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Hello, I am going to be starting a 55g with live plants and would like a well rounded tank. I was planning on putting ottos, bloodfin tetras, guppies, flame tetras, and either swordtails, zebra danios, neon tetras, or harlequin rasboras in to round it out. According to the fish compatability they all would get along(supposedly). Can anyone suggest which fish group to start with? I have guppies already in other tanks, but I have read zebra danios are good to start but can be teritorial, or can one of the other groups start the tank cycling. And what order would you put the fish into the tank? Lastly how many fish would be a good start to cycle the tank?

35 tiger barbs. just not all at once.

Danios are the hardiest and very common as cycling fish. As for the order, I don't think it would matter but make sure that the tank is fully cycled. However, I think you may have too kind of tetras (all middle surface swimmers) but thats just my opinion.

Common or Comet Goldfish are the best fish for cycling, although most people these days use fishless cycling, which is adding pure ammonia in the tank and letting the bacteria develop.

Swords can be nippy so you probably ought not put them with the Guppies. I'd also get a school of Cories or Loaches instead of one of the other schools. The schooling fish are nice but I would add one or two larger individual fish, like a pair of Angels or Rams or a couple Gouramis.

Have fun, Mike

[span class="edited"][Edited by Mike R 2004-08-29 02:47][/span]