55 Gallon Stocking Suggestions

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Shaneisthisguy

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About a year and a half ago I dove into the cichlid keeping community. It's been one of the best things I have ever done and I love my fish to death. But my current community has been breeding a lot lately And I do not have the capacity to seperate them and raise the Fry so I am selling my current 8 Mbuna and two peacocks but I'm not looking to leave my 55gallon tank empty.

1. Does anyone have any suggestions on larger cichlids that I could keep just one of in my 55gallon tank?

2. I have a long-fin bristle nose pleco that I am keeping in my tank will adding a larger cichlid be a problem for her?

3. I was considering a flower-horn cichlid. Is this a viable option for my 55 gallon tank?

Thank you guys sooo much.


Shane
 

Tifftastic

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Sep 9, 2008
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Flower horns are large bodied. I'd prefer not to pit them in something narrow like a 55.
A Jack Dempsey might be good. Or a Midas cichlid. Or possibly a dwarf pike cichlid, though they're a little smaller.
 
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Shaneisthisguy

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Flower horns are large bodied. I'd prefer not to pit them in something narrow like a 55.
A Jack Dempsey might be good. Or a Midas cichlid. Or possibly a dwarf pike cichlid, though they're a little smaller.

I appreciate the suggestions! Why dwarf pike? What about a normal like? I favored the flower horn because I love the color of the fish and the body type. Are there similar cichlids that have that color and body that would be better suited for a 55 gallon?

Thanks Again!

Shane
 

tanker

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I am not recommending it, but there is a short version of the FlowerHorn Cichlid out there. It isi the "Balloon" type. Looks like a Parrot and FlowerHorn mix.
 

Tifftastic

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Why dwarf pike? What about a normal like
The other species of pike cichlids get quite large and that combined with their bioload requires a bigger tank. Most of my friends that have kept them have said that they wouldn't go smaller than a 75 gallon for most of the species and there are others that need larger than 100 gallon tanks.

Are there similar cichlids that have that color and body that would be better suited for a 55 gallon?
With the exception of the nuchal hump, Jack Dempsey's have this body shape. Midas cichlids have the shape as well as males getting a (smaller) nuchal hump.
The Jacks will have a brownish/grey body, but with lovely teal/turquoise spots. Midas range from white to pale orange to all out red. The purples you see in flowerhorns come from the fact they are hybrids. Jaguars will get some purpleish spots on them, but get far too large for a 55 gallon tank. I think that may be where the flowerhorns get the color, but I'm not sure on that.
Another option for color is the green terror, which will be small enough (IMO) for a 55, but has lovely greens, blues and orange rims on its fins.
 

Hustle US

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I like the red terror myself or maybe raise an Oscar till he outgrows the 55 pleco are usually fine they can fend for themselves:)
 

Shaneisthisguy

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Thank you all so much for your help I will look into this and post my final choice to double check on the forum before I buy. Thanks to all who responded
 
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