# 56G Stocking List: Compatibility?



## Aoibhell (Jul 23, 2012)

I'm planning my 56G (30" W x 18" D x 24" H). Here's what I was thinking:

1 Rainbow cichlid
1 Festivum
1-3 Three Point Gourami
2-3 Angels
2-3 Discus
5-6 Botia Loaches

They seem to all be compatible water/ph/temp wise, and most sites I've studied seem to think most of these guys will get along ok (haven't found much on the rainbows or discus).

What do you think? Should I add something? Take away something? Reconsider something?


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

i have the same tank, and there is a lot of space but not a lot of "floor space" so setting up territories for bottom dwellers is difficult. maybe having a shelf system in place would help or a few stacked caves? also, how would the angels treat the gourami? i have read that they get a bit more aggressive once they pair up. 

also, did you mean a three spot gourami? i googled three point gourami and came up empty as i don't know what they are. these guys get aggressive once they get over 2 inches long. mine doesn't like when my barbs get flashy and defends his one plant territory with vigor. i could not see them working well with angels at all. or any other fish it would view as a threat.


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## Aoibhell (Jul 23, 2012)

You couldn't find anything on the three point gourami because I meant threa _spot_ gourami (oops). I'm not sold on the gouramis though, if the others would get along ok. I just wanted something that might hang out towards the top. Maybe I'd be better off with just one angel? I'd rather have the angels over the gouramis, though.

I figured the botia loaches would be ok with the bottom space, since they don't get too big.

I also want to make sure that the festivum & rainbow are as peaceful as their reputation. I have some large mollies that need to be separated from their male counterparts (more fry than I need), and I also have some black phantom tetras that I might try to put in there if they all generally jive together.


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

Aoibhell said:


> You couldn't find anything on the three point gourami because I meant threa _spot_ gourami (oops). I'm not sold on the gouramis though, if the others would get along ok. I just wanted something that might hang out towards the top. Maybe I'd be better off with just one angel? I'd rather have the angels over the gouramis, though.
> 
> I figured the botia loaches would be ok with the bottom space, since they don't get too big.
> 
> I also want to make sure that the festivum & rainbow are as peaceful as their reputation. I have some large mollies that need to be separated from their male counterparts (more fry than I need), and I also have some black phantom tetras that I might try to put in there if they all generally jive together.


don't know much abt chiclids, so i really cant comment on them other than the stigma of being aggressive fish who are generally not compatible with most other fish. if you are gonna do angels and tetras why not try some rams? with German blue rams you get the beauty and intelligence of a chiclid without the viciousness. they do get pushy but it is all show. they are harmless more or less.

also pay attention to the required hardness of the water, i just researched these chiclids, and an angel will require a ph of 5.8 - 7 where as a rainbow needs 6.8 - 8. so when you are on the high end of your ph for angels you will be on the low end for your chiclid. neither fish will be completely comfortable, with the ram, you are looking at a similar ph level as the angel.

make sure your fish work with aggression levels as well as water requirements before you stock up. it will make for happier helthier fish in the long run.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Your going to run into some problems with the discus and angels as they require softer water than what the others do. Plus the fish you have chosen requires a lot of room.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

you might want to have a look if you can at real life full sized discus and angels but heres an idea. the amount your hoping for is way way to much. plus discus are hard to look after.

http://wilddiscususa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Jaquara-Discus-fish-01.jpg

http://0.tqn.com/w/experts/Fish-1472/2009/01/Angelfish.jpg

angel fish can get 12+ tall


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## Aoibhell (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh wow.. I didn't know angels got _that_ big... is that typical? I did read further into Discus and they would definitely be too much for me. 

It's so frustrating to decide on a list of fish and find an incompatibility flaw or something else and have to start all over again... I wonder if this tank will _ever_ get stocked...


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

what i find works best for me is fitting fish to your water. so if your in a hard water area, maybe think of milawi cichlids or livebearers etc, or if you have soft water then SA cichlids etc. then think of how many of those fish you can have in the tank your size and if thats not enough go to a smaller type fish and go from there. once ive found the type of fish i want i have a look at there natural habitats then try and mimic as close as possible, or if i dont like the look of i i start again with new fish. yuo can always go down the route of changing the water to that of what fish you want but im finding now its harder than i thought!

after a few false starts and many wrong turns i ended up with a stocking system that works for me so chin up, you'll get there eventually


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## Aoibhell (Jul 23, 2012)

I kind of figured I would treat my water accordingly, depending on the fish, but it makes sense to just go with what I already have. 

I'm picky with fish, though... lol.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

what are your requirments for fish?


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## Aoibhell (Jul 23, 2012)

I don't like tiny fish (neon tetras). I like the bigger ones, but if they have big personalities, I don't mind the smaller ones. From what I read, I really like Rainbow Cichlids, Festivums, and some kind of loach- like a Botia. Really, I was trying to find some tankmates to go with those 2, more than anything. 

I was never sold on the angelfish, though.. it just seemed like they would like my tank, since it is tall. 

Upgrading to a larger tank is probably in my future, so I'm not opposed to getting 1 or 2 fish that will eventually outgrow the 56g, but nothing that grows too fast. I started out wanting a Dempsey, but they might be too aggressive for my taste.


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## letsgowildcats (Mar 30, 2012)

The 56 gallon is kind of limited as to the floor space on the bottom, so if you get a bunch of different territorial fish, they will eventually kill each other off. I read somewhere that 5 angels is the magic number for this sized tank, as they will feel too crowded to have territorial issues. This doesn't make much sense to me, but fish logic is probably very different from my own.

I have the same tank size, and I started off with 3 angels, 1 festivum, and 1 german ram(at first). I don't know what these animals think by any means, but this is my take on the "tragedy" of my tank's upbringing: Two of the angels killed each other, and the remaining angel killed the festivum. I left the tank alone for a couple months stocking wise, then added in 5 cherry barbs and 3 platies. The last angel died just recently, and my best guess is it was from the stress of all the new activity in the tank. Now cichlid-wise, I'm down to just one, and I'm just fine with that. There is no more tension in the tank and everyone's happy. 

If it's personality you're looking for, some of the smaller fish have lots of it. Most tetras(in my experiences) are very skittish, and won't come near the front of the glass if they see a human around. Most barbs are more bold and don't care if someone's near, they will beg for food and follow your fingers on the glass. German blue rams have an awesome personality, very intelligent and love attention from humans. They are not aggressive unless you either have a spawning pair or multiple males. The festivum I had dug up all my plants constantly, so if you want a planted tank you should forget the festivum. Most cichlids are the same way.

That's my two cents though, and every fish is indeed different so experiences may vary. Good luck!


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

speaking of your own experience, i have 3 jack dempseys, the big mac daddy isnt really agressive at all, he'll snap at someone if they swim next to him but apart from that all 3 are really chilled. so i guess it depends on the fish 'personallity' too.


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## Aoibhell (Jul 23, 2012)

zero said:


> speaking of your own experience, i have 3 jack dempseys, the big mac daddy isnt really agressive at all, he'll snap at someone if they swim next to him but apart from that all 3 are really chilled. so i guess it depends on the fish 'personallity' too.


Do you have anything in with the Dempseys? This was my original fish of choice, but I sort of talked myself out of it, since I wanted a small variety of fish.


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