So I'm getting a free 55 gallon tank from a friend and I'm super excited about it. However, I don't really know what kind of fish I want to fill it with. I want freshwater, something other than chiclids, something with personality, maybe something not too hard too keep but at the same time not too easy. No goldfish or koi. I really love cool bottom feeders.
New 55g Tank
- Thread starter SeantheCatfish
- Start date
- Tags 55g bottom feeders catfish tank. suggestions
Let's start with the basics first. With any new tank you must let it cycle without fish for at least two weeks. Otherwise, you'll be killing fish needlessly. Cycling is to establish good bacteria that will break down ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. This must be done. Unless you have already cycled material from an established tank you can use in your tank.
As for the fish you would like, are you looking for fish that would interact with you as well or more of a shoaling fish? Tetras, like the diamond tetra are really need. Rainbow Danios are cool as well. As for bottom feeders I really enjoy kuhlis of any variety. Your best bet is to start browsing through the freshwater fish profiles and see what appeals to you. After that, go to AqaAdvisor.com for stocking suggestions and see what fish will work with others and your tank size.
As for the fish you would like, are you looking for fish that would interact with you as well or more of a shoaling fish? Tetras, like the diamond tetra are really need. Rainbow Danios are cool as well. As for bottom feeders I really enjoy kuhlis of any variety. Your best bet is to start browsing through the freshwater fish profiles and see what appeals to you. After that, go to AqaAdvisor.com for stocking suggestions and see what fish will work with others and your tank size.
Likes:
John M
Is there a specific fish you're looking at? Starting a new tank, it's easiest to pick one fish that you're really interested in keeping, and then build around that. 55g is a nice size to work with for a community or a grouping of smaller oddballs.
Sometimes if you go to either your LFS or even a public aquarium, you'll find something that catches your eye. Then you can work the rest of the tank around it.
Sometimes if you go to either your LFS or even a public aquarium, you'll find something that catches your eye. Then you can work the rest of the tank around it.
Well I'm kind of interested in maybe a group of pictus catfish. I'm also interested in dojo loaches and clown loaches.
I'm not really sure which fish are compatible with the pictus, because I've heard that they are venomous.
I'm also interested in Gouramis. I don't know. If you all have an active fish that you like a lot I would be open to suggestions.
I'm not really sure which fish are compatible with the pictus, because I've heard that they are venomous.
I'm also interested in Gouramis. I don't know. If you all have an active fish that you like a lot I would be open to suggestions.
Updates: 5 thick lip gouramis, 2 golden dojo loaches, 3 pictus catfish, a banjo cat, and a Rafael cat. Growing bacopa, added a moon lighting system, running a penguin 350 for filtration system. I dismissed Cichlids not because I don't find them interesting but because I wanted a more community type tank. Sorry the moonlight pic isnt reqlly showing up
