How Should I Stock My 56 Gallon

[platypus308]

I have a 56 gallon tank with just a pleco in it right now and am not sure what to stock it with.  Comment any ideas or tank plans

 

[Wildbetta]

What kind of pleco do you have?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hey platypus...
 
Welcome to the forum.  It would help folks to give you some recommendations to know what your water parameters are.  Having pH and hardness information will help folks make better recommendations of fish that are very complementary of your water.  Keeping fish that come from the same type of water makes it much easier.
 
For example, hard water with a slightly higher pH would mean that rainbowfish would be a good addition.
 
But, soft, acidic water would be better for something like apistogrammas and other South American fish.

 

[platypus308]

Its just a basic plecostomus from petsmart and I'm really not sure about the water parameters I was just looking for cool stocking ideas

 

[Ch4rlie]

If you would like to know more about your water parameters, ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrates, i would suggest perhaps a decent value water test kit, like API Master Freshwater Test Kit, easily obtained online or from LFS. 
 
At least try to get a liquid based test kit, avoid the paper strip dip kits as these 
 
If you cannot get the test kits, take a sample of tank water to your LFS and ask them to test for you and be sure to ask for specific reading rather than a general 'its ok' answer.
 
That would be a good start and would help us to know and offer suitable recommendations of fish specie that may be suitable for your water type for you.

 

[Wildbetta]

Its just a basic plecostomus from petsmart and I'm really not sure about the water parameters I was just looking for cool stocking ideas

 
A basic plecostomus from Petsmart is going to be a common pleco.  These fish are not suitable for the size of your tank and easily reach upwards of 2 feet long.
 
Cool stocking ideas can be given with a little bit of help from you with some things like the water parameters that the other posters have asked for.  There are always reasons people ask for more information instead of just throwing options out that there that might really not be suitable for your situation.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Its just a basic plecostomus from petsmart and I'm really not sure about the water parameters I was just looking for cool stocking ideas

 
 
Well, petsmart offers very different plecos, which are hard to differentiate at small sizes, like they sell at petsmart. 
 
There's the 'common' pleco, which will grow huge - 18-24 inches.  And then there's the bristlenose pleco, which will grow only 5 inches.  Depending on which you have, that will limit your stocking.  Posting a pic of the pleco will help us ID it and give you appropriate stocking options.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Is your tank cycled? If you don't know what that is have a look HERE, to get a better idea.

 

[platypus308]

It is a common plecostomus and the tank is cycled

 

[platypus308]

I've decided I'm going to make it into an all barb tank I'm going to add 5 tiger barbs, 5 albino tiger barbs, 5 green tiger barbs, and 5 gold barbs

 

[fluttermoth]

That sounds like a great idea

 

[Ninjouzata]

I agree! Pretty please put up pics when it's all set up! I especially like the green tiger barbs

 

[platypus308]

thanks I'll be sure to post a pic when it's done

 

[noobgamers]

I've decided I'm going to make it into an all barb tank I'm going to add 5 tiger barbs, 5 albino tiger barbs, 5 green tiger barbs, and 5 gold barbs

i would advise to keep 10 - 15 gold barbs as i have heard many stories about tiger barbs stressing ou other fish increasing the numbers will mean the aggression will be spread out more evenly just to assure that you will have no problems hope it goes well please post pics when its done

 

[platypus308]

I've decided I'm going to make it into an all barb tank I'm going to add 5 tiger barbs, 5 albino tiger barbs, 5 green tiger barbs, and 5 gold barbs

i would advise to keep 10 - 15 gold barbs as i have heard many stories about tiger barbs stressing ou other fish increasing the numbers will mean the aggression will be spread out more evenly just to assure that you will have no problems hope it goes well please post pics when its done

Would 3 silver dollars be better than the 5 gold barbs or would they get nipped?