# Please help me design our 55gallon tank from scratch :)



## mdrew (Dec 23, 2010)

FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL THE AMAZING HELP!!!

I bought the 55gal tank for my live-in boyfriend less than a week ago and since we have visited the stores 3 times (hahaha) and each time he has marvelled at the angelfishs' responsiveness. he loved running his fingers along the tanks and seeing them intently follow but if this behaviour is left at the store than it will surely dissapoint him. Perhaps all you geniuses (not sarcastic though it sounds that way lol) could help us design a tank around your recomendations and his wishlist? He would like...

1. minimum 2-3 larger fish and a buch of smaller varieties
2. responsiveness to outside stimuli / friendly / not scardey cats
3. a variety of bright colouration.
4. some nice true green plants

A demanding list i know but i'm sure that asking you guys will do me much better than another 50 hrs reading conflicting articles on the web lol

THANK YOU!!!!


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## cossie (Dec 19, 2010)

Well if you want colouration then you could buy yourself a pair of rams but they are shy. The only fish I can think of thatia bright and livelly is the female bettas maybe 5-6 of them to start.

Plant- Java fern is always a bright green plant that I find never dies and is constantly growing

this is just to get you started. I'll let someone elses suggestions take over


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## Momo (Jul 28, 2009)

Angelfish are very nice to have in a tank. I have two in my 55, and they are very responsive to me. Every time anyone comes near to the tank, they come to the glass or to the top. There are also many different varieties, so there will probably be one that will match what you like. In my opinion, angels make good "centerpiece" fish because they are interesting to watch, and are compatible with a wide variety of other fish.


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## mdrew (Dec 23, 2010)

Thank you both so much 

where could I find a list of fish compatible with angels? i have googled like crazy but to no avail.


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## cossie (Dec 19, 2010)

I always suggest corys, since they seem to go with anything. U might also look into bala sharks (if you have enough tank space) as well as clown loaches and Long finned Zebra Danios. Just to name a few more compatible tankmates here is a list: 
-Lemon Tetra 
-Bleeding Heart Tetra 
-Black Phantom Tetra 
-Congo Tetra 
-Fancy Guppys 
-Tri color Shark 
-Bristle nose Pleco 
-Yoyo Loach 
-Red Wag Swords 
-Sailfin Mollys 
-Rainbow Fish


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## mdrew (Dec 23, 2010)

just googled one more time and struck gold, how does this sound?
http://www.funfishtank.com/wp-content/freshwater-fish-compatibility-chart-for-you.jpg


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## mdrew (Dec 23, 2010)

wow a shark would definitly get my bf excited!!!! its a 55 gal, does that work, and would the shark be ok with other fish?

you rock for 14yr old 

duh just looked them up lol, not actual sharks hahaha my newb is showing


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## cossie (Dec 19, 2010)

Oooooooh I like that chart and yer the info on that is all you need so good luck


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## mdrew (Dec 23, 2010)

cossie said:


> Oooooooh I like that chart and yer the info on that is all you need so good luck


are all barb sharks silver?


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## cossie (Dec 19, 2010)

Lol you mean Bala sharks and yer I'm pretty sure because I've never seen one that's not silver


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

If you wanted color and activity, I'd go with a large school of Cardinal/Neon Tetras. (This is the third time today I've recommended them. Wow.) They should (If I'm not mistaken) get along great with your angels to be.


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## Momo (Jul 28, 2009)

Here's another cool compatibility chart. I personally have used this one.
http://www.aquariumlife.net/fishcomp.asp

Also, here's a link to a stocking calculator to see how much you can put in your tank.
http://www.aqadvisor.com/

EDIT: Also, Bala sharks are schooling fish (meaning they like to be in groups of 2 or more) that can be a foot long. That would take up a good bit of tank space...


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

I second the neon tetra suggestion. I have some in my ten gallon (not that many  ) but they are really pretty to watch school together. And in big groups they should be even better. Just make sure to have dark green plants and the colours will glow. They are just awesome fish. And as long as the fish you put in with them have small mouth and can't get them into their mouths your ok. (Neon tetra's tend to be fishy snacks for larger fish  )


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

They have a school of a couple hundred at shed aquarium. Looking at them for too long makes you dizzy. Cardinal Tetras are my favorite fish. I would have some, but my neons killed the only one I got. (Which is weird; they don't normally do that.) Next time I ad them, I'll add them in a small school of their own (3-6). Still, cool, cool, fish.


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

I totally forgot about cardinal tetra's. But aren't cardinal's and tetra's supposed to school together?? If so, then it is very wierd that your neon's turned homicidal  . I like tetra's because of the way they work together and swim around the aquarium as a group. It's really cool.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

They are supposed to, which is why it was so surprising! The night before, it was away from the school. The next morning, it was floating with one of its fins torn off...


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

Huh  thats really strange. But i guess any fish can get territorial. I'm actually having that problem with some of my neons right now. Two of them were in there on there own and the three i added a couple of days ago are being exiled. I'm hoping it goes away once the fish are used to each other. 
Anyways, i think cardinal and neon tetra's are a great option (atleast for a portion of your tank). I'm sure you could find some videos of these fish schooling on youtube, or you could look up some pictures of google. They are fun to watch, and with both cardinals and neons you get some colour varation. Once the fish are established their colours beam. And if you have dark substrate and dark green plants they look amazing. It's definately one of the many many options available for your tank.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Evidently, they're also easy to breed if you know how to. I read it in an article.

1. Set up a ten gallon in a dark place with a little sunlight. Really, it should be in a room with sunlight, but in the shade. I think of my unfinished basement. It's dark, but has some windows.

2. Let tank cycle.

3. Add some leaves from outside and allow them to sink.

4. Add conditioned Cardinal/Neon tetras in pairs.

5. Wait.

6. Wait some more.

7. When you see eggs or fry, remove adults into separate tank. Acclimate them well to your display tank.

8. once fry are free swimming move and acclimate to a plain holding with low or diffused lighting.

9. Feed fry as you would any other fry; high protein, crushed flakes, and etc.


Wallah. They color up in about a month (on average).


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

Thats really cool. I've heard alot of stories, some saying that they are incredibly difficult, and others saying they are easy. I guess you'de just have to try and see for yourself. I also think (if introduced to the aquarium at the same time) angel fish should work with the tetras. (Somebody correct me if i'm wrong though) I think with the angels and the tetras, it would look amazing. Thats just my thoughts on it.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

That's what thought as well, but I wanted to be sure.


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

Well if i remember correctly both angel fish and neon tetras are native to the amazon river. Thats not to say they don't eat each other, but they live together. That is actaully a plan of mine for a 30 - 55 gallon aquarium. Idk what size i'll end up getting, or when. it could be years down the road. But my plan was to do an amazon biotype aquarium. Actually angels and neon tetra's were the plan for that as well as some other species of fish native to the amazon river. I was also going to make it look like a section of the river by adding knotted pieces of driftwood (one i knot together =P) and plants also native to the amazon river. I thought that would be really cool if you want to look into something like that.
EDIT:: Just to add cory cats are also native to the amazon river (or so i read). As well as Discus (probably to big for that aquarium but i don't know much about them), some bigger tetras (don't know the names sorry) and cardinal tetras (forgot to add those above).


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Rummynose Tetras would also be good with angels


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

TOS, no comment on the breeding of Cards/Neons?


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

TheOldSalt said:


> Rummynose Tetras would also be good with angels


rummynose are AWESOME that was gonna be my suggestion!


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## cossie (Dec 19, 2010)

Heyyyy lol neons and rummys meh meh meh.........what about x-ray tetras they are hardy and have never in the whole year Ive had them got an illness


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Didn't you already recommend this?


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## Momo (Jul 28, 2009)

I'd recommend Serpae Tetras, because of their bright red color, but they sometimes have a reputation of nipping at long finned fish (like angels). I personally have not had this happen, however.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

I had one kill one of my guppies, but this was after its tail had been torn many times.


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## mdrew (Dec 23, 2010)

cossie said:


> Well if you want colouration then you could buy yourself a pair of rams but they are shy. The only fish I can think of thatia bright and livelly is the female bettas maybe 5-6 of them to start.
> 
> Plant- Java fern is always a bright green plant that I find never dies and is constantly growing
> 
> this is just to get you started. I'll let someone elses suggestions take over


i'm sold on the java fern that you suggested  i did more research on angels and the lay eggs (not that i'm ready to breed but its nice to know) on broad leaved plants and this qualifies right?

thank you


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

I love my Barters Anubias! It grows like a weed, so I make cuttings of it for other parts of my tank! Goggle it; it looks like Java Fern.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

anubias and java fern are both good low-light plants. IMO java fern is a good substitute for sword plants if you don't have super lights. I took serpaes back to the store when they started nipping my angels in a 55. My angels eventually ate the neons they grew up with, then they spawned. You might want to pick a larger tetra.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

At least your story had a happy ending!


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## SGT Z (Jul 7, 2010)

You didn't say if your 55 gallon was high or long. Angelfish prefer high tanks.

Also, what do you mean by "large"? Most of us consider "large" fish to be a foot or longer. Medium would be like 5-11". Small would be 4" or less. I'd put one footlong fish in a 55 gallon at the most. 

If you're looking for responsiveness, oscars are considered to be the dogs of the fish world. They are very responsive to their owners - know when it's about to be fed, come up to the surface at feeding time, some let you pet them or feed them by hand, and mine follows me back and forth the room. When I sit at my computer desk he hangs out in the corner of the tank closest. When I am on the couch he hangs out at that end of the tank.

I agree that the many varieties of tetras are very colorful fish. They are small so you can have a lot of them. There are also GloFish, but some people frown upon because they are scientifically created (they do not occur in nature). They come in a variety of colors that are enhanced by day-glo lightbulbs.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

most 55s are the same shape 4' x 1' and its nice and high for angels, but kind of deep for plants. But I have seen a 2' x 2' 55 column. Weird but cool.


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## Mbuna Keeper (Dec 24, 2010)

I saw Bala sharks as a reccomendation and I would really advise you of not adding them to a 55 gallon. As nice as they are, they are a schooling fish and they get far to big for a tank that size. They are also extremely Skittish, and all it takes is for someone to walk past the tank for them to shoot off, usually resulting with them smacking their heads on the tank. I had to rehome mine (didn't do my research) when my 3 were about 4 inches in my old 55gal. At 4 inches they were smacking their heads. Not too bright....


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## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

I'm loving my school of 5 Harlequin Rasboras. They school together and have great personality. Currently I have them with Dwarf Gouramis, Mollies, and Corys and Loaches. The Rasboras pretty much leave everyone else alone. The are fast so they can get away if needed. It's really fun to watch them. They swim around together then one or two break off to explore and join up again a few seconds later. They just keep swimming around and doing this. I have a 55g right now with goldfish that I can't wait to put the goldfish in a pond so I can transfer my current 20g fish into the 55g. I'd probably be adding another 5 Rasboras and maybe another school like Zebra Danios or something. Good luck with yours and be sure to update us and make take some photos.


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