1. Welcome to Aquarium Space! We are a friendly online community for aquarium owners all over the world who love their tanks including their fish, reefs, corals, invertebrates and their aquatic livestock. If you haven't joined yet, we invite you to register and join our community!

55 Gallon Aquarium

Discussion in 'Freshwater General Discussion' started by Fiji, Oct 14, 2013.

Have you ever owned any of these fish or relatives of these fish

  1. Yes

    2 vote(s)
    100.0%

  2. No

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  3. I think so

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
Page 1 of 2
  1. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Hello everyone. I'm kind of new to the forum and i thought this would be a great place to ask my fish questions!

    First question- Compatibility... The fish that i would like to put in the tank are: 1 angelfish, 1 synodontis catfish, 2 dojo loaches, 1 African leaf fish, 4-5 Boesemani rainbow fish, and 1 Siamese algae eater.

    Second question- plants... Are there any plants compatible with these fish that don't need special substrait? i could make a DYI CO2 diffuser if needed. I have high lighting and direct sunlight most of the day.



    The only fish that I absolutely don't want are African cichlids, but i am open to any other suggestions.

    Thank You.:)
     
    Fiji, Oct 14, 2013
    #1
  2. HBIC

    HBIC Need help??? That's what we're here for :)

    Messages:
    1,000
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Your stocking looks good but I would up the school of dojos, maybe do 3-4 Rainbows and 2-3 SAEs, as far as plants when you say high lighting how high is it? What type of lighting are you using? If the lighting is too high you may run into massive algae problems, have you ever use live plants before? Java Ferns, most Crypts, and Anubias are some easy to care for plants but this again is going to depend on lighting as the anubias are pron to algae since they are such slow growers.
     
    HBIC, Oct 15, 2013
    #2
    • Like Like x 1
  3. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    I don't know what specific lights they are, but they came with the 55 gallon hoods and light up the tank a bit. Would amazon sword, lucky bamboo, or something tall be an OK plant? I have never attempted live plants before (except for a marimo moss ball).
     
    Fiji, Oct 15, 2013
    #3
  4. HBIC

    HBIC Need help??? That's what we're here for :)

    Messages:
    1,000
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    48
    That would be considered low lighting I am assuming you mean two separate strip lights...amazon swords MAY and that's a big may work, lucky bamboo is not aquatic it's terrestrial and if fully submerged will rot and fowl your water. If you want a cheap way to up the lighting that swords will grow under go to walmart and get a 4 foot shop light...just remember swords are HEAVY root feeders and do best when given root tabs. Crypts would grow under the current lighting that you have and get tall, cabomba also gets pretty tall and may work but it will probably be "leggy" and not as full as it should be...you could also try anacharis as well.
     
    HBIC, Oct 16, 2013
    #4
    • Like Like x 1
  5. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Thank you, I think I will probably check out crypts and research more on amazon sword. Would it be possible to add a african knife fish or would that make it overstocked?
     
    Fiji, Oct 16, 2013
    #5
  6. HBIC

    HBIC Need help??? That's what we're here for :)

    Messages:
    1,000
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Knife fish can reach lengths of up to a foot, they will get too large to keep in a 55 in my opinion. Some anubias get tall as well and would work with your lighting Anubias Congensis comes to mind.
     
    HBIC, Oct 16, 2013
    #6
    • Like Like x 1
  7. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Ok, thanks for the info on the knifefish. I really like the way the anubias congensis and crypts look. Would I need any supplement CO2 for these plants? It wouldn't hurt to put a marimo moss ball in there would it? Thank you.
     
    Fiji, Oct 16, 2013
    #7
  8. HBIC

    HBIC Need help??? That's what we're here for :)

    Messages:
    1,000
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Nope no CO2 would be needed, it wouldn't hurt at all but it may not really thrive under that lighting conditions.
     
    HBIC, Oct 17, 2013
    #8
    • Like Like x 1
  9. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Ok thanks. I was reading that african leaf fish can stretch their mouths very wide to eat larger food... Would this be a threat to dojo loaches since they are small in width (long length wise).
     
    Fiji, Oct 17, 2013
    #9
  10. HBIC

    HBIC Need help??? That's what we're here for :)

    Messages:
    1,000
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    48
    I wouldn't think so and my reasoning is this, the leaf fish is going to mainly inhabit the upper third of the tank whereas the loaches are going to only inhabit the bottom third.
     
    HBIC, Oct 18, 2013
    #10
    • Like Like x 1
  11. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,508
    Likes Received:
    35
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Here's a couple things you may/may not know about dojo loaches:
    1) they like cooler water temps, like 64 - 74*f range. I've heard of people keeping them in tanks with water temps in the 76 - 78*f range with success.
    2) they love to sift and burrow in the substrate (especially sand and fine gravel). Make sure any live plants you choose can handle them.
     
    buzz4520, Oct 19, 2013
    #11
  12. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    I would really like to have dojo loaches in my aquarium (thank you for the info on them btw) but some responses on a different forum said that could not survive the temp. that the other fish. Would it be possible to stay with dojos, or would I have to switch to something different like yoyo loaches. Thank you.
     
    Fiji, Oct 20, 2013
    #12
  13. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,508
    Likes Received:
    35
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Yo-yo loaches may not work very well with african leaf fish. They just don't swim in the bottom 1/3 of the tank (atleast mine don't) and may become a meal. My yo-yo's will swim all over the tank, they even come to the surface to get food.
     
    buzz4520, Oct 20, 2013
    #13
  14. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Is there any other "cool looking" oddball fish I could use instead of a African leaf fish? I'm probably going to at my tank to about 75-77 degrees F.
     
    Fiji, Oct 22, 2013
    #14
  15. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,508
    Likes Received:
    35
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Dose your centerpiece fish have to be an "odd ball" fish? Most of the odd ball fish that I'm aware of are preditors and/or will get to big for a 55g tank and will most likely eat the other fish you want to go in your tank.
     
    buzz4520, Oct 22, 2013
    #15
  16. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    It doesn't necessarily have to be an "oddball" ,but I would like a fish does well on its own and is peaceful–semi-aggressive . Thank you .
     
    Fiji, Oct 23, 2013
    #16
  17. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,508
    Likes Received:
    35
    Trophy Points:
    48
    How about something like a Rainbow Cichlid ?
     
    buzz4520, Oct 23, 2013
    #17
  18. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    The rainbow cichlid is very ugly in my opinion (no offense) so I wouldn't want it in my tank. But I was looking at firemouth or blood parrot cichlids; would these fish be okay instead?
     
    Fiji, Oct 24, 2013
    #18
  19. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,508
    Likes Received:
    35
    Trophy Points:
    48
    If your still planning on having the rainbow fish then the blood parrot may be a better choice, keeping your tank more on the peaceful side.
     
    buzz4520, Oct 24, 2013
    #19
  20. Fiji

    Fiji Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    I've heard blood parrots have a big bio load and could attack other fish when they get big. Is all of this true, or is it compatible? But I really do like blood parrots if I can get one. If not is there any other fish that does well on its own and is normally peaceful?
     
    Fiji, Oct 24, 2013
    #20
Page 1 of 2