Species-only stocking advice for 55g

[BeckyCats]

Hi! I am considering a species-only or even a specimen-only tank and am looking for suggestions. I prefer something that will have interesting behavior to watch, not something that will just sit in one spot in the aquarium most of the day.

The aquarium is a 55 gallon long. My water is soft and leans towards lower pH (<7).

I prefer planted tanks but am willing to forego that if the critter is cool enough.

I'm totally open to anything that will be happy in the environment I can provide for it. A few specifics:

• I've been considering a cichlid single or pair, but obvious there are many types. Any suggestions on cichlids that would be happy in a 55g as an only or pair?
• I've thought about keeping several pea puffers as I've read that they sometimes like to be together but also like to have space to be on their own. Any advice on this? Quantities, environment, or maybe just "don't do it"?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[GaryE]

The most likely fish to sit there passively is any lone fish that should be social, or a predator with no stimulation.

I would never have a single fish 55 g.

I do however have single species tanks galore.

I'll bounce this right back at you. What kind of behaviour interests you? Territories? Broodcare? Shoaling? Foraging? Nest building?

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello Becky. Hey, love your cat picture. We have eight that range in age from 14 to not quite one year. Cats are great! Anyway, I have a species only 55 gallon with 18 Giant Danios. They're very energetic and fairly colorful.

10

 

[Beastije]

Any of the acaras I guess could work as a species only. Or a channa tank, if you can get over the "feeding fish to fish" obstacle. Or one of the smaller loaches or botias. One type of barb. Many choices what to do, but even more choices what I wouldnt do.
Corydoras only tank. Most of the gouramis only tank (I know honeys get too shy, even in a group, if without dithers). Any of the apistogramma or other cave spawners that take their queues from the dithers. Smaller tetras (they tend to be boring on their own). Shelldwellers only (they only occupy the bottom half of the tank also wouldnt fit in your water params).

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello again. Did want to show you a picture of this Giant Danio tank. I put in a piece of Mopani wood and the rest of the decorations are just things I picked up around the water areas where I live. The plants are Anacharis, a little Horn Wort and some Anubias.

10

 

[Magnum Man]

Silver Dollars are flashy, energetic, & peaceful... I'm in the process of putting a few varieties in with a Bichir, & a pleco, in a 55 gallon... I have several of the regular silver ones, & several of the tiger stripes... waiting for spotted ones to get back in stock everywhere... I may have to grow them some, to prevent the Bichir from eating them... I got the tigers after the silvers,. as they are normally harder to find... thinking the spotted ones may be seasonal, as they are normally pretty easy to find... there are several others as well...

 

[BeckyCats]

The most likely fish to sit there passively is any lone fish that should be social, or a predator with no stimulation.

I would never have a single fish 55 g.

I do however have single species tanks galore.

I'll bounce this right back at you. What kind of behaviour interests you? Territories? Broodcare? Shoaling? Foraging? Nest building?

Hmmm. What kind of behavior interests me.... Good question. I would say foraging and interaction with the environment are probably the most interesting behaviors to me. I love watching critters poke about and look at/interact with things in the aquarium. I have a 55g with crayfish in it and they are the most interesting animals I've ever had in an aquarium. I'm hoping there might be a fish that is equally as interesting.

No breeding because I have nowhere to put babies. Even independent pet stores already have enough of most species that readily breed. I'm not looking to add to the pet overpopulation problem.

With regards to a single fish, I've read occasionally that certain fish are best by themselves in specimen-only tanks. I can't think of what at the moment (oscars maybe?) but I also think most were fish too large for a 55gal. But I'm open to having a single fish if that's what is truly best for that fish. Other than a betta. I've had a betta in a 10 gallon and one in a 29 gallon, so I would like something different for this 55gal.

 

[BeckyCats]

Any of the acaras I guess could work as a species only. Or a channa tank, if you can get over the "feeding fish to fish" obstacle. Or one of the smaller loaches or botias. One type of barb. Many choices what to do, but even more choices what I wouldnt do.
Corydoras only tank. Most of the gouramis only tank (I know honeys get too shy, even in a group, if without dithers). Any of the apistogramma or other cave spawners that take their queues from the dithers. Smaller tetras (they tend to be boring on their own). Shelldwellers only (they only occupy the bottom half of the tank also wouldnt fit in your water params).

The blue acara is actually on my "research further" list. I saw a juvenile green terror at a pet store that was hiding behind the filter and it looked so cute. I researched it but from what I read, it will grow too large for a 55 gallon tank. The blue acara is mentioned in wikipedia as being often confused for the green terror, but is smaller.

Regarding the channa/snakehead fish, from what I just read, I feel that even the dward varieties will get too large for my aquarium.

I agree completely about corys. Corys are adorable and fascinating but as a species-only, it isn't really necessary. They get along with everyone, so there's no need to segregate them.

Regarding gouramis, I've only had pearl gouramis, but from my experience with them, they are too shy. The paradise gourami is on my "research further" list though.

I adore shellies but you are spot-on with regards to my water parameters. I would have to adjust the water every time I do a water change and frankly, I have other hobbies, kids, and a life to live. Water changes I happily do. Water parameter changes, no thanks. lol!

And I hate to say it, but I agree about tetras being a little boring by themselves. Because of availability and their suitability to my water, I've mostly had various tetras and I'm ready to move on to something a little different.

 

[GaryE]

The high bodied, flat sided tetras of the serpae shape (or serpaes themselves) are beautiful fish that get a bad rep for nippiness. They are territorial, but their territories tend not to be rigid. I would consider a big group of them in a 55. They would forage and dance off endlessly. The behaviour that makes them poor choices for a mixed community can make them fun to watch in a larger single species tank where all the other fish know and live by their rules.

Corydoras only tanks are fun, but better in a lower 40 than a taller 55. Corydoras melini, arcuatus or any of the interestingly marked ones are among my favourite fish to watch in large groups.

If you could find an affordable source of Pseudomugil luminatus , say 20 plus of them, they would be a great show. The males like to dance off with their elaborate fins. They are small though.

I like fish with ritual showdowns between males - dance offs. Most larger fish just try to wallop each other in the throat, but little ones can have complex, ritual aggression where no one gets hurt.

The ultimate would be hard, a dozen or more Aphyosemion biteniatum or bivittatum killies. They'll dance all day long, and will breed in limited numbers so your group can grow without overcrowding. Alas, they aren't popular.

 

[BeckyCats]

Silver Dollars are flashy, energetic, & peaceful... I'm in the process of putting a few varieties in with a Bichir, & a pleco, in a 55 gallon... I have several of the regular silver ones, & several of the tiger stripes... waiting for spotted ones to get back in stock everywhere... I may have to grow them some, to prevent the Bichir from eating them... I got the tigers after the silvers,. as they are normally harder to find... thinking the spotted ones may be seasonal, as they are normally pretty easy to find... there are several others as well...

I love silver dollars but my research on them suggests that they are large and need to be in groups of at least 6, and need to be in a minimum of 75 gallons, preferably 125. A larger tank is on my wishlist, but until it materializes, I can't consider them unfortunately.

 

[emeraldking]

Dwarf chichlids from South America like Apistogramma species would do fine in there as well...

 

[BeckyCats]

The high bodied, flat sided tetras of the serpae shape (or serpaes themselves) are beautiful fish that get a bad rep for nippiness. They are territorial, but their territories tend not to be rigid. I would consider a big group of them in a 55. They would forage and dance off endlessly. The behaviour that makes them poor choices for a mixed community can make them fun to watch in a larger single species tank where all the other fish know and live by their rules.

Corydoras only tanks are fun, but better in a lower 40 than a taller 55. Corydoras melini, arcuatus or any of the interestingly marked ones are among my favourite fish to watch in large groups.

If you could find an affordable source of Pseudomugil luminatus , say 20 plus of them, they would be a great show. The males like to dance off with their elaborate fins. They are small though.

I like fish with ritual showdowns between males - dance offs. Most larger fish just try to wallop each other in the throat, but little ones can have complex, ritual aggression where no one gets hurt.

The ultimate would be hard, a dozen or more Aphyosemion biteniatum or bivittatum killies. They'll dance all day long, and will breed in limited numbers so your group can grow without overcrowding. Alas, they aren't popular.

Thank you. I will research the species you mention. I only know of one store nearby that I've regularly seen killifish, so availability might be an issue, but I suppose I could order online once the weather is warmer if I decide to go with something like that.

 

[Ichthys]

What are the dimensions of a “55 gallon long”?

 

[Beastije]

you could find an affordable source of Pseudomugil luminatus , say 20 plus of them, they would be a great show. The males like to dance off with their elaborate fins. They are small though.

I tend to disagree. They are shallow water fish that like small spaces and shallow tanks. In larger tanks you never see them and they are scared. Plop them in a smaller tank and suddenly you have a stunning fish that i just wrote. But above 30 cm And it is not it

 

[BeckyCats]

What are the dimensions of a “55 gallon long”?

48" x 13" x 21"
~208 liters