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hi, i started up a semi-aggressive community tank about 3 weeks ago. it seems to be cycling properly and the parameters are GH-30, KH-40-80,pH 6.5-7.0 range Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 10-20ppm. the current tank inhabitants are 4 Silver dollars about as big as a golf ball, 5 tiger barbs, 7 julli corys, and a red tailed shark. i was thinking of adding a gourami and possibly a Bristlenose Pleco.
my questions are is this a good tank? can i add the two other fish i wanted? and could i possibly add more fish with some suggestions if so?

What size is this tank?

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it is a 55G US

If adding anything I would improve the size of the school for one of your schooling fish, whether it's the silver dollars or the tiger barbs. The smallest species of silver dollars can get to be 5.5 inches, so it's difficult to house a decent school in a 55 with other fish there too.

I would not add a gourami to that tank as it is now. Smaller groups of tiger barbs are very aggressive fin-nippers and a gourami's long pelvic fins would be nibbled down to nubs. In larger groups (12+), tiger barbs may focus their agression on establishing and maintaining a pecking order within their school, but with five of them you are almost guaranteed to have problems with any long-finned fish.

The Bristlenose pleco will be a good choice to add when your tank is established and some algae starts to grow. Just avoid the long-finned varieties.


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