# 55g setup for free



## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

This lady I know has a 55g setup and she is getting tired of the fish for some reason so I may be getting it including the fish. Which I'm going to sell on here as I want to start the tank off with fish I want in it. I'm not sure if I just want a couple of big fish or several small to medium sized fish. But I definatly know that I want a pleco in it. So can you all give me some suggestion for a couple of big fish and suggestions for several small to medium sized fish? But keep in mind to work around the pleco.


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## SkipT (Jun 15, 2006)

Mmmm Pleco = up to 20 inches! so I would say just the Pleco? And that only if you are doing 25% water changes every other day. But I would not keep a fish that size in that small of a tank.

I would think a 75 gal would be min and then with very small about of other fish (as in around 1 each each just a small school)

Just my 2 cents


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

Well the bristlenose plec doesn't get up to 20 inches long. lol


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## Rebecca (Apr 6, 2006)

*Bristle nose pleco*

Just wanted to say that I love the look of the bristle nose!! So unique. Hope you get some good suggestions. They could probably hold their own with cichlids, but I'm a hobbyist, not an expert.


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## Rebecca (Apr 6, 2006)

*Oh!!*

I've got just the fish.......A huge goldfish, white, completly blind.........LOL;-) 
Obviously I'm kidding....I'm sure you remember my thread. Sorry.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Durb! u cant make your titles like u do "free setup" etc lol you get me too excited because i think your giving away a free setup! lol. And this is the 2nd time youve done this! so next time you make the title "free 55 gallon with stand" im taking that 55 gallon with stand that your talking about!! lol


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I know. I say we corner him and beat him up until he gives us one.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Well...hees done this twice so how about we take 2 tanks!! Mwahahah (evil laugh)


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

That works for me!


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

[email protected] Harif and boxermom

I can't help that I'm getting a 29g and 55g set up for free. :lol:


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## northfacehiker (May 31, 2006)

Yes you can. You can turn them down... LOL


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

.................and then let us know there is a free offer


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## SkipT (Jun 15, 2006)

Well you did say "*But I definatly know that I want a pleco in it. So can you all give me some suggestion for a couple of big fish and suggestions for several small to medium sized fish? But keep in mind to work around the pleco.* "

You did not say a bristlenose plec so maybe you sould say what you mean? And a Pleco will get up to 20" 

So my info was correct you just gave the wrong name for the fish that you wanted to get info on.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

I don't want info on fish, I want fish names that are compatible together and will be good in a 55g, also I only know of two plec's that get huge and thats the common and the gibbec's.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

SkipT said:


> So my info was correct you just gave the wrong name for the fish that you wanted to get info on.


but you assumed what type of pleco he had in mind. and he's asking for suggestions on fish to put in a 55, he doesnt want information about the pleco.
so now that we all know what information Durb is looking for and what type of pleco he wants, we can now give suggestions for the real request.

So Durbkat, is there a specific region you want your tank to "mimic"?
I like to do this with my tanks....for example, would you be interested in having a South American theme with fish originating from SA, such as maybe SA cichlids?


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

I have no idea, it doesn't really matter what it mimics really. If it helps I like colorful active fish or fish that have a "wow" apperance.


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## wildtiger (Jun 8, 2005)

Here is what I would go for, now this is just what I would do personally. I would forgo the large fish unless maybe your talking about silver dollars, nice mid level swimmers who aren't terribly aggressive and I would go with at least 3 of these becuase they like to be around their own kind. In this setup I would go for a pair of bristles also.

Now minus the large fish, I would still go for a pair of bristles (mainly because I like them that much), maybe a school of tetras of your choice, my personal favorite are emperors but you may like something a little different. Perhaps a pair of dwarf cichlids say apisto caucatoids (sp) or maybe even a pair of kribs or a pair of rams (bolivians are pretty and hardy too and a bit larger than the blues or golds). And last but not least I would go for 6 of your choice of cories. This would make for an active tank and something swimming in all levels. 

As I said this is my personal preference but it's an idea of what I would do.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

No tetras, I'm tired of them I have them in my 10g and 55g. The tank would be to small for an oscar right?


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

yes. IMO, i don't think an oscar should be kept in anything smaller than a 70/75 gallon tank.
You could keep a pair of discus in there. A bit on the expensive side though.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2006)

I don't have a job so really expensive fish like discus would be out of the question.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

you could do a pair of convicts with some other large cichlids like maybe a few malawis or a green terror or another largeish fish of your choice. Convicts grow to 6" and can be agressive, so im not sure they wouldnt attack your bristlenoses. Im not sure but you might be able to put in a single green terror or maybe a severum if you want a personality fish. I think the severums do get to big though.maybe you could do 4 dwarf gouramis or 2 medium size ones?


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## yukalaeli87 (Jan 24, 2006)

how about a school of tiger barbs? I have a school in my 55 gal and they're so much fun to watch, very active, curious, and brave little fish. I have a mix of the regular tigers, albinos, and greens, along with some rosies. Sometimes they all school together, while other times they'll spread out throughout the entire bottom of the tank, pecking at the gravel. Don't be turned away by the dull colors of them at the fish store, because mine were like that, but with the proper care, nutrition, and destressing, their colors are now unbelievably bright.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2006)

How about some Bosemani rainbows...kind of expensive, but really active and colorful fish. Much more colorful than tetras IMO. And they are kind of big, so I'd do a school of 6-8 of them, a pair of bristlenose plecs, and 1 or 2 pairs of Apistos. That would be an awesome tank. How about planting it? Have you checked out longfinned bristlenoses Durb? They may be on the expensive side, but I'm going to get an albino one for my new 55g. They are awesome looking fish.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2006)

Nah I don't like them yellow plec's (at least mp's lf bn's were yellow). I'm already putting rainbows in my 29g free set up when I get it so I don't want the same type in each tank.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

Dang Durb, you're hard to please!


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

Synodontis petricola


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Durbkat said:


> No tetras, I'm tired of them I have them in my 10g and 55g. The tank would be to small for an oscar right?


Tetras are some of the most colorful FW fish out there. They also have that "wow" factor that you're after, especially if you have a big shoal.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2006)

What about cichlids then? Maybe some yellow labs and red zebras...

The only rainbows I'd put in a 29g are dwarf neon rainbows. They are different colors than the bosemani. Bosemanis are too large for a 29g tank.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2006)

msdolittle said:


> Dang Durb, you're hard to please!


I know, I'm sorry. It's just that its the first tank this huge that I can put anything I want in but don't have any idea of what I want. 

I could try and get a ride to my lps in a few days and write down names of fish I like, would that help you all narrow down the search?

Edit: What about,
6 convict cichlids
1 common plec or a pair of bn plecs
6 to 8 corys
Would that work?


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

IIts good your ggoing to get a group of cons because that will even out the aggressiveness. I dont think you can keep a common pleco in there when its fully grown. Go with the bn's. And I dont know that much about corys, but everything sounds good other than that. The cons will breed like crazy though so make sure you either have someone to sell your thousands of cichlids too or some very hungry fish that will eat them.


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## SkipT (Jun 15, 2006)

Oh well sorry for helping you kids, I see this board is like most on the net full of people who think they know everything. And just want to fight.

BTW Durpkat if you look at most of your posts you seem to try and give INFO where it was not asked for also. Look back at my post about my O.

Sorry to have said anything at all at this point. But then thats the chance you take on a board when you post, some people just don't like others for some reason. 

Anyhow good luck your new tanks and sorry for the trouble.

Cheers


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## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

I don't know how the cories will fare with all those convicts in there, but you shoudl wait for someone who knows more about convicts to tell you. Also, that setup looks like all the action would be going on near the bottom of the tank, adn would leave the top half of the tank looking quite empty.


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2006)

Well is there any mid and top dweller fish that will be ok with convicts?


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2006)

I think convicts can be pretty aggressive when breeding...especially having 6 in a tank. I don't think I'd put any other fish with them, except maybe a bristlenose.

Thats why you see people setup smaller tanks (29g) for a pair of convicts alone.

I could be wrong though...


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2006)

Oh so 6 would be to many? What about,
2 convicts
2 bolivan rams
4 rainbows
pair of bn plec's
6 corys


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## born2lovefish (Apr 30, 2006)

how about some angel fish or some clown loaches.....The clown loaches will get big, but they will be fine for a while in there.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Personally, I think its a bad idea to get fish that "will be fine for awhile." I think one should either provide the proper home long-term for a fish or get something else.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Exacty and I don't have room for a 90g


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I'm currently in an argument with some ijit about "mini clown loaches." He's got six in a 55g along with several other fish and wants to know what else he can have in there. I told him there was no such thing, he was lied to. His response was: "He's a friend, he didn't lie, *he has had them for 6 months in a 30gal*, he's turning it into a salt water so he giving them to me. *They have not grown since he's had them.* You know, with all this inbreeding goin on, who knows what deffects happen." (emphasis added) 

YA THINK???

And then, to top it off, he ends with "Everyone here acts like they know all about fish, besides, ya'll are to sensitive when it comes to them. Their fish, stop acting like they need to be treated like a dog or cat." 

*sigh* Sometimes I really wish I could reach through the computer and slap people.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Are you serious?:chair:


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I wish I wasn't but yes, sadly I'm serious.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

How about a taking a chair and beating him senseless......then tell him that if he knew a little more he would know how retarted he sounded lol


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I seem to get into these "discussions" all too often.  Another guy recently came along with a 46g bowfront. His stock included "2 dwarf puffer 2 dwarf frogs, 2 ghost shrimp, 2 pink kissing gouramis, 1 red belly gourami, 2 zebra danios, 1 blue danio, 2 golden wonder killies , 2 apple snails,upside down catfish, 2 gold gouramis, devil sucker loach, , pea**** eel, 1 kuhli loaches, 5 freshwater flounder, 2 paradise gouramis, Whipped tail catfish, Weather loach, bumblebee catfish, fiddler crab, 2 albino cory cats 1 rainbow shark."

When I told him he was horribly overstocked and had incompatible fish, etc., he went postal on me. Screaming, cussing, etc. Several days later, he said he'd done some research and I was right and he got rid of some of them. At least he did listen though. Still overstocked but not nearly as bad as he was.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Is that what he has in the tank now or is that what he had before?


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Sadly some people just don't understand. People say all the time "fish grow to size of the tank their kept in". That may be true but its because of stunting....not very pleasant for the fish. I wish I could reach through the computer and beat some people senseless...lol.

I'm surprised the guy went postal, boxermom. Most people do enough research to know they are overstocked, but just don't care to do anything about the problem.

Durbkat, I hate to break it to ya, but keeping Convicts in a community setup isn't a good idea in a 55g tank.
Info from cichlid-forum.com profile:


> A spawning Convict pair is only really assured of long-term, adult sized compatibility with each other, when stocked in four foot long aquariums. To keep more than one pair together of this feisty little fish in an aquarium, a six foot long tank is considered the minimum size. Stocking a spawning pair of Convicts in 'mixed' species community tanks, should probably be considered a 'challenging' undertaking, at best. They are very protective - aggressive - parents. A six foot long tank is recommended as the minimum size for keeping this cichlid as a spawning pair in a tank set up like this. Keep with tank mates that are 'robust' and hardy in nature, but not so large in size they will just simply eat your pair!


If you really want the convicts, keep only a pair inthe 55g and then get a few more cichlids that can hold their own to the convicts. Don't put in non-aggressive tankmates like cories and rams.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Oh, I didn't know that as at my doctor's office they have a 29g with 2 regular convicts and what looks like 2 albino convicts and 2 regular widow tetras. But the convicts do chase each other alot and they flare at the tetras alot. Well then the next time I go to my lps I'll see what they have and look for what I like.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

> Is that what he has in the tank now or is that what he had before?


All that is what he had in the tank before. 



> I'm surprised the guy went postal, boxermom. Most people do enough research to know they are overstocked, but just don't care to do anything about the problem.


Well see, he has a friend that does saltwater tanks so of course that friend knows everything there is to know and his friend told him his tank was fine. When I listed the full size of each type of fish he had, he started screaming at me about how stupid I was for looking up the information on the 'net and in books, what do they know. Then a couple of days later, he came back and said he'd looked up what I had said and admitted I was right. Dunno why it was bad for ME to do the research and not HIM. :roll:


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## book_em_danio (Jun 12, 2006)

SkipT said:


> Oh well sorry for helping you kids, I see this board is like most on the net full of people who think they know everything. And just want to fight.
> 
> BTW Durpkat if you look at most of your posts you seem to try and give INFO where it was not asked for also. Look back at my post about my O.
> 
> ...


Check your PM's for "help".


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## Guest (Jul 26, 2006)

I didn't know about the convicts until I looked up their profile. I've always heard they are pretty aggressive and breed like rabbits, but like most cichlids, they get more aggressive when breeding. I certainly wouldn't want to put my cute little cories in with them. I think a 29g would be good for a pair only, if you are interested in keeping them. 

Why don't you use the 55g as your community tank and the 29g as a convict tank?

Boxermom, yep people always have friends that know it all. It sure seems that way for most of these people that get ticked off when you comment on their stocking. Somebody told them it was ok. That somebody probably has a ton of overstocked tanks.....poor fish!


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