55 gal stocking ideas

[Byron]

In that case, if I were to go the gourami route, I'd probably do pearls. What tank mates would be best for them?

This is much easier to answer. Almost any of the small to medium sized rasbora (like the Trigonostigma species, especially T. hengeli and T. espei--I believe @Essjay has the former with Pearls); Brevibora dorsiocellata is another.

Other gourami, smaller species, should be OK. Trichopsis pumila in a group of five (I've never had issues with this species in a group, males interact and "croak" at each other). Parasphaerichthys ocellatus is another.

There are suitable characins, Hyphessobrycon rosaceus, H. sweglesi, for some nice red/mauve colour, and these remain in the lower half of the tank.

For the substrate level, with or without a Bolivian Ram, there are some cories suited, depending upon the temp of course. Corydoras sterbai, C. duplicareus. Might even find a couple loach species; my Botia kubotai were not problematic, though some report high activity (which can unsettle sedate gourami).

 

[FF_Member146894]

Trying to avoid having all the fish shipped in if I can

amazon puffers are one of the least expensive freshwater puffers and are pretty common in fish stores (about 20 USD, unlike the schoutedeni which regularly cost into the hundreds, or the auriglobus, which are cheaper, but are near impossible to find). for the amazon puffer, you may have to wait a month (max, at least where i'm from), but they're not impossible to find.

 

[Essjay]

(like the Trigonostigma species, especially T. hengeli and T. espei--I believe @Essjay has the former with Pearls)

Actually I have T. espei
(They were sold as T. hengeli but they don't have a definite orange stripe over the black mark, but they do have a general orangeyness all over their bodies. They look exactly like the photos of T. espei on Seriously Fish).

But yes, T. espei and pearl gouramis go well together in my tank.

 

[Gizaroo2]

amazon puffers are one of the least expensive freshwater puffers and are pretty common in fish stores (about 20 USD, unlike the schoutedeni which regularly cost into the hundreds, or the auriglobus, which are cheaper, but are near impossible to find). for the amazon puffer, you may have to wait a month (max, at least where i'm from), but they're not impossible to find.

Our box stores don't carry puffers. We don't have any mom n pop stores anymore.

 

[Gizaroo2]

Actually I have T. espei
(They were sold as T. hengeli but they don't have a definite orange stripe over the black mark, but they do have a general orangeyness all over their bodies. They look exactly like the photos of T. espei on Seriously Fish).

But yes, T. espei and pearl gouramis go well together in my tank.

Those are pretty! I wonder if our stores ever get those in or if I'll have to order. How many do you keep in your tank?
Think I have an idea what route I'm taking now. Now I just need numbers of each species !

Hopefully getting a brace for the center of the tank on tomorrow (stand was 2nd hand and it came off at some point or never had one to begin with...I'm not sure which) then will do my leak test. Once that's done, I'll get media switched over to the new canister and get some pearls first!

 

[Byron]

Essjay is likely in deep slumber now, in the UK, so I'll just post photos of both species. The slightly larger but more common Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) may be easier to obtain, but I would make the effort to get one of the two afore-mentioned species, they are so good with sedate fish. They do need a decent sized group to be at their best, and I would aim for 15-20 of either species.

 

[Gizaroo2]

Essjay is likely in deep slumber now, in the UK, so I'll just post photos of both species. The slightly larger but more common Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) may be easier to obtain, but I would make the effort to get one of the two afore-mentioned species, they are so good with sedate fish. They do need a decent sized group to be at their best, and I would aim for 15-20 of either species.

Thank you! I know 2 of our 3 store only carry harlequins. Unless the 3rd happens to have the others...looks like I'll have to order those if I can find somewhere that has them.

 

[Essjay]

Mine look like the middle of Byron's three photos, T. espei.

I bought 15 of them in 2016 though I have lost a few since then and I now have 10.


When I first bought the espes, I didn't have any floating plants and the entire shoal spent all their time huddled in the back corner of the tank. Then I read on here about floating plants so I bought some water sprite. It didn't cover much of the tank at first but it grew until almost all the surface was covered and as it grew the espes ventured further into the tank, always under cover. I now have frogbit and again it covers almost all the water surface and the espes swim all over the tank.
If you do get any of the three Trigonostigmas, my experience is that floating plants are a must-have.

 

[Gizaroo2]

Mine look like the middle of Byron's three photos, T. espei.

I bought 15 of them in 2016 though I have lost a few since then and I now have 10.


When I first bought the espes, I didn't have any floating plants and the entire shoal spent all their time huddled in the back corner of the tank. Then I read on here about floating plants so I bought some water sprite. It didn't cover much of the tank at first but it grew until almost all the surface was covered and as it grew the espes ventured further into the tank, always under cover. I now have frogbit and again it covers almost all the water surface and the espes swim all over the tank.
If you do get any of the three Trigonostigmas, my experience is that floating plants are a must-have.

I definitely plan to get some frogbit for them!

 

[Gizaroo2]

1st inhabitant in! This store doesn't carry pearl gourami or I'd have gotten them. They only carry rasbora het too....so looks like I'll be placing an order online soon lol