New At This! What Tropical Fish Should I Occupy In A 55 Gallon?

[newfish4me]

HI there. I just recently set up my new 55 gallon. Quite honestly, as juvenille as this may seem to you all, I really was set on goldfish. But that idea has been shot down when I have been told you can only have 3 goldfish in a 55 gallon, and that they are dirty, etc etc.

So I would please LOVE to hear your ideas on a community of beautiful, colorful and diverse fish breeds that would be good for a beginner! If you could reply with maybe a list of fish and quantities so I can get an idea of what variations are most appealing.

I thank you for your help, appreciate ALL comments I may recieve, and I am greatful for this website! YAY!

 

[*Fishkies*]

You could still do goldfish! A group of 3 or 4 Fancy goldfish have lots of personality, and it's easier to catch 3 or 4 fish compared to 20 little ones when you need to clean the tank for something.

As for a freshwater community there are many combinations and fish. You could have livebeareres, egglayers, aggressive fish. There are many different types of combinations.

You could have swordtails, platies, zebra danios, guppies, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, black skirt tetras. There are many more to list. There are also corydoras, shrimp and snails that could be your bottom feeders.

Best thing for you to do would be to take a look at some fish you like, and post them here and well help you out with whether or not they'll work together.

Best of Luck!!

 

[newfish4me]

You could still do goldfish! A group of 3 or 4 Fancy goldfish have lots of personality, and it's easier to catch 3 or 4 fish compared to 20 little ones when you need to clean the tank for something.

As for a freshwater community there are many combinations and fish. You could have livebeareres, egglayers, aggressive fish. There are many different types of combinations.

You could have swordtails, platies, zebra danios, guppies, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, black skirt tetras. There are many more to list. There are also corydoras, shrimp and snails that could be your bottom feeders.

Best thing for you to do would be to take a look at some fish you like, and post them here and well help you out with whether or not they'll work together.

Best of Luck!!

Wow, I couldn't of asked for a better reply. I am so greatful for your response, Fishkies, thank you thank you! I just don't want to rush into getting the fish without research and some wonderful advice.

Well just for some info, we have a little goldfish in a 5 gallon with filter, and I really wanted to be able to move that poor little guy in the big tank! So, I will keep in mind that I could possibly have up to 5 goldfish, however, I really want to have an exciting array and community. I was told by some that my little goldfish absolutely could not mingle with tropical fish, and then some have told me that the goldfish can be okay in a 75 degree tank with other fish....I am lost on that one. I would really like the goldfish I have to have a better tank, so any advice on whether he can be transfered or not will be helpful. If the answer is no, I am sure I would end up getting him a 10 gallon...

Anyway, regarding other fish... Here is what I think I like:

I am very much interested in having Angelfish. I know they are aggressive, but I like the challenge I will want to have atleast 6. So with that said, I know that I couldn't have small fish such as tetras. Would guppies be okay, or will the angelfish grow and eat them? And what are your suggestions of other fish that could go well with angelfish that would make my tank more exotic?

Now for a different presepective, if I decide on a different array of fish if I find that not too many types can live well with Angel Fish, I also love Gouramies, male guppies, zebra danios, burmese border botia, african chiclids, Platys, and also the freshwater stingray. Now don't get me wrong, I definitelt do NOT want to overpopulate my tank! I just want to have a nice enough variety of top, middle and bottom dwellers that would live happy and well with plenty of space. Is there any way you can tell me what of these can go together and add any species if you like!

I appreciate this so much!!

 

[*Fishkies*]

Well just for some info, we have a little goldfish in a 5 gallon with filter, and I really wanted to be able to move that poor little guy in the big tank! So, I will keep in mind that I could possibly have up to 5 goldfish, however, I really want to have an exciting array and community. I was told by some that my little goldfish absolutely could not mingle with tropical fish, and then some have told me that the goldfish can be okay in a 75 degree tank with other fish....I am lost on that one. I would really like the goldfish I have to have a better tank, so any advice on whether he can be transfered or not will be helpful. If the answer is no, I am sure I would end up getting him a 10 gallon...

I suggest getting your goldfish at least a 20gallon tank. He will thank you for it and it will also be less stress on you trying to keep his tank clean.
It is advisable to put tropical and coldwater fish together. Goldfish are coldwater and don't require a heater. Tropical fish like warmer temps. and therefore need a heater to keep their temperatures constant and higher around 78F degrees.
Goldfish will tolerate these temperatures however they will not be happy and it will most certainly shorten their lifespan, which is not fair to the fish. So since you have one goldfish already, I would say you could only get 3 more Fancy goldfish at the most!!!

I am very much interested in having Angelfish. I know they are aggressive, but I like the challenge I will want to have atleast 6. So with that said, I know that I couldn't have small fish such as tetras. Would guppies be okay, or will the angelfish grow and eat them? And what are your suggestions of other fish that could go well with angelfish that would make my tank more exotic?

Guppies are similar in size to the angel fish and therefore I would not chance putting them in with the angels.
Article on Angelfish Take a look at that article, it explains the general information about Angelfish. I would also suggest posting in New World Cichlids forum about your angelfish questions. More people will be able to help in there with setting up your tank for angels. And combining other fish with them.

Now for a different presepective, if I decide on a different array of fish if I find that not too many types can live well with Angel Fish, I also love Gouramies, male guppies, zebra danios, burmese border botia, african chiclids, Platys, and also the freshwater stingray. Now don't get me wrong, I definitelt do NOT want to overpopulate my tank! I just want to have a nice enough variety of top, middle and bottom dwellers that would live happy and well with plenty of space. Is there any way you can tell me what of these can go together and add any species if you like!

Think of it this way when your adding fish to your tank. Find the total adult species size in inches for the fish you want. Then think of one inch of fish per gallon of water. So in the end you could have about 55 inches of fish in your 55gallon tank.

Take a look here at all the categories of fish and read up on a few that you think you may like.

I personally like swordtails, platies, zebra danios, neon tetras, corydoras and african dwarf frogs and the list goes on.
Good Luck deciding!! Any more questions or thoughts feel free to ask away!!!!!


Another thing before you add fish, most people on here will tell you to do a Fishless Cycle. It's all explained in the link above. And if you have more questions about that, feel free to post in tropical chat section of the forum.

I personally have never done fishless cycling, never even heard of it till joined the forum. And i've never had any problems not doing one before. I do things completly different then most memebers on here would i'm sure, but it has always worked for me so why change to something new, if the old way works great.

 

[clinton ><>]

if not you could always get some guppies mollies platys and swordtails they are all nice coulerfull fish and are very easy to care for they are novice fish

 

[clinton ><>]

if not you could always get some guppies mollies platys and swordtails they are all nice coulerfull fish and are very easy to care for they are novice fish

 

[newfish4me]

wow thanks everyone!!!

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

I adore angelfish, and a 55gallon tank would be awesome for the 6 to grow up in. The only thing that could become a problem is that the angelfish may eventually pair off to breed, which causes a lot of aggression - at which point, those 2 won't want the other 4 angels around. You might be able to give those 4 back to your LFS and exchange them for a few other types of fish. Guppies, smaller platies, and even smaller danios may become lunch - but there's other similar options, like a shoal of giant danio, which is similar in care & appearance to the regular danio. Those will make up your top/middle water fish.

For bottom fish, a few loaches or a smaller type of pleco might work out well. There's a stickied list of plecos under 8" on the pleco subforum. However, I've heard that plecos are attracted to sucking on roundbodied fish like the angels - no idea if that's true or not. I'd ask on the forums first to make sure though.

 

[newfish4me]

WoW Thanks everyone. And especially to you MoonstruckMuse! Thank you!

 

[Scunny]

I caught 4 goldfish out of my pond and put them in my 50gallon tank to get it cycling, and i was realy shocked.

I always thought that goldfish were common things that would look cr@p in any tank, but i put them in and they look real good. I did toy with the idea of keeping them in there, but thought it'd be better to put them back in the pond with all there buddies

The only think i don't like about them is that they've dug up all the gravel i spend ages getting right

 

[-germ-]

If you are going to keep the temps tank at room temp, which for me anyway is 20-25 celcius depending on windows open/closed etc. then you do have a few interesting fish you could look at...
I'm not sure, though, if these temps are suitable for goldies.... anyone?

 

[Scunny]

the goldfish i have in my tank seem to be doing really well, and i've had no problems at all (apart from when i accidentaly plugged the heater in and the temp began to rose). They've been doing fine at roughly 23C which is what its at. not sure if this is good for the long term, but there only in there for another week.

 

[-germ-]

If that is acceptable then; hillstream loaches (although you couldn't keep the goldie with them, see signature for pics), otocinclus, parotocinlus, danios, white cloud mountain minnows theres a fair few more, i'm sure there is some larger plecos that can take similar temps....
All from 20-24 celcius.
Edited to add; although otocinlus and hillstream loaches aren't really suitable for an immature tank, you'd have to set it up and leave it for a while before adding these.