[Blackfeet]

I recently moved and had to give all my fish to the local fish store. Now in a new location I am thinking of how to set it up this time.
The main reason we got it in the first place was to calm my special needs daughter. This was a success at first but after awhile she seemed not to care anymore. When we go into the fish stores she seems most interested in the feeder tanks with their insane numbers. The old set up started as a mixed population that my wife picked out, after a large die off I took over and went to a brackish sailfin molly tank which slowly transitioned into a regular molly tank. Little one was most interested when the babies got big enough to come out of hiding and I had schools of up to 40 babies of varying size chasing food and coming to her hand on the glass.
My new location has moderately hard water and 7.4 pH, kH 6, and 5 ppm nitrate on average. My tank is a 55 gallon. I have a canister filter with spray bar so currents and flow are not an issue. I am open to any possibilities but an interactive population would be ideal to catch little one's interest. I was thinking a couple yellow labs, cause yellow is her favorite color, but I am concerned that they will turn sedate and hide too much as they get large, as most cichlids do. Another option is a glofish tank with a black light. They are not interactive but they are bright and I wouldn't have to deal with algae. The last option is a betta imbelious (not sure on spelling) tank, they area breed of betta that will not kill each other. Chase each other? Yes, but not kill. I am not interested in a marine tank but will consider up to high-end brackish.
I would consider the goldfish but the amount of maintenance to keep the smell down is prohibitive.
Comments are welcome any other suggestions will only helps

 

[npbarca]

If she likes large numbers, you could go with all neon tetras/ all harlequin rasboras and a centerpiece fish, maybe a gold severum as they are yellow. The tank would be very active. Or you could go with groups of 3 barbs, they would be very active.

 

[Chesh]

Have you looked into Endlers Livebearers?
They're smaller than guppies, and their colors are so vibrant - I can't see them not catching her (or anyone's!) eye, and you could keep an AMAZING shoal in a tank this size! Of course you could keep multiple shoals, too - but love nothing better than seeing a big group of small fish. . . I wonder how many you could stock in a 55g tank???!

. . . have you considered shrimp? I wonder if she'd enjoy them? They're busy and bustling, and completely different from fish. I don't know much about shrimp - I've never kept them. . . one thing I DO know is that there ARE yellow ones. . . hopefully someone who knows these things will pop by soon with more information!

I've never kept either of these animals. . . they just popped into my mind when I read your post, so I thought I'd throw the suggestions out there ^__^ Please be sure to look into the needs of both - I'm not really sure if they're ideal for your water parameters (should probably check these things before posting )

Oh! And another interesting something-completely-different option to look into might be African Dwarf Frogs. I've kept one in my 55 and he loved it. A nice grouping of them would definitely be something I'd LOVE to see. . .

Good luck in your quest for the perfect stocking for this tank. I'd love to hear how this project progresses - so please keep us up to date on what you ultimately decide on! Whatever you end up with, I hope she adores it! *hugs*

 

[Blackfeet]

I had shrimp before, with my low end brackish set up. They are busy but a lot of shrimp require acidic soft water water. The kind of shrimp you are referring to is, if I remember right, a bumble shrimp. Shrimp just like fish vary in color only it seems a lot more drastic.

 

[Blackfeet]

I had thought of endlers but the stores are all too often out of them and there is an issue of am I getting a feeder or a endler the coloring variation and size being so similar. Tetras do best in soft acidic water so not really my thing, I like my fish to thrive. I am not too familiar with rasboras so I have to look them up barbs should like my water (I think), and they are very active.
I won't put frogs in with fish. I tried once with a albino dwarf and he killed a gold fish and ate it. The fish had a chunk missing and he was the only other thing in there then he started ripping pieces off while I was looking mouth still wide agape.

 

[BWG]

Some tetras do best in soft, acidic water. It's a huge group of fish though and there are some that will do fine in your water, whether you actually want them is a different matter. I just don't want you limiting your options if you don't have to. I have soft water so I'm not the best, but I can think of at least a few that will be perfectly fine in your aquarium.

Silvertip tetra
Black widow tetra
Bloodfin tetra
X-ray tetra
Red-eye tetra

I'm sure there are more. Those are just what I could think of off the top of my head.

 

[rsskylight04]

hi

One of my favorite fish, and one of the most active and social is pictus catfish. A large group in your 55gal tank would be nonstop action, especially at feeding time!

 

[Blackfeet]

Thank you all for you suggestions. I researched them all and decided on a selection for my wife. A betta imbellious tank, a barb and krib tank, or a mix of danios and rasboras with a few bottom feeders of course probably yoyo loach or a similar temperament loach or a high-end brackish goby and molly or chromide tank. I do not want live plants again due to the investment and upkeep was excessive though it was pretty and I got lots of compliments on them

 

[jeaninel]

A large shoal of tiger barbs was one of my favorite tanks. I found them so entertaining to watch with their constant showing off to eachother and racing from one end of the tank to the other. I kept my group in a 55 gallon with a lone Green Texas cichlid with no problems. Just a suggestion.
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