Setting Up A Community Tank

[stacey3272]

I have my 55 gallon ttank set up and ready to go thru the fishless cyle... I was wondering if I could get some suggestions on combination of fish for a community tank. I like to have bottem middle and top so the tank is very active. I do daycare and would like allot of action for the kids to watch.
Thanks

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd suggest something along these lines;

For the top, marbled hatchetfish (Not the brightest of colours, but their unusual body shape makes up for that) or male guppies for the colour, or gouramis; pearl gouramis are nice, have pretty markings and the males get a lovely red throat when they're in breeding condition.

For the middle, one large, or two smaller shoals of barbs or tetras (but avoid tiger barbs, unles you don't want anything else!).Rummy noses have interesting colour and markings, five banded barbs are nice, red phantoms also are an interesting shape.

For the bottom, corydoras catfish or loaches (zebras are lovely; they look almost like thay've been woodgrained, but avoid clown loaches, as they get too big for your tank), if you have sand rather than gravel, and/or bristlenoses, which are ok on gravel and kids love the 'uglies', IME. Or you could have Bolivian rams or apistogrammas, which are very interesting characters.

There's a few suggestions to start you off anyway

 

[stacey3272]

Thanks for your suggestions. I had been looking at a few you listed. I am one that has to do this all the way right so I tend to over think things. I do have rwo Zebra D in a 5 gallon with some neon tetras. I was hoping to move over and add more to the group I know they need a few more to be happy. Then let the tetras have the 5 gallon to themselves.



I just started the fishless cylce thing today. I hope I get this right. I do have a little patch of sand in one spot in tank. But thought to add a bit more after it settles in. I have a couple different sizes of gravel for texture. , Anyways I will do more ready around here. Thanks again.