# 55 Gallon Community Tank



## StBDawg (Feb 20, 2008)

I am making my 55 gallon freshwater aquarium a community tank. I cycled the aquarium using 10 zebra danios. Yesterday I just added 3 black mollies. I want to get some colorful fish next. What should I go with and how many should I get? Thanks.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

You may need something that can stand it's own against the mollies. They can be pretty aggresive. They can be kept in fresh water but prefer brachish. Make sure to give the mollies lots of places to hide in and play in.


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

well there are so many different possibilities. personally i love boesman's rainbowfish. i would get 3-4 of them, they are so colorful and energetic. i would also think about 6 cories, a few kuhli, skunk, or clown loaches. these are some other colorful fish that would look nice in there.

pearl or blue gouramis
angelfish
keyhole cichlids
rams
checkerboard cichlids
a school of neons, penguinfish, black neons, or rummynoses
harlequin rasboras or clown rasboras
silver sharks
swordtails
platies
celebes rainbowfish
bumblebee goby
pearl catfish
killifish


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## miagrrl (May 3, 2007)

personally, i would go with a school of either harlequinns or rummy nose tetras. or more danios! maybe some white clouds? or marble hatchet fish (watch out they jump).


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## bf2king (Aug 3, 2007)

silver sharks if u mean bala sharks get to big for 55 gallon tanks.. i would get a farawella cat, a good sized school of cories, and maybe some silver dollars... Possibly a large school of Barbs of some sort..


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

Silver dollars also get way too big for a 55g. 

Platties are nice and colourful which you might like. 

Rams, apistos and many of the tetra and rasbora species are nice and colourful, and look really good in large schools which you have room for. 

For bottom dwellers, maybe some cories and/or a BN plec?


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

sorry didnt know how big the sharks got. but for another bottom dweller you could get a few pictus catfish. if you get them make sure you get more than 1 or they will be very shy. i also think a school of barbs would be nice.


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## bf2king (Aug 3, 2007)

Pictus catfish will get to big for a small fish community tank as they will eat anything bite size.... mine loves biga ghost shrimp :lol:


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Most of the cichlids listed above are not going to be compatible with the danios and mollys. Most will also need water much softer than the mollys or danios. 
To mix with zebra danios and black mollys look for other live bearing fishs like platys, swordtails, halfbeaks... and then other smaller (under 5 inches) and peaceful fish... 
Most killiefish are a good option, lots of color, peaceful enough, and wont get real large (be careful which species you choose, a few do get quite large)
For barbs, abuot the only 2 I can think of that would be peaceful enough for your situation are cherry barbs and gold barbs. You can get alot of color with these, too. Dwarf gouramis could work if there is enough decoration at every level of the tank, and some of the smaller rainbows like the neon blues would be another good mix. There are a lot of tetras to choose from, also.
Silver dollars average 10 - 12 inches around (the size of a dinner plate) and I also agree no pictus cats... 
The mollys would really do much better in a brackish tank, also.


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

yeah i think cherry barbs would be nice. i have some and they are great.


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