Stocking a 55?

[swimmer24]

My family's new(ish) 55 finally has fish in it! It cycled really nicely, and I'm actually very surprised by my results.
Once I convinced my parents to get in on the tank, they suddenly became very excited about it and acted like impatient kids to start stocking it. So now, only a month and a half or so into it, after having my parents add just about any fish I mention, our tank is stocked like this-
3 dwarf gouramis
3 albino cory cats
2 panda cory cats
1 skunk cory cat
1 male betta
2 snails (one yellow one black...beyond that I have no idea what they are)

we sadly lost 5 guppies (also added by my parents, only 1 week after getting the new tank) but since then, everything has been apparently fine. IE, no one else has died. I think that's a success!
so just to sum this up, my parents like to add new residents while I'm at school. Thanks mom and dad. But since parameters are good, what should I do next?
Obviously I'm super excited, and so is my family. I have been working on slowing down the parental additions, however.

Thanks!

 

[chadly831]

what kind of filter do you use? the guppies probably died because the tank was not cycled.

 

[swimmer24]

right i think even my parents figured out the guppies died because the tank wasn't cycled

but I'm not totally sure what kind of filter it is, the whole system was a Top Fin kit... I'm working on getting a backup heater per advice from someone here (sorry I forget who!!)
So I guess that's what kind of filter it is... sorry! I can see if it has a label or something tomorrow.

 

[ct-death]

Go slow, try not to add too much too fast to allow the cycling bacterias to keep up without casuing a spike.

How are your Gouramis and betta doing? They are very closely related and often show aggression towards each other IME.

Also, becasue of the betta you are going to want to stay clear of fast excitable fish (or nippers).

Post your ideas and we can offer our opinions

 

[swimmer24]

thanks very much. the first day with the betta was kind of an experiment, and also quite an experience lol because I saw him flare his gills for the first time, but they seem to be doing fine. Assuming I find a camera in my house that works (ugh...mine died) I'll take a picture of the tank and maybe I can also get suggestions on arrangements in that sense too?
I had no idea bettas and gouramis were related...I don't know anything!!

The corys are pretty quick, but they've pretty much left the betta alone...will that wind up being an issue?? I hope not...

I don't really know what else to stock with... if anything!

Thanks for your input!

 

[jackiomy]

I have never had an issue with bettas and cories except that sometimes the betta will chase the corys around and away from the food.

 

[mel_20_20]

Hi Swimmer24. Wow, it's so cool that your parents are so into this. :thm:We meet lots of kids who have a really hard time getting their parents to let them get fish to add.

You can help teach them about the chemistry of fishkeeping, and how the balance has to be maintained through vacuuming out gunk and water changes, careful feeding and not overfeeding, and not overpopulating a tank.

Tell your parents that you are learning from fishkeeping experts (I'm not in that lofty group yet) who have many many years of experience and have wide varieties of :read: expertise.

Many of the fishkeepers here have multiple tanks, special biotype tanks, breed specific tanks, incredible hugmongous tanks, and are almost biologist and chemists. (some actually are!!):dance:

Tell them what you're learning and help them as you go. It sounds like you have great parents!!:dance2: And, it sounds like you are going to be an awesome fishkeeper.