55 Gallon: What to put in it?

[SW Florida Kid]

green sunnies would probably try to eat the cichlids, and maybe one female green terror, i think a male would get too big

Okok... cool.

So I've narrowed it down to two options:


With the sunfish, I'm looking into maybe 4 Pumkinseeds or 4 Green Sunfish.

or

With the cichlids, I'm looking into 2 Firemouths and 2 Convicts.



What do you guys think?

 

[90cat]

option 2sems better IMO

 

[fhawk362]

I hear firemouths and convicts dont get big that quick and they are neat but I really like pumpkinseeds and I don't thin youd have any problem with them in a 55 for quite some time by which time if you enjoy the hobby enough, which many of us get hooked, will wnat to upgrade tank size anyways.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

why are we talking about cichla in the cold water natives area?

 

[mbeatrice]

green sunfish are a viciouse and aggressive and also predatory with a larger mouth than most sun fish.. but dont really get that long ,but get thick . there basicaly kind of like a cichlid...

 

[kzimmerman]

The Fire mouths and convicts would probably be a good choice. I would even go so far as to attain a pair of each and see if they will breed. If it gets dodgy with them breeding in the same tank, a light diffusor grid that they sell in home depot for flourescent light fixtures makes a great, robust tank divider.

 

[MinnowMagnet]

You should get a male green sunfish, they are very cool fish and are agressive and can be kept with cichlids. Warmouth are also similar in size and behavior, but is not quite as colorful as the green sunfish

 

[Jmata]

I have 4 sunfish in a 60 gallon tank and they are doing good. They are little pigs though lol

 

[warmouth]

I have 4 sunfish in a 60 gallon tank and they are doing good. They are little pigs though lol

I dont know about a 55 gallon.....but I have a 39 gallon that wasnt big enough for 2 green sunfish (one 6 inch sunnie killed everything I put in with him including a 5inch female). I would suggest longear or spotted sunfish for a 75 gallon. Jonahs or Zimmermans sells them and you would not need a bigger tank or chillers for the Southern longear (louisiana bayou)or spotted sunnies.

 

[jevan7]

i would definately go the convict and firemouth way imo