Last updated on May 6th, 2023 at 01:09 pm
A 55 gallon fish tank will always be the focus of any room. You may select to develop an aquarium with genuine driftwood, plants, and rocks, or you might rather go the synthetic route. Either case, if you put in the effort and take some time to straighten the curves you can actually produce an unbelievable fish tank.
Naturally, the fish you intend to stock play a huge role in how successful you will be with your new aquarium. A 55 gallon fish tank might seem huge and has a big volume of water to have in a living room, but compared to a stream or lake it is quite small.
When it comes to making clever stocking decisions and choosing the best fish, you still have a tight margin of error.
In my post on selecting fish for a 10 gallon tank, I set out some ground guidelines for equipping a fish tank. Possibly you already have experience maintaining a smaller sized tank effectively. Should you simply scale things up by numerous aspects when equipping your 55 gallon aquarium?
You can do that if you want, but there is a better manner in which will offer you a lot more options. It involves comprehending the fish you intend to include in your tank, their temperaments, and where they will live in the fish tank.
What are great fish for a 55 gallon fish tank?
Here is a list of the top 20 Fish for a 55 gallon Fish Tank, the very best fish for a 55 gallon tank:
- Kuhli Loach
- Plectostomus
- Cory Catfish
- Cherry and Ghost Shrimp
- Dwarf Gourami
- Three-Spot Gourami
- Angelfish
- Cherry Barb
- Neon Tetra
- Black-skirt Tetra
- Cardinal Tetra
- Fancy Guppy
- Bleeding Heart Tetra
- Platy
- Swordtail
- Molly Fish
- African Cichlids
- Zebra Danio
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Oscar
Can I keep 2 Oscars in a 55 gallon fish tank?
Oscar Fish can live up to 20 years and can also grow to size up to 12 inches. For one Oscar Fish, you will require a minimum of a 55 gallon fish tank and for each brand-new addition of Oscar Fish, you will need an extra 20 to 30 gallons. So if you are palling of keeping 2 Oscars Fish in a tank, then you will need at least a 75 gallon fish tank.
What number of saltwater fish can I put in a 55 gallon fish tank?
A 55 gallon fish tank will conveniently house around 12 inches of fish, so to be on a safer side, it is best to limit it 3 pieces of 4 inches long fishes or 2 pieces of 6 inches long fish.
Most of the reef fishes require a “house” or somewhere they can sleep or hide when they feel threatened.
In small fish tanks, the fish are actually right on top of each other. These tanks are just a foot high or two, and even if a fish is at the water surface it’s still pretty near the fish down at the substrate level.
A big tank like a 55 gallon fish tank has more space, dimension-wise, and this literally means that you can start to think of your fish tank in terms of zones.
Many fish have a particular area of the tank they prefer to occupy and, while they will move around the tank a bit, that is where they spend the majority of their time.
There is no valid “guideline” to determine the number of fish you should have in your tank. Nevertheless, there are many stocking calculators around the web if you actually require quick and hard numbers.
Personally, I have actually always considered twenty to twenty-five fish was plenty for a tank this size when stocking typical tropical community fish.
On the other hand, I’ve likewise had as few as 7 in a 55 gallon fish tank. Though, it really depends upon the size of the fish, how much space they require, and the space where they will occupy in your tank.
55 gallon fish tank Species
Hopefully, the tips given above will change your mind. Keep in mind that, as the fish keeper it is your sole responsibility to find out about any fish you want to bring into your fish tank and be sure they are an excellent fit with the remaining fishes.
For instance, some fish are known as semi-aggressive and need to be kept with other appropriate fish. It would be ill-advised to expect to mix them with docile species without event.
Planning your tank takes some research and a little effort, but doing it in this manner pays off in the end.
If you desire to run a successful fish tank, researching fish and understanding their requirements prior to you bringing them home is essential. When trying to make these decisions, I have actually always discovered that an excellent reference book goes a long way.
Are there simpler ways? Maybe. Most of the fish keepers prefer to preserve single or species-only specimen tanks. In these cases, you do not need to worry as much about compatibility, but you do require to know what you are getting yourself into.
A good example is an afican cichlid tank.
African Cichlids
A 55 gallon fish tank is the minimum size tank you should think of if you are keeping African cichlids. Bigger is even much better! These are gorgeous but extremely aggressive fish that will stake out territory in your tank.
Actually, the footprint of the tank matters more than the height, as more ground area indicates more territory.
A good number of African cichlids will establish a pecking order within their tank, from the dominant fish to the weakest. For this reason, this is among the unusual cases when it is okay to overstock slightly (and over-filter) a freshwater tank. More fish means more targets for the dominant fish and eventually less stress for the general population.
Summary on 55 gallon fish tank
As you can see, you have many options when it comes to equipping your 55 gallon fish tank. The take-away messages of this post will be:.
- Think about the area of the tank a fish will inhabit when stocking.
- It’s much better to under-stock than over-stock.
- Big fish consume little fish! Don’t mix little guys with a big wheel who could eat them.
- Be mindful of the characters of the fish you plan to stock.
- Constantly research fish before you make a purchase.
- If you plan to keep types or specimen-only tanks, actually do your research prior to proceeding.
All the best! Fishkeeping is a fun and satisfying hobby when done properly, and picking the best fish for your 55 gallon fish tank is the first and most crucial step!
