# 55 gallon tank stocking



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

According to my dad if I go to public school instead of private school during high school I can setup a 55 gallon tank (public schools in hawaii SUCK but the one next to my class has a lot of things great for scholarships)

So, in awhile (probably another year lol) I'll be setting up a 55 gallon tank in my room. Here's what I was planning:

1 albino BN pleco
10-15 sorority girls
1 male SHORTFINNED betta
15-20 neon tetras (I know they're sensative I personally never let my ammonia go above .25 PPM)
and 5-8 cories albino cories OR 10-15 pygmies

I know about everything except the pleco (Erm, I read they get 6 inches and AQ advisor didn't argue with me, but do they really?) I tested on AQ advisor and it said this would work. So do you guys think this would work? (Note: Not doing for a long while, so no urgent responses please  I'm the type of member who'll change my mind instantly if suggested by other members)


----------



## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

you cant put males in with females bettas and you need alot of plants for a sorrority


----------



## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

I know that some people have had some success with housing a male in a sorority, but I don't recommend it. Girls can be MEAN and gang up on the boy. Sororities themselves are risky enough IMO. 

I wouldn't add Neons either. They are so tiny and can easily be made into snacks by bettas. I'd recommend something a little bigger. The cory cats are a great idea! But I'd stay away from tetras. Maybe platies would be a better try?


----------



## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

beta novice said:


> you cant put males in with females bettas and you need alot of plants for a sorrority


Actually, in certain situations you can, like in very large tanks (50+ minimum) and VERY heavily planted.


----------



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

(since I can't multi quote...)

Doggyhog: Hmm, never thought of the size being an issue! Maybe platies or guppies (non fancy of course if I add a male... also, this would mean fun with population control lol yay!)

Turtle: Yes, a heavily planted tank is a happy tank I think (Probably adding a bunch of amazon swords, anubias, maybe a red tiger lotus, big piece of driftwood with java/flame moss, dwarf sagittaria carpet, some pennywort, and maybe floating anarchis... if you don't know plants, that's A LOT) So lots of cover.

My stocking plans have changed. Now:

10-15 sorority girls
trio of guppies (Hey, they'll eventually turn to probably 30 guppies LOL)
trio of platies
"trio" of ottos
MAYBE 1 male betta (not sure yet)


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

My cardinal tetras (6) live in peace with my male betta, just introduce the betta(s) After the other fish. Plus guppies are hit and miss with bettas(more so than other fish), so I would be cautious. Ps: u r sooooooooooooo lucky that u can have such a huge tank! Jealous....;-) good luck!


----------



## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

i also have a 50-55 gallon tank at home in my sisters room 
again i wouldnt risk putting in a male with the females


----------



## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Baylee what is so funny is that you and I are setting up 55 gallons at the same time! Lol I bought a "100" gallon tank and stand on craigslist for $100, only to find out it was 50. So I called these aquarium maintenance people and they found me a 55 whole sale for 120 brand new! Anyways, I am glad I ended up with 55 instead of 100, because 100 is HUGE lol. I don't have the tank yet though, probably getting it on Tuesday. 


Bettanovice: as long as baylee very heavily plants and decorates the tank and keeps an eye on them I don't see a problem with just trying it out.


----------



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

It will take anything from a week to a year to get my tank as I get it for choosing a cheap high school so... Not sure when I get it lol. Luckily since everyone around here are saltwater fanatics 70% of tanks sold on craigslist are 55+ gallons (and they're usually the full set for $100-$200 =D)

I can think of my sig now:

Guys:
Rye
Neon
Unnamed

Girls:
unnamed 
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed
unnamed

XD


----------



## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

I would have the BN pleco. In that tank you could house 1 male and 3 females. Make sure to have caves for them. They may get six inches, but most don't exceed 4-5 inches. They are very cool fish. I would recommend:
1 male betta
or
8 sorority girls
8 harlequin rasboras
4 Bn plecos (1 male, 3 females) 8 pygmy cory's
3 guppies (2 females, 1 male)


----------



## Maryrox247 (Aug 10, 2009)

Personally i have had NO problems in housing neon tetras and bettas together. I actually RECOMMEND it. Not only are they a beautiful addition to the aquarium but are also some of the hardiest fish i have taken care of and RARELY fin nip if at all.


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

@ maryrox,

Yeah! They do get along. Cardinals seem a bit heartier and a smidge larger. Their red stripe also goes all the way to the mouth.


----------



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Maybe I'll consider cardinals than =D


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Yeah, but remember to get 5+, as they are schooling fish...I have 6. And introduce the betta(s) after the cardinals are in the tank for a week or so... Good Luck!


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

I agree to give the bristlenose pleco a try! I have 2, one albino and one regular... they are so neat! And they keep the tank all sparkly!  They get along fine with bettas. My albino I've had since 2009 so he is full grown at about 5 inches. My other one is still a baby. Also, I have housed bettas with smaller fish such as endlers livebearers, threadfin rainbows, and yes even my albino pleco when he was so small he could fit inside my bettas mouth... but my bettas never tried to eat/kill any of the smaller fish. As long as the small fish can swim faster than the betta, it will be fine. I think platies are also a good choice for bettas. I had tons before when I had a 55 gallon, and a few 10 gallons going... they got along with bettas and never nipped (except maybe 1 little jerk if I recall- who I returned to the pet store). My bettas also did not mind them. 
Pic spam for convincing:
Eli the betta ignoring Waldo the albino baby pleco on the leaf. (Waldo started off 1/2 that size, LITERALLY, and was also ignored then...)









Next pic, 1 1/2 years later- still doing fine together. 









And lastly, Waldo the pleco with my new Betta Oscar- also doing just fine.  (RIP Eli)


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

The pleco looks evil...;-) haha


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

He is evil looking  But a total fraidy cat. Loves his treasure chest. He never lets it go unless I am out of the room.  He sees me coming and quickly squishes himself in it. I once transferred him from 1 tank to another by just picking up the treasure chest... he never let go.


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Lol! That's funny.


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

haha  It is! He thinks no one can see him there. He's been hiding there since he was teensy tiny... At one point it was a great hiding spot... now, not so much. I really want to get rid of it too but I won't do it. He's so in love with that thing, it would break his heart if I took it away. And, another funny fact... He had access to a much larger, darker, cooler hiding spot before, and never ever used it. Loves that dang treasure chest. Weirdo.


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

The other bristlenose pleco I have is much much much more social, and does not try to hide when he/she sees me. Then again, he/she is also much younger, and Waldo was a bit less shy as a young'n. Anyway, long story short, they make good betta buddies


----------



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Neil: Oh yes, I know about tetras =) I think a nice little school would look awesome

And smellsfishie: That pleco looks so interesting! Maybe I do want one then (lol) 

Newest stocking plans:

10 female sorority
albino BN pleco
20 cardinal tetras
trio (means 1 male and 2 females) of guppies
trio of platies
about 10 RCS (just an expiriment c=)
POSSIBLY a male betta (still not sure)

According to AQ advisor, I'm 89% stocked. Does my plan sound good right now?


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

Just my opinion, I would skip the guppies. They are pretty but when I had guppies very briefly, I found them to be a tiny bit annoying. They were kinda mean to my other fish. Plus, like another person said earlier in the thread, sometimes bettas don't like them too much (males). Platies come in all different colors, and are generally peaceful... plus they breed like crazy so you will have babies.  I say get 6 platies- you could get highfin platies if you want something more exotic looking than the regular finned ones. I don't know what RCS stands for?


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

Oh, also, danios get along well with bettas. At least in my experience. And they are very active so you will never be bored looking at your tank. They come in many varieties as well. You can get the plain looking ones, leopard, or the "glofish" which are just glorified danios which are bright neon yellow, hot pink, and neon orange.


----------



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

The glofish though have been dyed by people and unfortunatly either lose the color or die after a few months (http://www.deathbydyeing.org/) )=

Really ('bout the guppies)? Hm, maybe then I'll a "double trio" of platies (6). I mean, they look awesome (= And cute little babies 

RCS stands for red cherry shrimps. I don't mind if they get eaten, but they should be fairly safe in such a hiding-place-rich tank.


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

Yeah I wasn't 100% on the history of the glofish. I figured they were dyed, but the guy at the pet store told me they bred that way after the parents were dyed... and I never researched it. I had 2, who actually were very healthy and lived quite awhile. I would say just under a year. But you're probably right, because their non-dyed danio counterparts who I got at the same time are still alive, while they are not. They did hold their color well, though.


----------



## hedgehog (Sep 1, 2010)

Just wanted to say that perhaps some glofish were made by dying them but most of the fish are genetically engineered to contain a gene that produces green fluorescent protein causing them to glow.


----------



## smellsfishie (Apr 14, 2011)

hedgehog said:


> Just wanted to say that perhaps some glofish were made by dying them but most of the fish are genetically engineered to contain a gene that produces green fluorescent protein causing them to glow.


Interesting! That sounds along the lines of what the pet store told me.


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Can glofish live with a male betta? Just wondering, as my tank is full. (not overstocked though)


----------



## Sunshine0235 (Jan 4, 2011)

My one male betta did fine with 3 glofish, i had one of each color glofish, red, yellow, and green. There wasn't any fighting or fin nipping at all.


----------



## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

smellsfishie said:


> Interesting! That sounds along the lines of what the pet store told me.


Yes, when they are still just eggs a they get the color change gene injected into them. They also pass this gene down to their babies, so not everyone needs to be died. There are no bad health effects and they live an ordinary life.


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Hmmm. Interesting. So glofish were dyed at some point...cool. I'm glad they don't do this but, why didnt they do this to bettas?


----------



## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Because Bettas are already colorful and, according to that website, they do it when their developed, by injecting the dye into their skin with a needle and putting them in a bath that dissolves their slime coat and putting them in a dye bath )= I don't think it's possible to genetically engineer Bettas with dye... Most that get this done die instantly from stress... Fortunatly they don't really do it with Bettas...

I knew something about the glofish was genetically engineered, but wow, I wonder how they make the dyed colors genetic!


----------



## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

:shock:


Neil D said:


> Hmmm. Interesting. So glofish were dyed at some point...cool. I'm glad they don't do this but, why didnt they do this to bettas?


The glofish were never dyed, ever. They changed the genes to give them that color. It is all on their website.


----------



## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Good, I'm glad fish for the most part don't get dyed. Although my tetras are nipping at my bettas fins:-( see my thread in the Accessories area for more info...


----------

