Setting Up A New 55 Gal..need Advice

[ellosunshinee]

Hey everyone. I am new to the community. Hello! I currently have a 10 gallon aquarium. I acquired this aquarium from my parents who did not take care of the tank at all. They really knew nothing about fish it seems. They had one of each species. I tried to rid this tank of problems but I am not so sure I can. Only one white skirt tetra (which is dyed blue), one serpae tetra and one albino cory catfish named pumbaa (Timon passed away) remain. This was my first real aquarium attempt.
 
I recently acquired a 55 gallon aquarium. I am currently working on getting a stand for it so I can start cycling. My first question is going to be regarding my old aquarium. I only have 3 fish and ideally I would like for them to somehow fit into the new aquarium. That is, unless there is a chance of the new tank "catching" a disease or bacteria from the remaining fish that I may not know exists (I have lost fish left and right in that tank...mostly due to what looks to me like swim bladder).
 
For the new tank though I was thinking I for sure wanted Rummynose tetra, Emperor tetra and pearl gourami (them being the centerpiece in hopes I can find two that get along well). Does anyone have any suggestions on what other fish I can add to the tank? Any suggestions on an even better centerpiece fish? Also, I want to put sand in the new tank but I get mixed reviews on that idea...what do all of you think?

 

[techen]

I have pearl gouramis, I had Emperors but due to me messing up I killed most of them. I know own phatmons which I find quite fun but I still miss emperors. I don't know how well they'd get on with Rummynose, There quite tough things these emperors. There fine with pearls anyway.
 
You can move the cory you have left to the 55gallon so long as you have a sand substrate and increase the numbers to 6.
 
Or instead of pearls you can have a angel pair.
 
I have Pearls, German blue rams and Phantom tetras in my 53gallon.

 

[ellosunshinee]

I just basically looked up tons of tetras since they are the most plentiful for peaceful community aquariums and the emperor and rummynose are the two I thought were most attractive. What do the emperors do that the rummynose won't like or vise versa?

I have Pearls, German blue rams and Phantom tetras in my 53gallon.

 
I just looked up German blue rams. Boy, those are nice! How is their temperment? Will they get along with the fish I mentioned?

 

[techen]

My emperors males had a habbit of chasing females a lot, There the biggest tetras you can get am sure so am sure they might bully them, You can try and see though.
 
Rams are fine, So long as you give lots of hiding spaces etc you should have no problem with them.

 

[ellosunshinee]

My emperors males had a habbit of chasing females a lot, There the biggest tetras you can get am sure so am sure they might bully them, You can try and see though.
 
Rams are fine, So long as you give lots of hiding spaces etc you should have no problem with them.

Interesting. I don't really like bullies so I might ditch that idea and go with something else. Might try to make the rams work, I really like them. Thanks a bunch for the advice. Your tank looks amazing.

 

[techen]

Haha thank you, Wish ya luck. You'll need to get pics up!

 

[ellosunshinee]

Haha thank you, Wish ya luck. You'll need to get pics up!

I will when it gets started for sure!