Questions...

[Kiwilover]

Well, I made a topic awhile ago about my stocking plan for the 55 gallon aquarium. I have decided to not get Cardinal Tetras or a second gourami species after the pearl, and I am getting a small Synodontis of some kind rather than corydoras.

I got my 5 Giant Danio I will use for cycling today, and today at the pet store I saw two species of fish I've fallen in love with: Banded Leporinus and Black Ghost Knife Fish. I read up about them, seems Leporinus can be mean, but others say they are only semi-aggresive, and it seems Black Ghosts are peaceful from what I read. I'm leaning towards the Black Ghost, since it hides and even though it grows large it doesn't need lots of swimming space unlike the Leporinus.

So, would this setup be okay?

5 Black Skirt Tetra (Already in 29 gal)
2 Common Angelfish (Already in 29 gal)
3 Silver Dollars (Same as above two, maybe adding another or two to make a perfect shoal)
2 Pearl Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco
5 Giant Danio
2 Synodontis (Not sure what the species I saw at the store was, I'll get back to you on this)
5 Emperor Tetra

Seems stocked enough to me, please tell me more about the two species I mentioned, I also may be adding Boeseman's Rainbowfish or Cherry Barbs, more info on those two would be appreciated as well.

Thanks!

 

[riseabovethesun]

Seems stocked enough to me, please tell me more about the two species I mentioned, I also may be adding Boeseman's Rainbowfish or Cherry Barbs, more info on those two would be appreciated as well.
Thanks!

I'm not super familiar with a lot of the other fish, but awhile ago my mom had a Black Ghost Fish and hers ended up being decently aggressive. With all fish I know it is just going to depend on the fish itself genetically and the aquarium. She had a 55 gallon set up, non-planted, FW. She had some tetras that it liked to pick on and one of the bottom feeders, however it completely left the angel fish alone. Eventually she had to give it away to someone because it just wasn't working out and her tank wasn't even very stocked.

So that's my two cents on that fish, it is absolutely gorgeous, I personally wouldn't risk it in my own tank, but I think it is up to you and your situation. Oh and I say it depends on the fish, not the entire species of the fish because someone I know bought one or two gouramis to add to his tank and his few neon tetras attacked it to death. I figured it'd be the other way around.

 

[misterking]

I'm not super familiar with a lot of the other fish, but awhile ago my mom had a Black Ghost Fish and hers ended up being decently aggressive

You're completely right. Black ghosts grow LARGE (a bit big for the 55 I'd say) and will, as it grows, eat what it can fit into its mouth, including your tetras. I would avoid it I'm afraid, it simply wouldn't work long-term, same with the leporinus. It'd also absolutely smash your stocking level.

However, on the whole your main stocking list looks quite nice and would work fairly well, though synodontis do get large. The smallest species you'll find is the upside-down catfish which size-wise would work well. The issue you have though is that apart from the synos (which mostly like hard, alkaline water) you have a list of fish from tropical south america and south-east asia, with very similar requirements of soft, acid water. Personally I'd stick with cories or the more adaptable upside-down cats.