20 Gallon To 54 Gallon Upgrade

[Kirahn]

I am looking to upgrade my tank from a 20 to a . I'm currently at a high stocking level on my 20 and am looking to move all my fish to the new tank. I like having a community tank with a large variety of fish so I was wondering if there are any other types of fish that would be compatible with my current stock,such as a larger single fish or a pair as centerpiece. Or if I should just increase the numbers on the stock I currently have.

Current stock
1 x Bristlenose Pleco
2 x Fancy male guppy
3 x Endlers hybrid males
6 x ruby tetra
10 x cardinal tetra
4 x peppered Cory catfish
3 x nerite snails

 

[SaltyPhone]

I’d up the count on the corys and cardinals and you could still get away with like a Bolivian Ram or something like that

 

[CrazedHoosier]

I am looking to upgrade my tank from a 20 to a . I'm currently at a high stocking level on my 20 and am looking to move all my fish to the new tank. I like having a community tank with a large variety of fish so I was wondering if there are any other types of fish that would be compatible with my current stock,such as a larger single fish or a pair as centerpiece. Or if I should just increase the numbers on the stock I currently have.

Current stock
1 x Bristlenose Pleco
2 x Fancy male guppy
3 x Endlers hybrid males
6 x ruby tetra
10 x cardinal tetra
4 x peppered Cory catfish
3 x nerite snails

Honestly, I think you could go with an angelfish or larger type of gourami. Pearl and thicklip gouramis are usually pretty peaceful, and reach up to 5 inches. I would also add a few more guppies and endlers.

 

[Islandvic]

I would have at least 6 peppered corydoras at a minimum, if not more. I have 14 in my 75g.

I have 3 sunset thick lipped gourami in my 75 gallon and they get along with all their mates. A 54g I would think could support at least 2.

Have you considered KuhlI or Java Loaches?

Peacock Eels?

1 or 2 Bolivian Rams?

 

[Kirahn]

Yeah I will for sure up the school size of my Corydoras, The Bolivian Rams look good, would they need to be a male and a female or could two males be together? I'm not looking to do any breeding. Had enough of that with my guppies.

What about Electric Blue Rams? They look really good, would they be compatible?

 

[SaltyPhone]

The Mikrogeophagus RamirezI are compatible but more difficult to keep than the Altispinosus.

 

[CrazedHoosier]

Yeah I will for sure up the school size of my Corydoras, The Bolivian Rams look good, would they need to be a male and a female or could two males be together? I'm not looking to do any breeding. Had enough of that with my guppies.

What about Electric Blue Rams? They look really good, would they be compatible?

Bolivian ram is the best route to go if you've never kept ram cichlids before. They're very tough, tolerant of many conditions, and can be kept at cooler temperatures. The german blue, gold ram, electric blue ram, etc. prefer temperatures above 80 degrees and up to about 85. They tend to have issues with temperatures lower than that. They also tend to have health problems anyway.

 

[Islandvic]

For the same reasons crazedhoosier stated, I purchased 2 Bolivians instead of the German Blues a few months ago. They have done well in my community tropical tanks so far.

 

[Kirahn]

OK Thanks for the info. Leaning towards the Bolivian Rams or Angelfish at the moment. Are they best in pairs or singles? I'm liking the look of the Koi Angelfish but it says they can get up to 6", not sure the tank is big enough for two of them with the rest of the community or not.

My wife vetoed the KuhlI Loaches, too snake-like. But, I was thinking of maybe getting ottos or some other type of algae eaters though.

 

[CrazedHoosier]

OK Thanks for the info. Leaning towards the Bolivian Rams or Angelfish at the moment. Are they best in pairs or singles? I'm liking the look of the Koi Angelfish but it says they can get up to 6", not sure the tank is big enough for two of them with the rest of the community or not.

My wife vetoed the KuhlI Loaches, too snake-like. But, I was thinking of maybe getting ottos or some other type of algae eaters though.

Cichlids in general do better in groups, but I wouldn't risk it with angelfish in smaller tanks. You could get a single angelfish, or try to get a pair of rams. You would have to start with 4 young rams, and then keep the pair, and maybe relocate the rest. I honestly don't even attempt cichlid pairs anymore, though.

 

[Kirahn]

Could I do a single Angelfish and say two Powder Blue Gourami's? Or if I just did the Gourami's, how many would be ok to have? I've been reading up on Gourami's and I see a bunch of different info on how many to keep together. Another fish that looks nice is the Electric Blue Acara, Would a single one of those possibly be compatible?

 

[CrazedHoosier]

Could I do a single Angelfish and say two Powder Blue Gourami's? Or if I just did the Gourami's, how many would be ok to have? I've been reading up on Gourami's and I see a bunch of different info on how many to keep together. Another fish that looks nice is the Electric Blue Acara, Would a single one of those possibly be compatible?

Getting more than one dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius) is sort of a risk. Their personalities typically vary from extremely tolerant to extremely intolerant. They also typically are very easily sickened fish. I would stick to a single powder blue. An acara would beat most of your other fish senseless, so probably not a good option.

 

[Kirahn]

OK, thanks. It's sounding like a single Angelfish is my best option here. Or maybe An angelfish and a Gourami? I have read about the sickness in the Dwarf Gouramis, is that only a concern with the dwarfs? Pearl and Thick-lips were mentioned above. Do they have the same issues?

 

[CrazedHoosier]

OK, thanks. It's sounding like a single Angelfish is my best option here. Or maybe An angelfish and a Gourami? I have read about the sickness in the Dwarf Gouramis, is that only a concern with the dwarfs? Pearl and Thick-lips were mentioned above. Do they have the same issues?

The dwarf gourami sickness is sadly a major concern with most powder blue, flame, and neon strains. Pearl and thicklip do not have those issues.