GouramiGirl1221

Some of you may remember helping me with stocking suggestions for 29 gal. Come to find out, my parents are just as excited about getting an aquarium as I am, and have decided that a 29 just isn't big enough and are going to be getting a 55 gal next weekend. So, needless to say, more help would be appreciated since I have almost double the water to work with now. What I had decided on before with your all's help was:

8 hatchets
1 male powder blue gourami
1 female red flame gourami
1 female sunset gourami
1 female sparkling gourami
1 peacock gudgeon
3-4 cory cats
I've also decided to keep my female red wag swordtail since I now have the room for her.

That is, of course, assuming that all those pesky gouramis get along and knowing that I can exchange them at my LFS if they don't. So, what else can I do with that community? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE silver dollars, but I know they school and don't know if they "play well with others". Some others I'm quite fond of are pearl gouramis and golden dojo loaches. I'm not crazy about fish that need large schools for the most part, as I like to be able to tell them apart and name them. Thanks in advance for the help!

Blub

Make sure you read my hatchet care guide in the hatchetfish section - it has quite a lot of important things in it.

Silver dollars get t 6" apiece, and are ravenous plant eaters. I'd up the Gudgeon count to 3 - 1 male 2 female, and the cory count to 6.

GouramiGirl1221

My aquarium stand is being built as I type, and as soon as my other stuff comes in the mail, I'm going to put it together and cycle it. I think I've decided on my community, but I'd like to run it past you guys to make sure I haven't created a bad mix anywhere. I know it's a little overstocked, but I prepared for the extra maintenance.

12 hatchets (4 marble, 4 marthae, 4 silver)
Powder Blue Gourami
Flame Gourami
Honey Gourami
Sparkling Gourami
2 swordtails
3 diamond tetras
4 Cory cats
2 plecos (I believe the small breed at my LFS is the rubber lip? does that sound right?)
Golden Dojo Loach

Blub

I would take out the Dojo loach, down the hatchet count to 8, only get 1 pleco, and up the Diamond tetra count to 6. Otherwise, sounds like a cute stock! If you did twice week water changes, you could probably get away with the extra pleco and 2 more hatchets, 4 extra hatchets or the dojo. If you went heavily planted, you could probably get away with a bit more.

GouramiGirl1221

I hadn't really considered planting as an option because I assumed the plecos would eat/destroy them. My dad is set on having a pleco or two, so I can't get rid of them completely. I don't really know anything about planting, other than I think i read that you have to do some extra testing, right? I'm not really against the idea, just hadn't considered it.

Blub

There are a few basic plants that should be able to grow easily. Dwarf plecos (rubbernoses at least) wouldn't touch plants except algae - so no worries there. Hornwort is really easy to grow and fast at growing as well, so you may want to try that. It really eats away at those nitrates! There are lots of other easy plants, but since I should really be in bed now I'll post more later.

GouramiGirl1221

I'm not really looking to upgrade my lighting or substrate just yet...I'm more concerned with the fish for now. I've done a bit of research though, and I think I'm going to try some Java moss, java fern, hornwort, and maybe some crypts, depending on what I can find at my LFS. Any other suggestions? I'm going to get some Flourish to put in the tank weekly as well to help them out some. About how many plants will I need for this size tank?