Tropical Fish Forums

ZacAdam

I am in possession of the 55 gallon tank that Hagen is currently marketing as one of their Fluval kits, equipped with a Fluval C4 HOB, and I've had the time to get my stock largely settled.

I had initially stocked the tank to what I was comfortable thinking of as the prudent limit, but now that I've had some time to watch the chemistry and watch the fish (as well as some die-back), I'm looking to adjust my stocking arrangement.

At present, the 55 gallon is stocked with:

4x Sewellia lineolata "Tiger Hillstream Loach" or "Gold-Ringed Butterfly Pleco";
1x Acaraichthys heckelii "Threadfin Acara"
1x Plecostomus spp.
2 x Danio Rerio

I'm not totally adverse to moving animals around if I have to, or returning them to where I found them, or even adopting them out, but I don't believe I have to. While I appreciate that the tank's "surface" zones (the bottom and sides) are pretty much stocked with four Lineolata loaches and a half-grown pleco, the free water volume itself is mostly empty, with only the lonely Heckelii keeping things interesting as he zooms around above the plant level.

Anyone have any ideas?
_________________
http://auditorandagentleman.blogspot.com - now with 100% more fish.
Solving the Problem from the Inside - Proud Pet-Store Fishkeeper

nicolaas · New Members Joined: 25 Jan 2012 Location: South Africa

Hi get at least 4 more Danio's you can put 15 in and you'll still have room for other fish.

The pleco will probably get hugh and may give some problems in the future.

Neons would look great in the middle,about 8 of them.

And if you take out the pleco 7 bronze corydaras.

ZacAdam

I'm actually thinking of getting rid of the danios - they bother me, and I never would have got them if they weren't shoved into my hands by family.

The non-specific pleco has now been identified (reliably) as Pterygoplicthys gibbiceps, adult length less than one-third the length of my tank and I'm considering keeping him, mess and all, because I like loricariids.

Also, in an incident directly related to a screaming eight-year-old and his tantrum, I have lost the A. Heckelii.

What I'm pondering at the moment:

Possibly Blue Acara pair?
Possibly P scalare single with a "tetra cloud"?
Gourami Cloud?
_________________
http://auditorandagentleman.blogspot.com - now with 100% more fish.
Solving the Problem from the Inside - Proud Pet-Store Fishkeeper

diademhill · Advisors Joined: 18 Apr 2007

You need a bigger tank for the gibbiceps as it should grow quite a bit longer than the tank is wide.

Can you not swap him for a smaller loricarid?

Sort this before looking for other fish please.

ZacAdam

diademhill · Advisors Joined: 18 Apr 2007

Might be easier to swap the 55 for a 75 or a 90 gallon tank?
There is no solution to adding stock to a 55g with a P. gibbiceps apart from a shoal of danios or similar which has already been discounted as an option.

Or make the effort to advertise a gibby to someone with a 90 gallon plus tank?

I have travelled thousands of miles to make fish pairings so trying surrounding towns or answering a few emails to shouldn't be unsurmountable.
Store tanks are temporary - a gibby in a 55 will suffer eventually.

susankatomerit · Advisors Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Location: Tulsa, Ok

ZacAdam

ZacAdam

After a period of socially-appropriate isolation, I'm back to ask what people think of this potential stocklist:

S. lineolata (TH Loaches) x4
P. denisoni (Banded Barb, Locally) x6
P. tetrazona (Tiger Barb) x6
P. semifasciolatus (Gold Strain) x6
T. trichopterus var. Opaline x3 (1 Male, 2 Female?)

As it happens, the Gibby has been rehomed - it turns out an uncle of my SO has a fondness for the things, and his 300 gallon FW community was missing one, so he came by to pick it up this afternoon.
_________________
http://auditorandagentleman.blogspot.com - now with 100% more fish.
Solving the Problem from the Inside - Proud Pet-Store Fishkeeper

diademhill · Advisors Joined: 18 Apr 2007

The hillstream loaches, denisoni and golden barbs are compatible. These are all fish that prefer the lower end of tropical temperatures.
Six is too small a group for tiger barbs and I would replace both these and the gold barbs with half a dozen Rosy barbs.
You need to aim for 70F, certainly below 74F for the loaches and this is too low for the tiger barbs & gouramis.

Four opalines would be too many and I always advise looking for two females -doesn't matter if one matures as a male but thse fish are territorial. Paradise fish would be a better option with the cooler water fish.