50 Gallon Stocking Options

Well, I just purchased a 50 gallon aquarium, and I am starting to plan out various stocking ideas. This tank will have a medium grade sand substrate and will be moderately to heavily planted with flora that does not require much light.

The tank dimensions are 36" X 18" X 18", so please keep in mind that the surface area and "footprint" sizes are actually larger than a standard 55 gallon tank (648 sq. in. VS. 576 sq. in.), which theoretically means I can stock slightly higher or at least the same as a 55. The tank will start with an Aquaclear 70 filter, and I will add a second (possibly third) filter as I go.

Fish that will be moved into this tank from my 28 gal include:

- 1 Leopard Ctenopoma
- 1 Pimelodus Pictus (catfish)

Options I am considering are:

General Shoalers:

- Lemon Tetras (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis)
- Blue Tetras (Coelurichthys microlepis)
- Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla)
- Boeseman's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani)
- Rosy Barbs (Barbus conchonius)

Larger Fish:

- Glass Catfish (Kryptopterus bicirrhis)
- Paradise Fish (Macropodus opercularis)
- Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leeri)
- Ram Cichlid (Microgeophagus ramirezi)

Bottom-Dwellers:

- Featherfin Synodontis (Synodontis eupterus)
- Banjo Catfish (Amaralia hypsiura)
- Kuhli Loaches (Pangio Kuhlii)

Miscellaneous:

- Electric Blue Crayfish
- Mystery Snails
- Bamboo/ Marble Shrimp


Obviously I'm not getting all of these fish and shoving them into a 50 gallon aquarium. This is simply a list of the various fish I've been considering.
Some of the tetras listed may well prove to be incompatible when the Ctenopoma grows up. Additionally, I may be burdened with the added complication of housing a 4.5" Dojo loach in this tank as well, if I cannot find him a good (coldwater) home.
He's currently doing alright in my 28 gallon (73 degree temp), but I'm sure he'd appreciate a cooler climate. If I do have to keep him, the least I can do is move him into the bigger tank.

I ask you:

* Which and how many of the above fish would you recommend? Why?

* Are there fish not on my list which you would recommend?

* Do you see any complications between fish on this list, of which I may not be aware?

The tank should be ready for fish in no more than 2-3 months (I've not yet begun fishless cycle). I figure that gives me plenty of time to plan a sound setup and do it the right way.

As always, your advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

:dance:

~ Mr_Obsidian

dont trust anything smaller than 6" with a ctenopoma. their mouths are huge and they will eat anything that fits in it, and they can be a little pushy.

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I've read they can eat up to 1/3 of their total body size (which hits 8" MAX).
When my fish yawns, you can see just how formidable his mouth is.
Right now he is about 2", but seems utterly uninterested in live food. I bought 5 of the smallest feeder minnows I could find, and all of them are still alive in my 28 gal. I'm afraid they are outgrowing the Ctenopoma and I'll soon have to feed them to my girlfriend's needlefish.

Jim1212, do you happen to know whenabouts this fish will start to take live food? Can you recommend any fish that would go well with the Ctenopoma, with no risk of becoming dinner?
I may end up taking my chances with tankmates. If the Ctenopoma gets too ballsy, I'll just move him to another tank.
Currently, he just eats flakes, bloodworms, and tubifex. (hasn't even touched my ghost shrimp!)

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black skirt tetras are nice and skool well, rummy nose tetras look awsome and skool really well i would reccomend them to anyone. but ur list looks pretty good to me, definatly go with the rams, mabye get an angelfish or 2, just remember if u go with angels no fast current and no tiger barbs!!!

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I already have a shoal of black skirts in my 28 gal bowfront, so I am trying for something different with this one. Rummy Nose Tetras are a possibility, and I definitely like the rams. Angels, however, are out. I like them, but I think they are more appropriate in a wider and taller aquarium, where a bunch can be housed as a species, or with minimal tankmates. That is just my preference.


Thank you both for your advice and suggestions!

bump

rbishop said:

Hatchets, Lemons, Rams and Featherfin.

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Excellent setup combination. I think this may be the winner.
Thank you.

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as for tank mates, flagtail catfish will work. they swim around the middle of the tank and then go to the bottom to feed, and they have a really cool looking tail.

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If I have 1 Featherfin Syno., 1 Pictus catfish, and 1 dojo loach in the 50 gallon, could I still fit a flagtail, or would the bottom be too crowded?
(again, 648 sq. inch footprint)

Gracias!