Suggestions for a 55 Gallon Tank?

Question

I normally dont ask too many question due to the critical answers from usually ignorance...except for those handful of people that do have some great suggestions and actually know what they are talking about.

So here it is...I have this 55 Gallon and it has been up and going for close to 2 years. I have rotated the stock with different breeds and now am at a standstill on what I want to do with it.

I currently have two 55 Gallon filters on the tank...and it works great for filtration. Have had no fish kills at all with this tank. I have mostly plastic and silk plants...lots of cover and 1 Medium and 1 Large Decorations for hiding spots.

The stock is currently

5 Tiger Barbs

4 Angels

1 Kissing Gourami

5 Albino Cory Cats

1 Pleco

6 Giant Danios

1 Red Tail Shark

I am getting rid of the Giant Danios to a friend. I am also starting to replace the plastic plants with real plants.

All my fish get along fine. Only issues I have had, have been every now and again the Kissing Gourami will go after one of the Giant Danios. The front of the tank is clear so the Danios can school the length of the tank with no obstructions...but every now and again...one of the them will get in the Kissing Gourami's way and thats when he gets a little testy. Other than that...no issues at all.

Either way, I want suggestions of what to do next.

Answer 1

First of all, you are better off not doing the real plants because they can really dirty your tank and if one dies it can get really cloudy and messy.

Now about the fish. its a good things that you care enough about the fish to remove the ones that are getting chased here and there. Most of the fish you listed are considered aggressive so you might want to stick with that. You could try getting some dwarf gouramis, there and blue and yellow I believe. You could also try a small cichlid, but they can get territorial when they get bigger.

Go to your local pet store and ask around for their opinions. I work at a Petco, and we are always ready and happy to help.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Live plants would be a great addition to your tank. Unless you have good lighting (around 2-3 watts per gallon) you should probably stick to plants that will tolerate low light. Java ferns, anubias, and cryptocoryne would all be good. As long as you remove any dead leaves they won't affect water. Live plants are actually beneficial because they remove nitrates. Just be sure to buy true aquatic plants- many of the plants sold at Petco are not and will slowly die.

Here are some fish that would be good replacements for the giant danios:

Denison Barbs (AKA Torpedo barbs) are a little expensive, but they look really cool.

Rosy barbs are coloful and will eat algae too.

Hatchetfish are an interesting fish. They really stand out.

Dwarf rainbowfish are hardy and active.

Those are just a few that I can think of off the top of my head, good luck with your tank.