55 Gallon Large Fish?

Thinking about what to put in my 55 gallon that will be set up this spring. We are moving in late March/early April so I don't want to set it up just to take it down a month later. I'm starting preliminary research now so that I have time to choose which fish I want and do tons of research on them.

I want to have 1-4 larger fish as opposed to tons of smaller fish. I'm looking for a new challenge with fish that require more care than the average tropical community. But not so complicated as messing with pH to keep the beautiful discus. I was thinking maybe one or two oscars or jack Dempsey cichlids. Or maybe a few parrots instead. What other larger fish can I have in a 55 gallon?

 

Oscars, definetly can't go in a 55 gallon! Your gonna want fish that gets <8" . Oscars get 10-12 average and the tank is only 12" long. Thus it gets really hard for them to turn! You normally want a 75" tank.

 

A single parrot with maybe a smaller cichlid like a sajica or rainbow would do well. Then throw in a couple of larger bottom dwellers like hoplo cats or featherfin squeakers.

 

Thanks. So no oscars. I'm assuming no Jack Dempsey either then because they also get pretty big.

 

I think a jack Dempsey would be fine as the only cichlid in the tank. Or you could try a female or maybe an electric blue if you wanted another cichlid. Not sure if that would work or not

 

A single JD would work if it were the only fish in the tank.

You have a lot more options with medium sized species - firemouths, salvini, acaras, etc.

 

You could possibly start a colony of convict ciclids if you don't mind medium, they have interesting breeding behaviors!

 

I'm perfectly ok with one giant spoiled fish in the tank. I'll do more digging on JDs.
How many convicts would be good? 6?

 

Convicts, no.

It's bound to turn into a backyard brawl

 

Wouldn't do more than 2 convicts. You'll have beaten and bruised fish as soon as they reach maturity

 

Finally doing more digging on cichlids as I plan to set up this tank once we move at the beginning of April. I really want 1 or 2 large fish and then some movement on the bottom. Filter is a marine land emperor 400. Substrate is pool filter sand.

How about 1 green terror and 1 blood parrot with a couple catfish? Or 1 electric blue jack Dempsey and a couple catfish?

What species of catfish would be best? I have a limited selection of the more popular cats like BN plecos and Cory cats.

 

Consider Synodontis catfish, perhaps.

Common Synos might be a bit of a tight squeeze... but a school of Petricolas would look pretty neat I think, and they don't get too big.

And a quick google search on compatibility with Jack Dempseys doesn't show much dissent... I don't have experience with either, unfortunately, so take my thoughts for what they are

 

I personally would not do a GT and a BP in a 55. A 55 really only has room for 1 med sized cichlid (in my book medium sized is something like a BP or GT or jack)

 

Ok. So one of either a blood parrot, green terror, or jack Dempsey. And then some movement on the bottom. I haven't seen and synodontis cats. But my lfs has tons of BN plecos. Could I have 2 of those with a single cichlid? Any other fish recommendations to go with them?

 

1 JD/GT/BP
4-5x bn pleco
10-12 giant danio

 

I would stick with 2 max. Just watch for aggression between them.

Other fish you could do are some large Cory cats like Aeneus or brochis as well as a fast large body schooler like diamond lemon or congo tetras

 

The cichlid won't eat the danios or tetras?

I'll do either 4 BN plecos or 6-8 Aeneus Corys, whichever looks best at the lfs when I'm ready for them.

 

We listed larger species of danio and tetra to prevent the cichlid from eating them when they're larger. My JD won't touch plecos, even small ones, but has eaten at least 20 corydoras - so not a good stock if you're going with either the JD or GT.

 

I really think 4 plecos is overdoing it in a 55 gallon. That's a lot of poop factories for 55 gallons of water.

 

With a BP GT or JD the OP is going to have to be on top of those water changes anyway - if I didn't know any better I might mistake my JDs number 2's for shark poop.

 

You aren't kidding. When I kept BP's their poo's were enormous. 6 months later and my sevs poos still aren't as big as the BP's were back then and the sevs are older and bigger.

 

Haha! I will definitely be on top of water changes. At least 25% every week and pulling out poop once a day with a turkey baster.

I think I'll do 10 giant danios, 8 Corys, and a blood parrot. That way I get one big fish and some movement from the schools.

Now to decide if I'm keeping my old 29 gallon and what to put in it......

 

I would suggest a gold severum! Very awesome fish and a nice size and shape

 

Not in a 55. Those guys can get pretty large, upwards of 10 inches or so and that's too big for a 55 long term.