Overcrowding 55gal Tank?

[Ken]

I am thinking of stocking a 55 gallon tank with the following:

3 sailfin mollie

3 speartails

2 dwarf gourami

4-6 albino corries

2 African cichlid (a small variety)

6-10 tetras or other small schooling fish

3-6 kuli loach

1 small pleco

Does this sound like compatable mix, or is it too much?

[Grassguy]

What kind of pleco? If you get a common, he may be small now, but he will get big. Anytime you're planning for your fish keep in mind their max size. You can by them small, but they will grow. If you plan for the max, it will help you keep from overstocking.

[JSchmidt]

The biggest problems I see are the african cichlids. Even the 'smaller' varieties can decimate a tank of milder fish. Also, many species of african cichlids (i.e., Rift Lake cichlids) need very different water parameters than some of the fish you cite (e.g., the tetras).

Leave out the cichlids and you'll be happier, I predict!

Good luck,
Jim

[LMOUTHBASS]

i think your ok there -
as for african cichlids i'm no expert but hear hey need very specific water conditions however
a pair of kribs shoul work
or you coul go with rams even though their not african the colora are great

[dethjam316]

i agree with the above posts. african cichlids really need a tank devoted to them alone, because they're territorial and vicious buggers and because they require a different type of environment (much higher ph, etc). they are not compatible with your other fish.

by speartail do you mean swordtail?

[Ken]

Yeah, swordtail.

As you can tell I really don't know much about this.

I went out and bought a ten gallon and fish, only to realize that it was much too small for what I wanted to do, and I really went about things all wrong. so I'm trying to keep what I have healthy until I get the bigeer tank set up.

BTW, I don't have all those fish yet, just a couple of mollies and about five others.

I've made it over a week and haven't lost any of them, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and doing daily 20% changes.

I'm going to try and test both my tank and well water this evening.

I'm going to start a semi-fishless (no fish for now) cycle on the 55 this weekend.

[Ken]

BTW, I'm just looking for ideas on stocking, so I'm not really that committed to the list I gave.

And it will be a while before I'm ready to add any.

I had read that certain cichlids were very mild mannered, so I thought I might try and find a pair of these.

Thomas' maybe?

[TKOS]

I too would skip the cichlids. You'll probably find anyway that the rest of the fish you have listed will fill the tank nicely. Also, IMO, the larger the school of fish the pretty the tank.

The gouramis will quickly become the lead fish in the tank, IME.

[Ken]

Ok, sounds like I'd better nix the cichlids.

Would a female beta be ok by herself in this mix?

[TKOS]

She should be. I have seen them mixed in well with other similar sized community fish.

[PumaWard]

I think the cichlids are getting a bad rap here. There are some that stick very much to themselves, not all the meanest thing you'll meet.

If you want cichlids, I would go with a pair of kribs or maybe a trio (1m/2f) Apitogramma cacatuoides. The cacs aren't african, but they are very pretty and peaceful. Both species will chase certain fish out of their territory, but other than that, leave their tank mates alone.

Most cichlids are tough fish in themselves. I don't think I could actually ever have fish again and not have any specie of cichlid.

[dethjam316]

95% of africans aren't suitable for community tanks, though.

[PumaWard]

West african dwarf species are, however,

http://www.thekrib.com/Apisto/

Most those under "West African Dwarfs" make good community fish and are colorful. (Of course, the Jewels are not one of them).