55 gallon stocking options

[Kuebeecee]

I recently set up a 55 gallon and it’s currently going through its cycling process. In the mean time, I’m trying to get ideas on how to stock it.

I’m open to anything, but am leaning towards something colorful, as my tank setup is rather colorless.

Please share your ideas! (Keep in mind I’m pretty new to the hobby. ☺️)

 

[RogueFebreze]

That depends, do you want a fish with big personality or would you rather have some colorful schooling fish? also is it a planted tank or no?

 

[MoshJosh]

wanting community, species only, breeding pair or group, odd balls???

Fish I like that you could look into (some might be difficult to find unless you are willing to order online)

zebra acara, red shoulder severum, discus (research before you buy, $$$), angels (altum if you can find them, blue zebra, koi, dolphin point etc.), tiger motos, green terror, red terror. . .the list goes on

Some of the fish I mentioned can go in communities some cannot.

 

[otterblue]

If you go with a community tank you could get a large school of emerald tetras - I really like them.
Neon green rasboras are really cool too & would look good in a large school. You just couldn't get any large fish that would eat them.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Platies come in every color and color pattern of the rainbow and are among the most colorful freshwater, fish. get 3 females per male or all of one sex. They are not schooling fish, but a group of at least three is preferred to a single specimen.

Danios, - super cheap, super hardy but beautiful fish, the natural ones have stunning colors. Leopard danios and zebras are stunning overlooked littly fish. Giant danios are also beautiful, and you have room for them.
Glofish danios, that have neon color, and glow in a black light or neat looking and they are not cruelly dead or injected, if they where I would not recommend them.
Danios are schooling fish that can get nippy if the school or tank size is to smalll, keep a larger then average school of 10+ for best results.

 

[Kuebeecee]

That depends, do you want a fish with big personality or would you rather have some colorful schooling fish? also is it a planted tank or no?

I would probably rather have colorful schooling fish. Perhaps sprinkle in a random fish or two that can be alone (and that is larger.)

The tank is moderately planted right now. (A lot of the plants are little and growing.) I have some Java Fern, Anubias and Ludwigia Repens. There’s also decor that provide some hide aways. (Stacked rocks, broken pots, etc.) Once the plants start growing and expanding, it will fill in nicely.

wanting community, species only, breeding pair or group, odd balls???

Fish I like that you could look into (some might be difficult to find unless you are willing to order online)

zebra acara, red shoulder severum, discus (research before you buy, $$$), angels (altum if you can find them, blue zebra, koi, dolphin point etc.), tiger motos, green terror, red terror. . .the list goes on

Some of the fish I mentioned can go in communities some cannot.

I would say more of community/schooling with a couple of odd balls.

 

[MoshJosh]

maybe:

6 pearl-scale platinum angels
20 cardinal or neon tetras
Pair or trio of apistos
Super red long fin bristle nose pleco
Amano shrimp
nerite snails

 

[Kuebeecee]

Platies come in every color and color pattern of the rainbow and are among the most colorful freshwater, fish. get 3 females per male or all of one sex. They are not schooling fish, but a group of at least three is preferred to a single specimen.

Danios, - super cheap, super hardy but beautiful fish, the natural ones have stunning colors. Leopard danios and zebras are stunning overlooked littly fish. Giant danios are also beautiful, and you have room for them.
Glofish danios, that have neon color, and glow in a black light or neat looking and they are not cruelly dead or injected, if they where I would not recommend them.
Danios are schooling fish that can get nippy if the school or tank size is to smalll, keep a larger then average school of 10+ for best results.

Do all danios school together? I’m assuming I can mix and match them?

 

[RogueFebreze]

maybe do some schools of rainbow fish then

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Do all danios school together? I’m assuming I can mix and match them?

no, not exactly, Whith danios and other species you want to only mix the same exact species Zebra danio, leopard danio, and glofish danio are just different colors of the same sup species and generally mix well. If you found an albino version of zebra or leopard they should also school together. But Giant danios are different, celestial pearl danios are also different. At least 2 dozen other more exotic danio species exist that are very different.

Which reminds me =
you could do a tiger barb tank. These are very colorfully fish, you could mix the albino, the green, the regular, and the glofish tiger barb for one big coloful rambunctious school.

 

[ProudPapa]

• 5-7 pearl gouramis
• 20 serpae tetras
• 12 Corydoras trilineatus

Or

• 12 turquoise rainbowfish
• 15 lemon tetras
• a pair of Bolivian rams