55gal suggestions

[nattybrack]

I've recently added:

3 saulosi (hopefully 1m, 2f) - .5"
3 yellow labs (hopefully, but more confidently 1m, 2f) - .7"

into my 55 gal, which also has:

1f Kenyi - 2.5"
1 Red finned borleyi - 2.5"
1 electric blue johani - 2"
1 synodontis multipunctatus - 1.5"

All of the fish seem to be doing really well together. The Kenyi is not aggressive to the small fish and electric blue seems to be holding his own.

Was looking to add another (possibly 2) fish. Wanted to steer clear of anything to big or to aggressive. I've just started researching and found a few fish that I believe fit these 2 requirements...

Yellow Regal Peacock - Auloncara baenchi
Pearl of Likoma - Melanchromis Joanjohnsonae
Yellow Tailed Violet Cichlid - Gaphyrochromis moori

Does anyone have suggestions on these or other fish that would be a nice addition.

 

[ChilDawg]

I'm actually surprised that your Kennyi hasn't started killing everything in sight, but I would keep a close eye on the tank for now, rather than add anything more.

Two things to watch for:

Aggression from any of the fish.

Water quality fluctuations due to the new fish.

Give it a few months, and, if all is well, adding another few juveniles might be okay, but keep in mind the fact that you are reaching the upper limit of your biological filtration for that size tank.

 

[nattybrack]

I agree with the filtration, and just added an emporer400 in combo to my whisper 3 (and removed an aquaclear 150). I added small gravel, a used acquaclear sponge filter, and some of the 150's carbon to the emporer filter cartridge. Hopefully this will help with the biological fiiltration in the new emp.

As far as the Kenyi is concerned, you're correct, the Kenyi is aggressive, but he is directing his aggression towards the elec. blue johani, although for now, it is nothing overly ag., as it's just "chase". I had a male kenyi and had to donate him back to the LFS because he was a maniac! Hopefully the female will take the higher road and avert donation.

What do you think about the emporer filter cartridge set up?

 

[ChilDawg]

I'm not really your filtration guy, since I deal mostly with the theoretical stocking levels of large tanks and their pitfalls. Hopefully someone else will chime in on that part. Also, hopefully your female will decide to be considerably less aggressive than the male, which will probably be the case.