Starter Fish For My 55 Gallon

[c06ford22]

Alright, I have just set up a 55 gallon tank and have it ready for my starter fish (filters have been running for a few days now getting it ready). I have a 20 gallon right now with a Tiger Oscar, Pleco, and Raphael Catfish that will eventually move into my 55. I was wanting to be doing a cichlid tank for the most part other than the cat and pleco. I'm trying to figure out what would be starter fish though for such a tank? I didn't know if I could start the tank off with like an electic blue cichlid along with a yellow lab cichlid or not? Any ideas? I'm not sure how hardy one of these would be for starting such a tank.

Thanks Alot!!!

 

[Truck]

have you heard of cycling?

go to the 'new to the hobby' section and read the fishless cycling topic

 

[Davo86]

Alright, I have just set up a 55 gallon tank and have it ready for my starter fish (filters have been running for a few days now getting it ready). I have a 20 gallon right now with a Tiger Oscar, Pleco, and Raphael Catfish that will eventually move into my 55. I was wanting to be doing a cichlid tank for the most part other than the cat and pleco. I'm trying to figure out what would be starter fish though for such a tank? I didn't know if I could start the tank off with like an electic blue cichlid along with a yellow lab cichlid or not? Any ideas? I'm not sure how hardy one of these would be for starting such a tank.

Thanks Alot!!!

Hi
As truck says you will need to cycle the tank in some form, and by the sounds you are currently thinking of doing a fish-in-cycle using "starter fish" as you call them?

A 55G is the suggested tanksize for an Oscar alone without tankmates, so by adding a raphael cat and a pleco too you will be fully stocked from the start,
For this stocking you will be needing a Very big Cannister filter with a bare minimum rate of 1500lph

African cichlids like labs and electric blues will Not mix with your existing fish.

As you already have a tank setup, the easiest way to setup the 55G is to simply add the water, filter and fish from the 20G then add the rest of the water required,

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, agree with the above. By moving the water, filter and fish over to the bigger tank and running the old filter and new filter in tandem, the old filter can handle the fish load while the new filter takes its month or two to cycle (or much faster if you are lucky.) Do not add fish during this period. A month later when you decide the new filter may be cycled and want to remove the old one back to the smaller tank, you will be confronted for the first time with the need for cycling knowledge.

So it will be better if you have gone ahead and taken the opportunity to read about this fascinating topic that is central to understanding the hobby for a good aquarist. There are really good articles to be found pinned in the forum here about the nitrogen cycle, fishless cycling and fish-in cycling and about using a good test kit to understand what is going on with cycling in your tank. Plus, most everyone here is happy to answer the questions you would have while gathering this info and understanding it.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[c06ford22]

Thanks for the replies guys and I have not added any fish to the 55 gallon yet, I was simply asking about any "starter" fish to begin its cycling. I read up on the fishless cycling and would really like to do that but I have one problem. I am unable to find the proper "Pure Ammonia". I've checked wal-mart, meijer, kroger, home-depot, some local pharmacy's and no such luck. If I am able to find some I would love to take that route but as now of its not looking good.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, ammonia sourcing.. very frustrating indeed! Would it be physically impossible to run the new filter on the old tank for a while as you continue the search? I realize a filter for a 55g may just have some aspect that is too big, but its worth a try, as it would get the bacteria started I'd hope...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Davo86]

Depending on what type of media you have in the filter, I would simply take the mature media and put it into the new filter in the new tank

 

[OldMan47]

Ammonia in the US is found at True Value hardware. It is in the cleaning section there.