Hey guys I already have a 20 gallon tank fully cycled with 8 cory cats 9 neon tetra and a bolivian ram..my girl friend is getting me a 55 gallon tank for an early christmas gift and I was going to transfer the fish that I have in my 20 to the 55 my questions are 1) how long would it take for a 55 gallon tank to cycle and 2) what other fish could I add to what I have I'm thinking 3 more bolivian rams or maybe some angels I really don't know maybe you guys could help ill take any advice
Cycling And Fish
- Thread starter jcabs100
- Start date
If you move all of your existing media from the 20 gallon over it should take about 10 minutes.
I would not get 3 more bolivian rams, I know they are placid, but they can get a bit territorial when breeding. You'd be better off just getting one more (opposite sex). If you mark off some very clear territories with your decor - large rocks that break up the sight lines in the tank and give each section of the tank some nice cover, then you might be able to fit another pair of rams.
How tall is the tank? Angels need a fairly tall tank, or else it is a bad move. Also, angelfish and neons don't mix well. Neons are a natural food of a full grown angelfish. Also, getting a group of angels is only recommended if you plan to rehome some if a pair forms. The pair will chase off the others.
I would not get 3 more bolivian rams, I know they are placid, but they can get a bit territorial when breeding. You'd be better off just getting one more (opposite sex). If you mark off some very clear territories with your decor - large rocks that break up the sight lines in the tank and give each section of the tank some nice cover, then you might be able to fit another pair of rams.
How tall is the tank? Angels need a fairly tall tank, or else it is a bad move. Also, angelfish and neons don't mix well. Neons are a natural food of a full grown angelfish. Also, getting a group of angels is only recommended if you plan to rehome some if a pair forms. The pair will chase off the others.
All the media for my 20 gallon is for a 20 gallon so I'm planning on getting new media I'm looking for some one to donate or sell me used media if you know anyone who would that would be awesome if not then I'd just get a new media...I just don't know what fish to get I might just get another bolivian but I would also like to get other fish to make my tank look alittle bit more interesting
whats going in the 20G tank to feed the media?
dh058977
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What are you planning on doing with the 20 gallon afterwards? Why would you not transfer the media over? If you get new media then it would take as long to cycle as any new tank. If you transfered the media over you could move all your fish into the new tank.
Just to clarify, are you going to be keeping your 20gal running with different fish? Because it doesn't sound like it. It sounds like you're going to get rid.
The media in that filter is suitable to support the fish you've currently got - it doesn't matter whether that's in a 20gal or a 55gal - the fish will still produce the same amount of ammonia.
If you put all the filter from your 20gal in the filter for the 55gal, and then top it up with new, then your new filter will be instantly cycled (so long as you keep the media wet during the transfer). If you need to cut sponges about to physically fit, that's fine. Ceramic biomedia should fit without a problem.
You can then up your stock levels gradually, and the bacterial colonies will increase in size to cope.
in terms of adding more bolivians to a tank that size, I disagree with the above and say that it is acheivable. I have 6 in a 4ft 80g, and rather than see them bicker amongst themselves, they generally stay fairly close and only show occassional signs of 'chasing' to mark any sort of terriroty.
as said above - angles need a fairly tall tank and should have 20" minimum from the substrate to the surface of the water. These gusy can get up top 10" tall so they need the vertical room. Some people keep them successfully with neons (I keep 6 with 25 neons) but neons are also their natural food in the wild......so it is a risk. You could have either one angel in there (bit lonely) an established/proven pair or buy 6 juvis, wait for 2 to pair up, then sell the rest.
as said above - angles need a fairly tall tank and should have 20" minimum from the substrate to the surface of the water. These gusy can get up top 10" tall so they need the vertical room. Some people keep them successfully with neons (I keep 6 with 25 neons) but neons are also their natural food in the wild......so it is a risk. You could have either one angel in there (bit lonely) an established/proven pair or buy 6 juvis, wait for 2 to pair up, then sell the rest.
Try to think of the media as being paired with the fish, not the tank or filter. You could 'seed' the new filter with some of your current media and do a fishless cycle, but honestly, if you're moving all the fish from the 20g, you'd be far, far better off just moving the media to the new filter.
When he said media I was thinking the whole filter in general..are there any steps I can take so when I get the new filter and add the media from my 20 and move it to my 55 gallon I'm getting an aqua clear filter but the filter that I have is a whisper tetra
Alos would red tailed sharks be good too keep in my tank I'm open to any suggestions about what fish to keep I'm probably not getting the angels but I would like other fish other then corys rams and tetras
Alos would red tailed sharks be good too keep in my tank I'm open to any suggestions about what fish to keep I'm probably not getting the angels but I would like other fish other then corys rams and tetras
Media is all the stuff inside your filter; could be sponges, ceramic noodles or whatever. Just put all the media in the new filter; cut it up if you have to, when you move the fish. Do test often and feed sparingly for the first few days in case you get a bit of die back of the bacteria.
As long as the media doesn't dry out, there should be no problems; experienced fishkeepers with multiple tanks do this all the time
As long as the media doesn't dry out, there should be no problems; experienced fishkeepers with multiple tanks do this all the time
+1
There are a lot of fish possibilities to go into the 55 gallon. "Tetras" is a very wide spectrum of fish. There are fish like neons, but there are also some very large varieties as well, like silver dollars.
You could go for some rainbowfish. If it is shorter, you could go with dwarf rainbows like the Praecox. If it is a long tank, boesemani rainbows are a cool fish, lots of color. (btw, the rainbow has more to do with the shape of the fish than the color of the fish.
)
Praecox rainbowfish
Boesemani rainbowfish
You could consider rasboras or barbs. (Be careful with the barbs though, they can get a bit nippy, especially with the corys, if you get the wrong ones. Tiger barbs are some of the nippiest, and best avoided with corys, IMHO.) Five banded barbs and cherry barbs are peaceful fish that would go well in your aquarium. These are some smaller fish, so they may not be to your liking as much, but they would go in a shorter 55 or a long 55 very well.
Five banded barb
Cherry barbs
All the above fish are shoalers, so they will need to be kept in groups of no less than 6.
FInally, there are apistogrammas (dwarf cichlids). These are similar to the rams, but work best as a male and several females rather than a pair. (I'm not sure how they would work with the ram , however. Hopefully someone else can speak on that.
There are a lot of fish possibilities to go into the 55 gallon. "Tetras" is a very wide spectrum of fish. There are fish like neons, but there are also some very large varieties as well, like silver dollars.
You could go for some rainbowfish. If it is shorter, you could go with dwarf rainbows like the Praecox. If it is a long tank, boesemani rainbows are a cool fish, lots of color. (btw, the rainbow has more to do with the shape of the fish than the color of the fish.
)Praecox rainbowfish
Boesemani rainbowfish
You could consider rasboras or barbs. (Be careful with the barbs though, they can get a bit nippy, especially with the corys, if you get the wrong ones. Tiger barbs are some of the nippiest, and best avoided with corys, IMHO.) Five banded barbs and cherry barbs are peaceful fish that would go well in your aquarium. These are some smaller fish, so they may not be to your liking as much, but they would go in a shorter 55 or a long 55 very well.
Five banded barb
Cherry barbs
All the above fish are shoalers, so they will need to be kept in groups of no less than 6.
FInally, there are apistogrammas (dwarf cichlids). These are similar to the rams, but work best as a male and several females rather than a pair. (I'm not sure how they would work with the ram , however. Hopefully someone else can speak on that.
you'll be lucky to find a pair of Bolivians, unless you pair them off yourself and rehome the rest. An unmatched pair would work in that tank size anyway.
Kuli loaches are social, so have at least 6.
red tailed sharks can be nasty and very territorial. Handle with care!
but apart from the shark the stocking would be fine.
Kuli loaches are social, so have at least 6.
red tailed sharks can be nasty and very territorial. Handle with care!
but apart from the shark the stocking would be fine.
yeah ill most likely pair them off my self and then i guess thatll be a no on the red tailed shark as i dont want any problems with aggression in my tank so ill just do with the cory cats pair of bolivian rams some tetras and 6 kuhli loaches would they go good in a 55 gallon cause ive heard they can get pretty big i dont know if this is true and where could i get some kuhli loahes as i look for some around in ny and i cant seem to find any
kuhli's don't get big, but they are fairly common in the trade. Ask your LFS if they are getting any in or if they will order them for you.
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