New 50gal Tall no plans yet

[NateO0072]

I just bought a 50 gallon tall and it was kind of out of the blue. The tank will look awesome, but I have no idea of what to put in it. I would like to make it an active and fun tank to watch with lots of layers so that the tall size is fully utilized by the fish. Any suggestions would be nice. I was think some plecos for bottom fish but that’s all I have in mind for now.


Nate

 

[Lupin]

What are the dimensions of the tank?

Here are my suggestions.

Goldfish Setup
You could aim for 2-3 fancy goldfish minus the singletail variants such as common goldfish, shubunkins and comets as these ones need plenty of space and can grow to 18 inches max. For fancy goldfish, I would aim for at least 15g per fish. Goldfish are more personable than most people give them credit for. I keep oranda, ryukin, ranchu, watonai and fantail. You have a wide range to choose including pearlscales, lionheads, eggfish, pom poms, celestials, demekins, wakins and many more.

If you do wish to try goldfish, filtration is extremely important. Goldfish garnered a reputation for being extremely dirty compared to the tropical groups but this is not always the case since they rival a lot of plecos and cichlids in terms of the amount of wastes produced. Since these fish are cold blooded animals, their body temperature is also similar to that of the water temperature. In cold temperature, their metabolism slows down thus they are unlikely to pollute the water any faster than in tropical conditions however this also slows down their growth in the process. Considering our current climate conditions, obviously the goldfish will have to cope with the high metabolic rate thus our water quality deteriorates rather quickly which is why filtration is pointed out as one of the aspects that should be prioritized.

Aim for a filtration turnover rate by as much as four times the actual water volume of your tank. You can never have too much filtration unless it begins to create a whirlpool effect or too powerful that the goldfish are swept around becoming stressed in the process, in which case, this must be avoided and necessary adjustments made to keep the environment friendly for the fish. Keeping goldfish is certainly not cheap and even if you do not agree, then goldfish may not be for you at all. Filtration systems recommended include the use of canisters, gutters (overheads) and hang-on-back (HOB). HOB unfortunately is not sufficient. It is therefore recommended to include another type of filtration that is able to cope with the amount of wastes being vacuumed into the filter. Make sure your filter media is able to remove large grains of dirt to fine particles. It is highly suggested that filter floss or filter perlon be included to be able to remove the fine particles responsible for clouding the water. Be sure to check the output flow weekly and once you notice the output flow weakening, clean your filter immediately to avoid clogging the media.

For tankmates, select the ones that can tolerate a temperature range of 72-76 degrees Fahrenheit. Fancy goldfish prefer their temperature a tad warmer than the pond types such as comets so your selection of tankmates is not really limited. For a 55g, you could try 2 dojo loaches or some apple snails. I keep nerite snails and apple snails in my goldfish setup.

Further references can be seen here.
Essential Tools for Goldfish Keepers

Goldfish laid eggs - with photos, etc.

Goldfish Fry Development

Sexing goldfish (with photos)!

Also photos of various goldfish strains can be seen here.
Show us YOUR goldfish! (A photo thread)


For angelfish or discus setups, see these links.
Angelfish Profiles

Discus Profile

Are you thinking about trying discus...

If you opt to try snails, read these links and select their tankmates carefully.
Freshwater Invertebrate References

Snails: Legality Issues and Responsibility as a Hobbyist

Snail Infestations and Solutions to Eliminating Them

For photos, see this link.
POST PICS OF YOUR FW SNAILS HERE.

If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask.