Stocking ideas for a 55 gallon aquarium

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Gikfish

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Setting up a new tank right now and Im doing a little search for what fish I wanna keep in it... Since I always run into many problems regarding compatibility because of water hardness my water gh is about 10dgh and I want to definitely keep some red coral platies in there although I don't want it to be a pure livebearer aquarium since I also really want to have some other schools of fish and a centerpiece if at all possible... Also as an extra question: do the hardness requirements typically offer some breathing room? Like 1 degree up or down?

Any recommendations/advice would be much appreciated!!
 
Hardness requirements by fish are usually a range not a single figure. For example, you mentioned platies and their hardness range is 10 to 30 dH so your hardness is a bit soft for them being right on the lower edge of their range. Something like 15 to 20 dH would be better for platies.
If you were to make the water a bit harder there are other hard water fish such as rainbowfish.

But if you don't want to add hardness minerals you would be better looking at those soft water species which are suitable for soft to middling hardness.
 
Ranges for GH, pH, even temperature are needed to provide some guidance, but should not be taken as "gospel."

Livebearers (excluding mollies) will be fine with 10 dGH. This is basically the minimum for them. Mollies fare better with a higher GH, say 12 dGH minimum (and a basic pH, above 7.0 for all livebearers).

There are many "soft water" species that will manage well at 10 dGH. Many of the tetras, danios, barbs, rasboras. As well as GH, keep in mind pH, temperature, and swimming activity level of each species. I mention the latter because "centrepiece" fish usually means sedate3 (less active swimming) fish, and you do not want groups of danios charging around the tank with sedate fish in it.

Edit. Essjay posted as I was typing.
 
Ranges for GH, pH, even temperature are needed to provide some guidance, but should not be taken as "gospel."

Livebearers (excluding mollies) will be fine with 10 dGH. This is basically the minimum for them. Mollies fare better with a higher GH, say 12 dGH minimum (and a basic pH, above 7.0 for all livebearers).

There are many "soft water" species that will manage well at 10 dGH. Many of the tetras, danios, barbs, rasboras. As well as GH, keep in mind pH, temperature, and swimming activity level of each species. I mention the latter because "centrepiece" fish usually means sedate3 (less active swimming) fish, and you do not want groups of danios charging around the tank with sedate fish in it.

Edit. Essjay posted as I was typing.
Oh in no way I meant to say that the gh requirements are ''gospel'' Im just a little overwhelmed by the many different gh ranges of different fish species haha... ok so if ,say, I want a pearl gourami/gouramis as centerpiece fish which other schooling fish would you recommend?
 
Oh in no way I meant to say that the gh requirements are ''gospel'' Im just a little overwhelmed by the many different gh ranges of different fish species haha... ok so if ,say, I want a pearl gourami/gouramis as centerpiece fish which other schooling fish would you recommend?

For sedate gourami, you want fish that are also sedate, so many of the small/medium rasboras work very well, also there are some tetras suitable. You also have to avoid any of these that have a reputation for fin nipping. Avoid danios and barbs, they are generally too active.
 

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