Getting a 55G for xmas!

[Importskyline22]

Well, my mom straight up told me that she is getting me a 55g tank for xmas.

Its a kit that includes the filter lights and everything needed to get started.

So i want you guys to go ahead and help me stock it.

So far i am deffly getting

2x Rams(hopefully male and female)
2x Angel Fish
6x Neons

What else should i get? I want either a pair or fish that will school. No one will be alone...unless that fish likes it that way.

So what do you think?

[purblind]

Angelfish will eat the neons....They go crazy for them!! If you want a male and female ram, I'd suggest getting 6 angelfish...they're awsome to watch grow up and they breed fairly readily

[Importskyline22]

Angelfish will eat the neons....They go crazy for them!! If you want a male and female ram, I'd suggest getting 6 angelfish...they're awsome to watch grow up and they breed fairly readily

Well if i get that many angel's how will that put me on my stock limits?

[neonmadness]

id say you could get 6 angels, 2 rams, and then if you want schooling fish you could get like 10-12 bleeding heart tetras, and then like 5 cories.

[Importskyline22]

Ok. What about..

6 angels
2 rams
6 rasboras
6 ottocincles(sp?)
6 corys

How much more could i fit?

[neonmadness]

id say the only problem with that is your bottom is going to be packed, itd propably work but you might wanna trade out some of the bottom dwellers for som fish that hang out at the top. You could propably add marbled hatchets(4or5) or an african butterfly fish even if you dont take out anything, or just beef up the rasbora school.

[Importskyline22]

Alright cool.

Could you get me piictures of those to fish you mentioned?

[neonmadness]

don know how to attach links, just type in the names of the fish in google images, they got some good pics

[neonmadness]

forgot srry, but if your gonna go with the butterfly, youll either have to find a species of rasbora that gets 3inches or more, or switch to a bigger schooling fish. bleeding hearts might be okay, and barbs would propably work, don know if the ottos would be fine since they always on bottom. srry about bein so unsure i don really know much about butterflys...

[littleronin]

I never had a issue with butterflies and smaller fish. So it might be ok.

[FreakIndeed]

I've read bad stories about Angels trying to eat Ottos and getting them stuck in their mouth!

[KingOfTheDeep]

i've kept angels with ottos, never had any problems whatsoever

use cardinals instead of neons, the angels dont like them as much as neons, and they dont mysteriously dissapear

i'd say

5 angels
2 rams
9 cardinals
5 corys
4 ottos

even 5 angels is pushing it in 55, they arent small fish, when they grow, you'll be lucky to fit 3 in there

[neonmadness]

whatd id do:

6 angels
2 rams
14 cardinals
6 ottos
6 cories
6 hatchets or a butterfly( id go with butterfly)

[Importskyline22]

In all honesty the hatchets nor the butterfly really appeal to well with me. NOt saying its a bad looking fish, just not my taste.

Well, since the angels get big. What about 3-4 of them?

I like the idea of the cardinals.

Maybe ill get only 4 ottos.

and 6 corries. Are you talking about the small cories or the ones that get big? (if there is a difference)

The rams are definate. But i think ill have to order them online, cause no LFS carries them. If i order them online how can i be sure i get a male and female?

[wataugachicken]

but cardinals are a lot more sensitive to shipping and acclimating, even if the angels ignore them it'll still be a challenge to get them safely settled in your tank amd you may suffer some losses.

[Importskyline22]

Well. Ive always watned a school of 6 tiger barbs. I know there agressive. But if kept in a pack they take it out on each other.

Do you think they will bother the angels or rams?

[Star_Rider]

my angels ate my oto's..if you get oto's you'll want to get the biggest ones you can find,

however, angels have been known to atttempt to eat oto's and get them stuck...not pretty.

I would go with a BN for the bottom.

you can keep 6 angels but you may get a pair and the tank will become smaller as a result of the breeding pair portecting their territory.

if you go with 3-4 you should be okay.

also bolivians will do fine with angels.
or a small school of corydora's.

I would not recommend tiger barbs with angels..tiger barbs tend to be a bit nippy and the angle prefer slightly warmer water than barbs.

[KingOfTheDeep]

Well. Ive always watned a school of 6 tiger barbs. I know there agressive. But if kept in a pack they take it out on each other.

Do you think they will bother the angels or rams?

tiger barbs are big no no with angels, no matter how big the school is

[softturtle]

The rams are definate. But i think ill have to order them online, cause no LFS carries them. If i order them online how can i be sure i get a male and female?

I would order a half dozen or more to be sure of getting a pair. A lot of the rams in stores/online dealers stores turn out to be male. I'm not sure why. So, if you buy3-4 online, it could still leave you with all males. But if you get enough, you should have a good chance of getting a pair or two.

[Dangerdoll]

Adding 3 or 4 angels as opposed to adding 6 angels isn't going to make a bit of difference in a 55 gallon if and when 2 of the Angels pair up and beging to spawn. The pair will attack any Angel in the tank and will do so with fearsome force. Tjhis is coming from direct experience. If you decide to go with Angels, my suggestion would be to purchase 3 and have another tank handy and cycled down the road for when this sparring becomes evident.

[mazeman22]

Drop the angels, and your list will be fine. Then you can add some other small fish.

2 rams
16 neons or 8 rosbora
7 ottos
7 cories
Platies or Guppies?

Just remember that, that's all my 2 cents!


Good Luck

[misopeenut]

thats what i was thinking..
drop the angels.

2 rams(pair)
4 otto
8 rasbora or 20 neons
6 cories

pretty much same as the one above but more neons. less ottos

[Star_Rider]

Adding 3 or 4 angels as opposed to adding 6 angels isn't going to make a bit of difference in a 55 gallon if and when 2 of the Angels pair up and beging to spawn. The pair will attack any Angel in the tank and will do so with fearsome force. Tjhis is coming from direct experience. If you decide to go with Angels, my suggestion would be to purchase 3 and have another tank handy and cycled down the road for when this sparring becomes evident.

nice catch..one reason it doesn't pay to post at work.

yes, there will be territory issues with angles..
you will probably need to remove the 3rd angel..the reason I suggested fewer angels is there is a possibility that you may not get a pair with 3...angels can be docile when not spawning. in case you didn't know it..it is nearly impossible to sex angels.
I would suggest if you go with angels to run a sponge filter in the main tank ..that way if you need to move an angle you have s filter ready to go.

btw, angels are a terrific centerpiece for a tank.

I have quite a few angels.

[Dangerdoll]

angels are my favorite too, star. If there wasn't a pair to come from the 3, then all the better because there wouldn't be any fights, I agree.... but adding ore would be a recipe for disaster, just asking for trouble.

[neonmadness]

i got a new plan, ditch the angels and go with discus, you could have a setup something like this:

4 discus
12-18 tetras( any kind)
6-10 cories or 2 or 3 pictus cats
a pleco
if you can get your hands on one, some apollo cats

[fishluver93]

ive heard discus are VERY difficult fish. picky on water conditions, and everything.

but you could get a pleco instead of the ottos, then you wouldnt have to worry about the angels eating them! ;)

[neonmadness]

Dont listen to people who say discus are VERY difficult fish, people said that to me so much when i was settin up my first tank that i almost didn get em. i got em and they were fine depite the fact that my waters ph was 7.7. you have to be careful when it comes to tankmates tho, and make sure you do plenty of wcs, 50% a week bein a minimum for that size tank.

[Importskyline22]

This is why i have fallen in love with the forum. You guys help so much and have quick responses.

The reason the angels would be in there is mainly cause my g/f wants them. NOt that i dont, i think there a very pretty fish.

Instead of getting ALOT of one fish (IE. 20 neons) I think i would rather have a school of 6 fish, So that way i can have more differnt fish.

Im not concerned about getting a male and female angel. Those arnt the ones i want to breed. its the Rams. So getting 2 angels is i think all i will do.

It sucks that i would have to buy that many rams. Maybe i can talk to my LFS and see if they can order them. maybe?

umm what else? you guys gave alot of replies.

....Ah yes, Discus. I think those are very pretty fish, But...i dunno. I keep that in thought.

Ill get a couple snails i think too...Hopefully they dont breed....so maybe i will just get one.

Im going from a 10g, whcih i will still keep active....to a 55g. Im happy, So much more fish to choose from.

[tjBlotto]

This forum has been helpful for me too. I'm upgrading my 35 gallon with a 20 gallon sump to a 44 gallon tall hex (not really an UPgrade but the new tank fits in my GFs condo). I'm transfering my mating pair of angels. I think I'll also try to get a school of rams. I don't suggest getting a pleco. My experience has show that they are territorial.

Careful getting a snail in your tank. My 35 gallon got infested. I got a single cone snail and I guess it breeded with itself because now my substrate is covered in little cone shells. My angels made babies and the snails infested the breeding net. :sad:

Let that be a lesson to all you. Don't breed with yourself too much! :joke:

Right now I'm also kinda interested in the invertibrates. I'll probably make an order with BeViking (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66098&page=10&pp=15) for some cherry shrimps.

[CaptnDan]

If you watch AquaBid you might find a pair of Rams.

[Star_Rider]

Dangerdoll, yes adding more angels is running the risk for problems..spawning angels are very territorial and mean.

btw single angels are also fine in a tank.or 2 angels and more dither fish.

Discus are not too much terribly difficult..especially since many are now tank bred and accustomed to less than pristine water conditions(ie higher pH etc) you will need to do frequent water changes if you get small discus (2-3") they do need to be fed 3-4 x day

which is why you need to do frequent water changes..once they get to adult you can maintain the tank pretty much normal with weekly water changes preferrably 50%.

btw,,if you think angels get big..you should see how big discus get. :eek: .but talk about grace and beauty. wow..I love the discus and once they figure out who you are(feed them) they will greedily greet you when you walk in the room.

[neonmadness]

i think you should get three discus and two angels and some tetras

[Star_Rider]

you could but discus should be in groups atleast 4 fish..but you could do 5 :)

btw..angels and discus can be kept together..and the discus do not run from the angels...LOL and will compete for food.

[neonmadness]

imo discus can be kept in with three and even two, ive done it but you have to be careful that your discus are a pair if you do only two, or else the dominant one will constantly pick on the other.

[Peanutsweet]

Maybe you could get a couple of angels that are both the same sex so you wont have the spawning aggression? Guppies do ok with angels but the babies will get eaten.

I have kept cardinals with angels fine. They get larger than the neons and have more color to them.

Even one snail will reproduce causing lots of babies.

Pictus cats are very active and make angels nervous-stressing them. Avoid fish that swim constantly or up and down the tank moving quickly.

Tiger barbs will pick on angels.

[meyerhaus]

Yeah...cardinals are much more difficult than people think (and expensive). You could do Red-eye tetras...they are a little bigger and are really neat in schools.

[christhefish]

it wont matter if the angelfish are the same sex they will still try to spawn and will be very aggressive towards the other fish

[Web Gazelle]

A 55 gallon tank can easily hold half a dozen Angels but the problem comes as they mature and pair up. I suggest going with a mix of middle and bottom shoaling fish like Tetras and Corys. Then get a center piece fish like a Gourami. Why not get Neon Tetras, Panda Corys and a pair of Pearl Gouramis?

[SHK_ATK]

If you are going to put angels in your Brand New 55G I would wait at least a month or two so the water has stabilized enough since angels are such a delicate fish, I had to find out the hard way in my Planted 29G I added two angels after having the 29G up for almost 3 weeks and sure enough they were both dead within a week. :(

[tjBlotto]

I'm putting my angels into my new hex tank after cycling for 10 days. The cycle was done after 8 days and the tests have been pretty steady. I think if I wait any longer, the results will still be the same. No reason to wait.