Ideas for 55 gallon

[aquashelle]

I'm looking to restock my 55 gal with a planted look to it. I'm wanting to use live plants, and have some species of cichlids.

I'm thinking possiblity some of the following:
Discus
Angels
Rams
?
(Not to all be mixed, just what I like)

I'm not sure as far as mixing goes yet, but I'm also interested in:
Rainbows
Tetras
etc etc.
?

What would you recommend for a nice planted 55? I am buying all plants and livestock from Aquazoo, when the time comes. It would also be nice to have something breed once and a while :)

[Fire_chair]

Featherfin Rainbows- like 50 of 'em. That would be a sweet tank.

[mark razmandi]

i say two pairs of peruvians....mixed with whatever you want except discus.

[rama]

Rams lots of em

[ndnreefer]

+1 on the rams, they have some really nice ones at HAW for about $7 or so, if you want local. They tend to breed sometimes, but I think it requires some effort to raise them not sure on difficulty.

small Kribensis color up real nice and breed easily.

pea puffers are pretty cool little guys that pop up out of no where, good personality, tough little guys, not sure about breeding either, good for keeping snails populations down.

[mark razmandi]

if you go rams, xtreme has them for 3.99!!!!!!

[aquashelle]

I've never heard of peruvians..where can I find info on them?

Thanks for all the suggestions! I am buying at the local Aqua zoo though, I am limited on my options, plus they're my favorite store around here, haha. I don't get the ability to travel a lot sadly.

[mark razmandi]

peruvian angel fish, GORGEOUS angels.

[cichlid1409]

apistos and threadfin rainbows.

[aquashelle]

I love the apistos, I remember them at the last auction..

I've also seen some really nice EBJD, but I doubt I'll be able to get some of those...
I'm still looking into rams and the like, as well as angels. Discus are gorgeous, but I know the tankmates are limited.

I also found some nice rainbows, deffinately considering those

[wesleydnunder]

I'd go with 2 male rams and 4 or 5 females since they're heremically poygamous. Half a dozen sterbai cories, 12 green fire tetras and 12 marble hatchets. Add a couple ABNs or other small plecos and a handful of otos. Finish off with a pair of apistogramma baenschi inca 50s. Set the hardscape up with several small territories. Stands of sag subulata, rotala indica and crypt spiralis along the back. Crypt wendtii and anubias nana midground and petite nana down to the fore. The plants can all handle low to mid light which can easily be done without co2 or fert. PFS would make a light, clean-looking substrate, or Seachem Onyx or moonsand if you like a darker substrate. You may have to feed the rooted plants at first until the substrate matures some.

Mark

[marauder_77868]

Stick with Aquazoo....best shop around. Maybe ask Prosper or Shannon their recommendations as they might be considering ordering something that might do real well.

[cichlid1409]

I'd go with 2 male rams and 4 or 5 females since they're heremically poygamous. Half a dozen sterbai cories, 12 green fire tetras and 12 marble hatchets. Add a couple ABNs or other small plecos and a handful of otos. Finish off with a pair of apistogramma baenschi inca 50s. Set the hardscape up with several small territories. Stands of sag subulata, rotala indica and crypt spiralis along the back. Crypt wendtii and anubias nana midground and petite nana down to the fore. The plants can all handle low to mid light which can easily be done without co2 or fert. PFS would make a light, clean-looking substrate, or Seachem Onyx or moonsand if you like a darker substrate. You may have to feed the rooted plants at first until the substrate matures some.

Mark

can you be more specific? i don't understand. )




great post mark

[aquashelle]

Thanks guys!
Mark, your recommendation was nicely done, I appreciate it, and will look into the plants you suggested as well.

~I will talk to them when I go next, they always are really helpful!
Thanks overall guys! :)

[BeefyG]

+1 on the green fire tetras! Personally they are my favorite tetra and one website I read described them as a "living jewel in a planted tank." I've got a school of 8 (used to be 9) and they are just awesome in my semi planted 65g. Just recently added rams and angels to that tank and I like it.