does this sound good?

[Converseballer]

i have a 55 and a 40 gallon cycled all the way through and now here comes the fun part what to put in them? w/ the 40 gallon i was thinking a pair of kribs, some tiger barbs, a few otos and some sort of smaller tetra. any ideas? i have a lot of clay pots i bought and i am gonna have like a "clay pot theme" so it will be neat. in the 55 gal i was thinking a red tailed blackshark but i dont know what else to put in? what could one do. any suggestions would be great!

[andruboz]

maybe the reason nobodys replied yet is your possibilitys are pretty much limitless. the thing to do is: research the snot out of some fish that pleases your eye and make sure you can set up and maintain the optimum habitat for it.
just remember a few things.
1. your tanks are maybe 13" wide so no fishies over 7" would be about right. less for the 40 gallon.
2. compatibility - the redtailblackshark is going to argue with any other fish that barely looks like a redtailblackshark. mine doesnt like the chinese algea eater, but he can give as good as he gets.
3. cost of food- [i never hear about this on the boards so everybody else must make more dough than i do.] i love my puffer but that requires a 55mile round trip twice a month to get crayfish for $.49 a piece. or i could pay $1 each here in town. it takes more money to properly feed some fish.

once you have a clearer idea of what you want, there are bunches of people on the board who can give you more specific pointers.
personally, my latest fascination is in gobys and dwarf cichlids. but you gotta find fishes that make you happy.

aquamojo.com has pics of claypots in his tanks. i guess the key thing there is to make sure they are kiln fired so they dont dissolve.

[superstein61]

I hate telling people what to put in their tanks. Its your tank - a lot of the fun of the hobby is deciding what you like and going from there.

now, if you were to ask me what fish would go well with some others, thats a different question.

I would first suggest researching various fish and deciding what ones seem to interest you and why - then once you have a species narrowed down, then go from there.

[Converseballer]

yeah i was asking like what to put in it pursay but i was just getting ideas ya know :). i stated what i think i am gonna do w/ the 40. except i dont know what tetra. i would like something that stays fairly small and schools a lot. but w/ the 55 i was looking at something w/ less fish but bigger fish.

[superstein61]

Originally posted by Converseballer
yeah i was asking like what to put in it pursay but i was just getting ideas ya know :). i stated what i think i am gonna do w/ the 40. except i dont know what tetra. i would like something that stays fairly small and schools a lot. but w/ the 55 i was looking at something w/ less fish but bigger fish.
Well, as to what Tetra - I really like Lemon Tetras or Rummynose tetras. Also Black Phantoms are pretty nice as well.

The rummynose are pretty colorful, school well and don't get too big, The lemon tetras, if kept in good conditions, can have exceptional color. Good luck

[O-man21]

not really tetras, but how about some hatchet fish if you have a good cover. It seems you have the lower levels of the tank pretty full with kribs and barbs, but the hatchet fish would be a nice contrast.

[beviking]

If you want schooling fish, the rummy nose tetras stay together better IME. I had a school of lemons but they got lax and would squabble so I got rid of all but two. Two in a 90 gallon and they still "face" off, showing their fins and turning in all directions, apperantly to show the other how awesome the one is. They are beautiful though! I've heard of kribs keeping some fish in a school b/c of occasional chasing. Maybe it would work with the lemon tetras? Good luck.

[thom336]

my advice? look in a book, pick out a fish you like the look of, find out what it is, and find out how suitable it would be. get the fish you've always wanted...you may never get this much freedom again - many things block what you can keep, such as unsuitable tankmates and alike - but you have so much freedom!

[Converseballer]

lol ok. i am gonna go to my lfs soon to see what they have.