Really stuck on my tank stocking need a nudge

[Aqua410]

So you may have seen my post detailing my new set-up that has been a while in the making. It is a 55 gallon and going in my livingroom as a display tank. I have gone through the whole gamut of stocking ideas and ended up between essentially two stock lists.

A. One large male green terror. I just love these guys and I can pick one up at nearly full size already. My question for this stocking is can any clean up crew habitate with him or is this strictly a single fish setup in a 48x13 tank? Either way i'm fine with it.

B. Two severums. I love severums but I really think they would shine in a group of 6-8 in a much larger tank. Two is really gonna be the max for a 55 and I'm not sure how well this would work as a good display. The question here is could perhaps a single large severum work with some colorful and active dithers with some cory's as a cleanup crew?

All advice is appreciated here as I am days away from stocking at this point. If it makes any difference the aquascaping here consists of a simple set up with white PFS and some nice drift wood. I will probably attach some anubias which will likely be shreded.

 

[Becca]

I think you want 5-6 Guianacara sp. "Rio Caroni" to grow out in there... and I know just where you can get them ;-).

 

[Forester]

I think you will probably end up happier with B. If you want a pet-like fish go with the terror, but otherwise a community tank would be more interesting.

You probably could keep a clean up crew with a big terror. A group of pictus cats would be nice.

Sent from my SM-N910V using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[lkelly]

I always felt that keeping a 12" long fish in a 55 gallon is somewhat cramped. Then again it's better than those Craigslist pictures you see of a pair of adult Oscars in a 29 stating "happy, healthy Oscars for sale!"

 

[jonclark96]

I agree that a group of pictus cats with a GT would be a good set up, but I think it would be tight in a 55 long term.

I think you'd have a better shot with a severum and some large tetras than the GT. I've not kept GT's until adulthood, but the smaller ones I've had over the years have been a bit reclusive.

 

[Aqua410]

I ended up pre ordering one of the show GT's batfish is offering. I've heard they grow quite slow after 7-8" which is the size of the fish. The main reason I went this route is because I've been obsessed with these guys for so long I couldn't pass up a chance to get a nearly full grown specimen. This will also help me nudge the lady into letting me get a 180 or 265 soon. I'm hoping to do a large SA tank in the near future with sevs of several varieties and maybe some uaru, chocolates, and my GT. I also may have just talked myself into three tanks. It's too hard to just have one now that I'm all set up!

 

[Aqua410]

I think you want 5-6 Guianacara sp. "Rio Caroni" to grow out in there... and I know just where you can get them ;-).

They may be a fantastic addition to my next tank which I'm hoping will be much larger. I really like the ones you've posted in other pics, their round little faces make me chuckle.

 

[Forester]

Are you gonna get anything else for the tank? (A group of picts would be great )

Sent from my SM-N910V using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Aqua410]

Are you gonna get anything else for the tank? (A group of picts would be great )

Sent from my SM-N910V using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

I may go for some species of cat or loach that can live with the GT for now. I really love the red finned blue loaches but they look like they get pretty big. I may have to wait for tank number two for them.

 

[lkelly]

I need to try that motivational strategy with my wife.

1. Wants huge tank.
2. Buys big adult cichlid.
3. Looks at wife, shrugs shoulders, gets ready to place the blame on her if fish dies while living out life in that 10 gallon tank.

I've definitely been doing it wrong in the past. By "doing it wrong" I mean:

1. Wants big tank.
2. Waits until wife goes out of town and buys big tank on CL.
3. Plays dumb when wife asks where the big tank came from, trying to make her believe that it's been in that living room for years. I mean, look at the scratches. It's obviously not brand new.

 

[Becca]

I need to try that motivational strategy with my wife.

1. Wants huge tank.
2. Buys big adult cichlid.
3. Looks at wife, shrugs shoulders, gets ready to place the blame on her if fish dies while living out life in that 10 gallon tank.

I've definitely been doing it wrong in the past. By "doing it wrong" I mean:

1. Wants big tank.
2. Waits until wife goes out of town and buys big tank on CL.
3. Plays dumb when wife asks where the big tank came from, trying to make her believe that it's been in that living room for years. I mean, look at the scratches. It's obviously not brand new.

LOL... I've been known to use your strategy on all sizes of tanks...

 

[Forester]

Check out the Pictus cats they would be great with ur GT.

Sent from my SM-N910V using MonsterAquariaNetwork App