Office tank

[slammer]

Heres the story...

I just built a new office onto my house. It's all done...my business is all set up and the job is great. Nirvana right? Wrong! I neglected to build enough space for a good sized tank! All I have room for in here is a standard 48" 55.

I am in here quite a bit so I have the tank in place and cycling but I am at a loss as to what to put in it other than that I am staying with fresh water in here. I am a minimalist by nature so my aquascaping on this tank is black sand with a couple of jumbles of smooth stone. Plenty of room for anything up to 10 or 12". I am thinking one fairly large fish (nothing larger than an Oscar) with some personality.

I have a HOT Magnum on the tank along with a DIY "bio bucket" system and I have several other cans and hot's around that could be utilized if needed...after 30 years in this hobby filtration is not an issue.

So....any suggestions?

 

[Fry]

you can use it as a growout tank for larger tanks, that way you have more of a selection as to what you can have in there as it's not a permanent residence

 

[Booger]

55 is a tough size. I may go against the crowd here, but a 55 set up in an office isn't a good candidate for a monster tank. If it were my tank, I'd want low maintenance since it's not in a fish room and wide variety of behavior to keep things interesting. 1 big fish can turn a 55 into a cesspool real quick and ruin the whole professional office effect.

Phase 1: Create a basic aquascape with driftwood and hardy plants like vals, anubias, crypts, java moss, water sprite, etc. Doesn't have to be expensive or fancy, but the arrangement will make or break the display quality of the tank.
Phase 2: School of small fish. I'd partial to rasboras, but many fish will work nicely.
Phase 3: Set up breeding groups of dwarf cichlids (apistogramma). Rams are an acceptable substitute. Cacautoides are my favorite apisto for display.
Phase 4: Odds and ends. Maybe oto's, crystal shrimp, or whatever small fish catches your fancy.

Bam. Low maintenance display tank with a lot going on any time you look in the tank.

 

[Skoomakilla]

i would think a few africans this is just my opinion an african tank would look pretty good

 

[gman]

I really like the idea of africans. They are very colorful, and you can either go with a few larger ones or a big group of the smaller species. Also aquascaping would be minimal. All you need is some crushed coral or gravel, a few rock piles and your all set.

 

[redbellyfan]

I say get a school of Exodons....

 

[Miles]

Managuense, until it outgrows it

 

[slammer]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I appreciate it.

 

[blacktip]

Let's see...dark sand and a few rocks...Here is what I would suggest:

5 - Xenotilapia ochrogenys
5 - Cyprichromis leptosoma
2 - Synodontis multipunctatus

 

[t.oliphant]

Let's see...dark sand and a few rocks...Here is what I would suggest:

5 - Xenotilapia ochrogenys
5 - Cyprichromis leptosoma
2 - Synodontis multipunctatus

i would increase the cyps to at least 12 but thats a good idea