Stocking Question

[Dwashko]

Hi i have a brand new 55 gallon tank and i have a few stocking question.
Can i house 5-7 Angelfish, a ghost knife, a school of barbs and a red tailed shark?  Also what are some other stocking suggestions.  i really like angelfish and i want to build this tank around them.  what is a good schooling fish to live with angels.   I also have a rhino pleco that will have to be in the 55 because he will outgrow my 29 gallon.  
thanks for the advice
      _Dylan

 

[ncguppy830]

you can only have a pair of angels in there, barbs are bad fish to mix with angels also true a bigger version of a tetra, ret tailed sharks can be agressive so i wouldnt risk it and also the probaly shouldnt be in there but im not sure.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

I agree with guppy about the number of Angels, though personally I'd only put one in there, about barbs, and redtailed sharks.  Too much aggression for one tank that way.  The ghost knifes, if you're refering to black ghost knifefish, get way too big for your tank, they can get to be 20"! 
 
Some other stocking suggestions to go with Angels:
Deep bodied tetras, something that your won't fit in your Angel's mouth!
Cory catfish
Small plecos, Bristlenose plecos are great, and get a max of about 5"!
Some dwarf cichlids like Rams, or Apistos(check this in the Cichlid forum before buying to be sure, I've only kept the rams!)
Full grown livebearers like platys, mollies, and swordtails will probably be okay, though I'd be cautious with guppies, and other smaller livebearers.
 
That's just some suggestions, there are probably a lot more, those are just the fish I've kept in my 55 gallon that should be compatible with an Angelfish.  I plan to get an Angel in my 65 gallon tank with corydoras melini, glowlight and rummynose tetras, bolivian rams, and albino bristlenose plecos.

 

[Dwashko]

Are you sure you can only have 2 angels? I heard somewhere that if you kept them in a group of 5 or more it would curb alot of aggression if any paired off. I've also seen tanks with multiple angels. Are they just lucky or in a temporary home?

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

I've heard that you can keep 5 angels in a 55 gallon tank.  Personally I feel like they would be crowded in the small a space with 5 of them.  I was going to put one in my tank, but didn't for that reason.  Also they can territorial, and very aggressive, especially when spawning, so 5 in a 55 gallon may end up being only 2 after a while if you're not careful!
 
Some people buy 6 angels and wait for 2 to pair off, then rehome the others.  That's an option too, if you'd like a mated pair

 

[ncguppy830]

Are you sure you can only have 2 angels? I heard somewhere that if you kept them in a group of 5 or more it would curb alot of aggression if any paired off. I've also seen tanks with multiple angels. Are they just lucky or in a temporary home?

i dont believe angels are agressive fish only if there a pair if your worried about this than a 55 gall is a perfect size for a single angel

 

[Dwashko]

Ok thanks for the help. Ill probably get 6 or so and wait tell 2 pair off and then regime the others.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

Glad I could help.  Good luck with your new Angels!

 

[ncguppy830]

good just remeber not to get fin nippers