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I was without a respectable fish tank for quite some time. I finally broke down a few weeks ago and picked up a 55g. It's been running without major incident for a few weeks now. To date, the occupants include

7x Clown Loaches
3x Bushynose Plecos
1x Common Pleco
1x Pearl Gourami
4x Gold Barbs
1x Zebra Danio
2x Swordtails

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/YFZ450Racer/IMG_2070-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/YFZ450Racer/IMG_2072.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/YFZ450Racer/IMG_2074.jpg

Interesting collection. Do you plan to plant the tank, or decorate with plastic plants? Some anubias would look great on that wood, and with deeper gravel, some sword plants would great.
Also, do you plan to increase your groups of fish? More danios for instance? I think all those clown loaches will eventually outgrow your tank, but they should be okay for a few years.
what are you using for filtration?



Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

The tank is a work in progress. By no means do I plan on keeping it as is. As for plants, real or fake, I don't know. The lighting fixture is Perfecto and, well let's just say its obvious why they are so much cheaper than AGA. I think I'm going to get plastic plants just to keep things simple.

As for schools, the lone danio is just the only one that hasn't been sucked up by my Aquaclear 110. I had about a dozen to start but they couldn't swim past the current. I'm going to get a few more livebearers and maybe a pair of dwarf cichlids and call it a day.

yeah, the perfecto hoods kindof suck, and yet they're pretty much the same price as the AGA ones...

You coul dhave low light plants like anubias (my favorites are nana, coffeefolia, and congensis, with frazeri and heterophylia a close seond), java ferns (of which there are a number of varieties), and you can probably have crypts growing fairly well in the substrate.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

Your danios were sucked up by the filter? Are you sure because they are quite strong swimmers.

They're tiny...about 1". I'm sure of it. They were the first fish in the tank so predation isn't an option. Anyway I'm having a tough time keeping livebearers. I lost the male today (lost 2 females prior). I noticed the male looked like his scales were standing yesterday...dead today?

Have you tested your water? You say the tank has been running a few weeks now and you already have all those fish. That would take me a good 2months possibly 3 to stock and in the first 3-4weeks I wouldn't have added anything beyond the danios. Technically I wouldn't have added anything at all unless I was heavily planting it right from the start since I prefer to fishless cycle.

Also those clowns and that common pleco will outgrow a 55g. You need something over 100g to keep them happy in the longterm. They'll grow slowly but if you have no future plans to get a bigger tank in the next few years it would be best to trade them in for something a bit smaller.

All of the filter media was floating/sunken in a friend's established tank for a week prior to the tank setup. To make sure I was safe, I added one of his old, filthy cartridges to my tank as well. Viola! Instant cycle. I've done it with every tank I've owned to date. Hell, I cycled a 120g and had it loaded with rays in one afternoon.

And as for upgrades...in a few weeks I will have a big tank (180g+). Upgrades are not a question. If the clowns get THAT big I will be pleasantly happy.