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Empty 55 gal! Any suggestions?

Discussion in 'Aquarium Equipment & Decor' started by FishVixen, Mar 22, 2010.

  1. FishVixen

    FishVixen Thread Starter Active Member

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    Hey Everyone, Here's a question for you. If you had an empty 55 gal what would you stock it with? I usually have community tanks but looking for something different in freshwater. Any suggestions no matter how unusual is wanted. I have no lights, substrates, or equipment just the tank. So anything is possible at this point. 4-6" fish? invertibrates only? breeders? Dig in the imagination for an unusual tank. [icon_twisted.gif]
     
  2. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Maybe Something Such As One of the Following:
    [*]4-5 Discus
    [*]African Cichlids (colors rival saltwater fish)

    You can also check this out as it may give you some ideas...and photos are always nice:
    http://www.elmersaquarium.com/c106communityinfo.htm

    Simply click on the underlined community and it will pull up a page with photos of the suggested compatible fish.

    Electric Blue Jack Dempseys & Parrot Fish are an interesting bunch!
     
  3. MasterBlue

    MasterBlue Active Member

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    I'd set up a healthy planted tank, with drift wood, java moss, what ever else you fancy. Then once it's getting settles and the water clear, add some shrimp, a few small H. formosa (fav fish EVER), maybe some ram horn and Trumpet snails... Actually, thats what I did with my 40 gallon tank XD
     
  4. cooltow1

    cooltow1 Member

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    I'll give my standard answer "Fancy Goldfish"

    Rick
     
  5. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    If you want to have some fry you could put a few Convict Cichlids in there. They're interesting little guys. :D
     
  6. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics New Member

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    the guppy of the cichlid world? oh boy.


    I would say this
    planted, heavy, tons of wood, either apisto's or rams as the main centerpiece fish or fishes, the a good size school of smaller tetras, maybe a few pygmy corydoras and a BNP.
    Yep that sounds sexy.
     
  7. lethalcustoms00

    lethalcustoms00 Member

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    i like the discus and the african cichlid ideas both. maybe a large school of sall fish, very small tetras of some sort, or a bunch of blindcave fish
     
  8. JOHNNY305

    JOHNNY305 New Member

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    i wanted a planted tank but i wasnt able to wait so i put in the fish n then plants n well it didnt work out so well for the plants. i love my fish but it wouldnt hurt to have pretty green plants in there. i feel that once u have the fish in theres no way for u to add plants unless u have another tank to hold the fish in for a few weeks till everything is cycled n the plants rooted in pretty good and makew sure u choose the gravel u want as well cause there is no turning back n if there is it'll be a pain...
     
  9. FishVixen

    FishVixen Thread Starter Active Member

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    You can add plants anytime. The right subsrtate and lighting is the key IMO. If you get some root tabs and put the in the soil as recommened and probibly a low light plant assortment. Unless you have fish like oscars that will destroy the tank no matter when you put it in. LOL.
     
  10. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics New Member

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    I add plants atleast a week before the fish, use a good substrate meant for planting and you are good to go. a twin 48" t-12 or t-8 will work fine, cheap enough at the home depot's.
     
  11. Bluefish

    Bluefish New Member

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    Paludarium!
     
  12. FishVixen

    FishVixen Thread Starter Active Member

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    Bluefish why didn't you chime in sooner. I like that idea but just set it up as a NPT foe female bettas. Only tetras in it at the moment. I have bettas all over my house waiying for the tank to settle in.
     
  13. Bluefish

    Bluefish New Member

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    Keep the idea in mind for your next empty tank ;). So many possibilities with paludaria, and in a deep enough tank, plenty of room for cool little fishand lots of fun plants!
     
  14. FishVixen

    FishVixen Thread Starter Active Member

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    Bluefish do you have one? I would love to see pics. Really sounds awsome.