what to do with a 55gallon

[wannabefishguru]

ok here is my story, i have a 55 gallon tank the was salt water but decided to deconvert it back to fresh and put my salt into a 10gallon and 2.5 gallon.

so now i have a 55 gallon tank, barebottom with 1 weather or dojo loach 4-6" long, a fancy gold fish 5-6" long, and a pleco 2-3" long, filter is a Filstar xp3, stealth heater, and normal output flourescent lighting. i have the gravel for it from when it was set up to fresh before, its greyish white colored. any idea on what kind of exotic large fish, maybe even carnivourous fish that would work with the existing fish?

or how about a theme that would work with the existing fish and gravel?

oh by the way whats is the gph for an aquaclear 300?

 

[Mako]

GPH for an AC 300 actually is 300, unlike the AC 500 which is 400 something GPH.

Anyhow, just to warn you a tad that the pleco and goldfish combo might not be the best choice, the plecos prefer it warm, say, 78-82, and the goldfish are much happier in the 60's and low 70's. The dojo loach is perfectly happy in the jungle or iceland, so he's fine either way.

Also be careful, a 55 gallon isn't a good tank for large predatory fish. For happy predators, like oscars and managuense, you're better off in triple digit tanks. I've seen some 75 and 90's that house oscars and such fine, but they love the swimming room of a 150. Mind you, I can't afford anything other than my 55, so I just don't get to have large predatory fish.


I think I'd do you justice to warn you of fish NOT to try in this tank, it's larger than the list of fish TO try.

NOT (b/c they get too dang big)
Jack Dempsey
Green or Red Terror
Parrot cichlid (they stay medium size but anyone buying these things should be whipped with an oak tree)
Oscars
Managuense
Motaguense
Severum
Tin foil barb
Bala shark
Black shark (redtails are fine, 6" or so, black sharks get to 3 feet)
black belts
pike cichlids (I think there is one that stays under 8" but can't remember)
peacock bass
frontosa cichlids
most tilapia types (great sautee'd in butter)
gar of any kind
shovelnose catfish
redtail amazon catfish
channel catfish (deep fried to a crispy brown, gotta love it)

Did I forget any?


Fish you *could* try that hint on the "predatory" idea

Salvini cichlids (get a male and female, the males are incredible)
firemouths (again, male and female, or buy a squadron of younsters)
angelfish (a 55 is a great angelfish tank)
various african cichlids



If you live in North America, particulary the midwest or east, shoot me an email and I can give you tons of info on keeping native predators. An aquarium with driftwood, plants, and fish from a local river or lake is a fantastic biotope idea. I have a 55 gallon set up specifically as a brackish"ish" livebearer tank with fish and plants from local streams. It's ugly and overgrown b/c I got lazy, but the fish are as happy as pigs in slop.

 

[sublime1184]

How about three Red Bellied Piranhas! or an elongatus piranha, or maybe an altuvie...are we catching the message here?

Try this link if your interested Piranhas!
All those sizes are off by about 3-4"

 

[bdobosz]

I am in the same boat you are in wannabefishguru with the 55G and looking for a more aggressive fish. I think I am going to go the Piranah route like sublime suggested.

 

[El Barto]

might i reccomend moving the pleco, goldie and loach to another tank(DUH)

 

[Raskolnikov]

If you want a cool predator for a 55g tank, consider a Erythrinus erythrinus. You'd want to move the current residents, though (but such would be the case with the addition of almost any predatory fish to your setup).

 

[wannabefishguru]

what about discus?

 

[wannabefishguru]

well i don't think pirahnas are right for me, but interesting, just seems a bit dangerous

 

[vinodhv]

whatever you do, stay away from pacus

 

[mvigor]

ok here is my story, i have a 55 gallon tank the was salt water but decided to deconvert it back to fresh and put my salt into a 10gallon and 2.5 gallon.

Really? A 2.5 gallon saltwater tank???