55g Tank Stocking!

17 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


briang6
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:08 am

55g Tank Stocking!

by briang6

Im going to get a 55 gallon tank and I wanted to know what I could put in it. Here are some fish I want to put in it, what combinations of these fish can I put in. I know that I cannot put all of them.

Electric Blue Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey Cichlid
Oscar
Red devil cichlid
Severum
Texas Cichlid
Midas Cichlid
Red Parrot Cichlid
Jaguar Cichlid
Blue Acara Cichlid
Green Terror
Flowerhorn Cichlid
Firemouth Cichlid
Uaru cichlid

Your advice will be appreciated!


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey requires an aquarium of at least 50 gallons, with a fine sand bottom. There should be rocks and roots for them to hide among. The plants should be hardy as the Jack Dempsey will burrow around and attack them. The aquarium should be divided into territories using hardy plants, if possible. They are territorial and will eat smaller fish that they can swallow....plus the fish gets to be about 10 inches adult

oscar gets to be about 1 foot long adult

green terror 8 inches adult

severum about 8 inches adult

green cichlid about 1 foot adult

starting to get the point?

just on those fish alone, length-wise as adults, a 55 gallon tank is completely out of the question

for a 55 gallon tank, try to get about 3-4 each of cichlids of various types, about 5 types, keeping the length-wise of each fish about 4 inches adult

it's not how pretty the fish are that counts at first, it's the size of the fish and their behaviorial traits that matter

if you need mor einfo let us know...or you can ask more questions if you like

also by the way, you will need liquid test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph and a temperature stick on strip before you even begin to bring fish into the tank...then I must ask you, do you have any idea about cycling?

look forward to your response


theFISHsaysMOO
 
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:37 am

by theFISHsaysMOO

Get a Flowerhorn! Those things are amazing! Or a Midas!


tekneb
 
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:45 am

by tekneb

Yasher is right, the fish your looking at simply get to big. My dad has a 55 gallon with one Oscar and one Jack Dempsey, and there are quite a few people who will say that the tank is already overstocked (myself included). You might be able to pull off getting three fish in there if you stay with the smaller cichlids (blood parrot, firemouth, etc.) but there will be a higher probability of aggression because of the confined space, even if you divide it up using yashers suggestion. Have you checked out any African cichlids? They're smaller and generally less aggressive, and can be quite beautiful.


theFISHsaysMOO
 
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:37 am

by theFISHsaysMOO

In a 60 gallon tank would it be overstocked with:

3 Yellow Labs
3 Red Zebras


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

Cichlids do better overstocked.

I see you have asked this at another forum i'm on, they gave some great ideas and suggesstions on what fish you have listed :)


briang6
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:08 am

by briang6

I have kept fish for years. I have a 35 gallon with two convict cichlids. I have previously owned everything from discus to african cichlids. I just know nothing about these fish Im asking about other then their size and what I must keep the water at. I was thinking maybe like one big fish and some smaller ones? for example a Jack dempsey, firemouth and some rams? Im just trying to figure out what would work.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

Jack Dempsey is an aggressive fish that gets to be 10 inches adult

Firemouth (I believe) is a semi-aggressive fish that gets to be 6 inches adult

Rams are mainly peaceful fish that get to be about 3 inches adult

unless you are willing to watch the Dempsey devour the rams and the firemouth to live intimidated for the rest of its life...............................I'd rule out any of this type of combination

you seem to have your heart set on a Jack Dempsey...if this is the case, in the 55 gallon tank, you can have one...you need a much larger tank, like a 90 gallon plus to have just 2 Jack Dempsey

here's a link that will help you do some research on compability fish...it will give you plenty scenarios:

http://www.tropicalfishandaquariums.com ... esults.php

let me know if it helped


briang6
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:08 am

by briang6

Thank you so much for the compatibility thing, helped alot!

So im thinking about a completely different setup, a blue acara, severum parrot cichlid and firemouth, would this work?


tekneb
 
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:45 am

by tekneb

All of them are semi-aggressive, none of them get very big. I think so long as you add them all at the same time (so no one claims the entire tank as there own) and you use yashers idea for dividing up the tank, you could probably pull it off.

55g Tank Stocking!

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