Squeek
 
 

btw with your stocking your current fish about 10 gallons worth with khulis and neons 40 gallons worth so yes you have plenty of room for a show fish and possibly enough to increase the shoal sizes of the platies and guppys if you wanted

 

[cjheck]

I have a powder blue dward gourami with some tetras and guppies, no problems in my tank!

 

[Squeegeatc]

Noobgamers--That list was the current residents.   We are planning on the following
 
6 Black Skirt Tetras
6 Harlequin Rasboras
12 Neon Tetras
6 Kuhli  Loaches
 
THEN, I am hoping for a few Otos, shrimp, and probably the Gourami.  But these last additions will be with very very careful consideration about space in the tank. 
 
Cjeck--I'd love to see a picture!!

 

[cjheck]

I'll post a photo tomorrow. My stock is

6 neon tetras
4 male fancy guppies
4 ghost shrimp
1 baby pleco
1 male powder blue dwarf gourami

They all get along well, have had them for a few weeks.