planning the 55 gal

[Nix]

ok I plan on getting a 55 gal in the near future
and would greatly appreacate your words of wisdom!

Ok i wanna have a community
heres what i got so far and will more than likley sound over stock tell im if it is
1. 15+ neon tetras
2. 4 sword tails
3. 3 or 5 red eye tertras (is there a good number for these fish)?
4. a group of like 3 ottos or one bristle nose
5. 6 cories
6. 10+ ghost shrimp
7. like 5 kuhlie loaches
8. a good size snail
9. 3 hatchet fish for the top


Does this sound good?
are these fish compadiblE?
is it over stocked?
Also any other compeltly differnent stock list or opinion on what
i should get would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jaywings19]

It would help to understand your water parameters: pH and hardness

I'm not an expert... but I think the swordtails require alkaline/hard water... whereas the tetras require acidic/soft water. Since it looks like you have mostly soft water fish, then you might have to lose the swortails.

Can anyone else validate this?

 

[Nix]

Could i replace the swords with some platies if this is a bad combo

 

[emjay653]

Platies are pretty much the same as Swordtails when it comes to environment, as they require pH 7.0 - 8.0 and Medium hard water.

Mj

 

[CFC]

All the common livebearers preffer hard alkeline water with a little salt added. Why not add a pair of dwarf cichlids ( one of the appistogramma species) and a couple more hatchets instead of the platies?

 

[BlackWolf0503]

Would the Dwarf Chiclids by to agressive for the tank?

 

[juanveldez]

the apistos are some of the most peacful cichlids there are. they might take a nibble of a neon every now and then but for they most part they would be safe and also the apistos like to be kept in trios of one male to two females.

 

[Nix]

sweet i really like this idea!