Rookie looking for advice

[ajh1989]

So, just signed up to this page. Appreciate the acceptance. I am a novice at this hobby. Started with a 15 gallon freshwater tank and got the hang of it and realized I'm gonna need something bigger for my vision. I have a 55 gallon tank now that I'm semi happy with. I've found this hobby to be an art and my vision hasn't fully come true. I wanted a sand bottom with beautiful vegetation and some pretty fish. I got angels and glow tetras. I have a daughter, figured she'd really like the glow tetras and I loaded the tank with about $170 worth of plants. My vision actually came out pretty well, but it went to **** fast. First off, the glo tetras take away from the other fish cause they're so vibrant. I'll be finding them a new home soon, secondly! All my plants died off over a month long course... Definitely not cool. 3rdly, my vision has changed lol. Although the angels are cool looking. I want something pretty to look at and fun to feed at the same time. Been looking at completely changing my tank to an aggressive tank and finding everyone in my tank currently a new home. My questions... is my 55 gallon tank big enough for aggressive fish? I've been looking into the barracuda breed. I still wanna keep it all south American fish. What else can hang with barracuda? Been looking at a leopard crab too since it's the only one that's about fully aquatic and can live happily without land (also they look cool af) also... plants! Ive heard you cant do live with aggressive fish, which im fine with since all mine dad off so fast and lastly... I haven't looked much deeper to what I'd pair with the fish mentioned, but all opinions, suggestions and advice are welcome!

 

[celebrist]

So do you have a 55 and a 15 then?
Also what do you have for filtration on your tank(s)

 

[duanes]

I would consider a 55 as only a temporary grow out tank for young Ctenolucius hujeta.
Most sites state a 55 as "minimum" tanks sizes for them, which to me means not adequate, for any but juvies.
Especially if you want tank mates a tank of at least 6 ft, and over 100 gallons is needed.
Tank mates might include Silver Dollars, because they don't fit in its mouth, but in a 55 they might be shredded just due to lack of space.
Because they are surface feeders, and dwellers, armored cats like Plecos may be tolerated, but since a 55 is so small, even they will be in danger.

 

[Jexnell]

What probably happened to your plants is more than likely the absence of an actual "Plant" light. I tried many a plants over the years and all the time the just slowly died off. With my new tank I got a specific "Plant" light a Finnex 24/7 planted plus led light.
This is what I started with.
And now some months later

I did get alot of growth during the summer when I had some real sunlight helping out but now it's winter in the PNW, where there is no such thing as sunlight till spring comes back around. The Finnex is keeping it all alive and still growing.

 

[tlindsey]

So, just signed up to this page. Appreciate the acceptance. I am a novice at this hobby. Started with a 15 gallon freshwater tank and got the hang of it and realized I'm gonna need something bigger for my vision. I have a 55 gallon tank now that I'm semi happy with. I've found this hobby to be an art and my vision hasn't fully come true. I wanted a sand bottom with beautiful vegetation and some pretty fish. I got angels and glow tetras. I have a daughter, figured she'd really like the glow tetras and I loaded the tank with about $170 worth of plants. My vision actually came out pretty well, but it went to **** fast. First off, the glo tetras take away from the other fish cause they're so vibrant. I'll be finding them a new home soon, secondly! All my plants died off over a month long course... Definitely not cool. 3rdly, my vision has changed lol. Although the angels are cool looking. I want something pretty to look at and fun to feed at the same time. Been looking at completely changing my tank to an aggressive tank and finding everyone in my tank currently a new home. My questions... is my 55 gallon tank big enough for aggressive fish? I've been looking into the barracuda breed. I still wanna keep it all south American fish. What else can hang with barracuda? Been looking at a leopard crab too since it's the only one that's about fully aquatic and can live happily without land (also they look cool af) also... plants! Ive heard you cant do live with aggressive fish, which im fine with since all mine dad off so fast and lastly... I haven't looked much deeper to what I'd pair with the fish mentioned, but all opinions, suggestions and advice are welcome!

Welcome aboard

 

[Joshuakahan]

So, just signed up to this page. Appreciate the acceptance. I am a novice at this hobby. Started with a 15 gallon freshwater tank and got the hang of it and realized I'm gonna need something bigger for my vision. I have a 55 gallon tank now that I'm semi happy with. I've found this hobby to be an art and my vision hasn't fully come true. I wanted a sand bottom with beautiful vegetation and some pretty fish. I got angels and glow tetras. I have a daughter, figured she'd really like the glow tetras and I loaded the tank with about $170 worth of plants. My vision actually came out pretty well, but it went to **** fast. First off, the glo tetras take away from the other fish cause they're so vibrant. I'll be finding them a new home soon, secondly! All my plants died off over a month long course... Definitely not cool. 3rdly, my vision has changed lol. Although the angels are cool looking. I want something pretty to look at and fun to feed at the same time. Been looking at completely changing my tank to an aggressive tank and finding everyone in my tank currently a new home. My questions... is my 55 gallon tank big enough for aggressive fish? I've been looking into the barracuda breed. I still wanna keep it all south American fish. What else can hang with barracuda? Been looking at a leopard crab too since it's the only one that's about fully aquatic and can live happily without land (also they look cool af) also... plants! Ive heard you cant do live with aggressive fish, which im fine with since all mine dad off so fast and lastly... I haven't looked much deeper to what I'd pair with the fish mentioned, but all opinions, suggestions and advice are welcome!

Sounds like you need a peacock or mbuna tank. Bright colors, aggressive,
and extremely colorful. If you go that route I can help you as well as some very knowledgeable members here

 

[Ogertron3000]

For the plants i always find anubis and java fern to be pretty much foolproof and indestructable.
Do you want a solo fish or a group?
For a solo you could get a salvini cichlid which are aggresive and colourful. You could also get the classic pair of convicts if you want some breeding action too.

 

[Deadeye]

Welcome to the forum!
Red wolf is a South American fish that gives a great feeding response, but you can largely forget about tankmates with them. Mine even took out all of the snails it’s with.
Another option is exodon tetras - they are basically a 3 inch piranha that is far more vicious. They need a very large school to keep from attacking each other, and will attack most tankmates (they are naturally scale eaters). Armored cats like plecos or raphaels should do fine with them though.
As for plants, I definitely agree about lighting, and many species also need some sort of filtration. What type have you tried? Some are much more difficult than others. Simple starter plants are duckweed, hornwort, bacopa, Anubias, and Java ferns.
Whether or not plants will do well with a predator really depends on the species. Piranhas will eat plants (mine even ate plastic plants), larger cichlids (like oscars) like to dig them up. More strict carnivores like wolves do perfectly fine with plants though.

 

[duanes]

One other thing about plants.
After being first put in an aquarium, (especially a newly set up one, with little innate biological activity) many plants will melt back due to a sort of environmental shock. but....
that doesn't necessarily mean they are dead.
The melt allows them to adjust to new conditions, without tapping out all energy.
As an example....I collected a piece of water lettuce from a local lake about 2 weeks ago, the couple hours in a hot car, and then being tossed in a new environment, took its toll.

A couple weeks later, the original plant is pretty ragged with its leaves yellowing and torn.... but during that time has it has produced new pups

The same with Vallisneria on the right below when was first put in the tank

It browned and melted a bit when planted.
This is the progeny of that same 2 starter plants today.


That said if the right light, and plant food are not provided (as Jexnell implied) some don't make it.
The sword plant in my pic above, couldn't take the competition, from the faster growing plant species.

 

[ajh1989]

So do you have a 55 and a 15 then?
Also what do you have for filtration on your tank(s)

55 gallon only. Got rid of the 15 gallon tank. I have a Sunsun-HW-704B 525 gph 5 stage External Canister