30 gallon stocking!!!!!

[paperdog9]

I'm so excited! I'm getting a 55 gallon tank soon, so I'm looking for stocking suggestions. I was thinking along the lines of an angel or 2, swordtails, and maybe corys. Any suggestions?

 

[sweetpickles7]

sounds good, might want to add some sort of medium-larger sized tetras to liven the tank up.

 

[jamiejay09]

I agree. congo tetras would look stunning shoaling around the tank, what filter are you going to be using?

 

[lauraf]

Congrats, that's exciting! Yes on the angels and congos would be gorgeous. They can often look a little washed out at fish stores, but usually colour up nicely when estabished in a home tank with good water parameters and food . . . .

 

[paperdog9]

I really like congos, but are they sensitive to water quality? Our water hardness is a little less then 8, so would they be ok in that?

 

[Fishman1995]

I wouldnt rule out your oppourtunity for some nice cichlids if your like me and love cichlids id use this to make a Malawi or Tang cichlid tank. Just putting it out there, also you could do Firemouths, Convicts, Blood Red Parrots or a Nice Jack Dempsey

 

[lauraf]

I really like congos, but are they sensitive to water quality? Our water hardness is a little less then 8, so would they be ok in that?

Congos prefer softer water but are very adaptable fish. Is your tap water the same as what your lfs has?

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

In a 55 you could have like 5 angels, some cories and some sort of tetra school. Angels are cichlids and act them too, they can be very aggressive so you will need spots for them to hide and things to break line of sight.

 

[paperdog9]

I wouldnt rule out your oppourtunity for some nice cichlids if your like me and love cichlids id use this to make a Malawi or Tang cichlid tank. Just putting it out there, also you could do Firemouths, Convicts, Blood Red Parrots or a Nice Jack Dempsey

I was thinking about a planted tank, and most african cichlids are destructive, aren't they? Or I could do just a bunch of rockwork and some Vals... I guess I could see what my lfs has. I'm assuming they will have Malawi mbuna, so does any one have a any good speicies in mind? I've never had experience with cichlids, so I will probably need help deciding.

 

[paperdog9]

Congos prefer softer water but are very adaptable fish. Is your tap water the same as what your lfs has?

The lfs that would have congos is about a half hour away from me, so I can't really say... From what I'm reading, they can be very expensive too, is that true?

 

[paperdog9]

In a 55 you could have like 5 angels, some cories and some sort of tetra school. Angels are cichlids and act them too, they can be very aggressive so you will need spots for them to hide and things to break line of sight.

Just wondering, wouldn't they form two pairs then pick on the lone angel if there was and odd number? I'm new to angels too, so I'm at a blank for that.

 

[paperdog9]

what filter are you going to be using?

I don't know right now, I'm getting a second hand tank, so I'm going to look at what it has on it already. I don't know when exactly I'll get it, but within the next month is what I would assume.

 

[lauraf]

Just wondering, wouldn't they form two pairs then pick on the lone angel if there was and odd number? I'm new to angels too, so I'm at a blank for that.

Depends on the sex of the angels, and you usually can't tell that until they mate. If you do more than two angels, always be prepared to rehome some if mating pairs do form.

 

[ValRasbora]

Congrats!!
What about some odessa barbs? And I love sterbai cories, they're so pretty
Have fun, and make it beautiful

 

[Fishman1995]

You can keep 5 angels in a 55 gallon O.O holy moly

Some nice species from Malawi are Yellow Lab's, Johanni's, Zebra's, Kenyi's, and maybe some Peacocks. I belive you'd be fine with some Red Parrots and plants and you could even make that a community because blood parrots arent all that aggresive toward community species.

 

[ryanoh]

Someone suggest Angels and Tetras? Aren't Angel Fish the natural predator of Neon Tetras?

 

[aakaakaak]

Is there anything bigger than 3 inches that isn't the natural predator of neon tetras? Aren't most cichlids frequently trained to feed on neons?

 

[paperdog9]

You can keep 5 angels in a 55 gallon O.O holy moly

Some nice species from Malawi are Yellow Lab's, Johanni's, Zebra's, Kenyi's, and maybe some Peacocks. I belive you'd be fine with some Red Parrots and plants and you could even make that a community because blood parrots arent all that aggresive toward community species.

Acctually,I might not go with mbuna becuase I read that they do best when "overstocked" to control aggression, and I don't think I could keep up with really big water changes.

For the blood parrots, I think I like the look of angels a little bit better then the neon red. Thanks for getting me thinking out of the box Fishman, I have trouble with that, so now it seems more options are available.

 

[paperdog9]

Depends on the sex of the angels, and you usually can't tell that until they mate. If you do more than two angels, always be prepared to rehome some if mating pairs do form.

Any idea what size angels will generally be when they start to pair off?

 

[paperdog9]

Congrats!!
What about some odessa barbs? And I love sterbai cories, they're so pretty
Have fun, and make it beautiful

I'll see if I can find any odessa barbs at my lfs, but they do look great!

And I'm planning on using peppered cories, so I can transfer my 2 lonly one from the 15 and build up thier school, but I agree sterbai cories are truely unique!