Suggestions for an Amazon specific biome tank?

[Anonymous]

55 gal, w/ 20g sump and canister filter. My 15 yr old red devil finally died on me
I want to go with an Amazon river theme next, I think. Being only a 55 I need to think small though.
I'm thinking maybe some discus? I've always like them, but not sure about temperament. I know they're skittish and like to hide, so would a planted tank be better suited?
My current thoughts are maybe a couple discus, a couple larger tetra species, an interesting pleco (like a bristlenose?), and a couple corys. Actually I've been recommended to keep a small school (6+) of corys if I have any. Not sure about that though. Don't want to overload the tank.
Any thoughts on my current plan, or recommendations on other fish that would be appropriate?

 

[Anonymous]

You can do discus, but in a tank that size it's go with smaller SA cichlids...of which there are many to choose from.

55 gallon tanks get crowded awful quick.

 

[Anonymous]

Are discus happier in schools? I was thinking 2 max for this tank.
Most of the other cichlids seem to be pretty aggressive. I love oscars for instance, but I'd have to devote a tank to one. At the least I'd be unable to add any smaller fish. The devil was near 12" himself, and had to be kept completely alone, but I understand they're the extreme side of aggressiveness.

Still just fleshing out ideas, haven't decided on anything yet.

 

[Anonymous]

Discus do better in groups, yes.

You might extend your acceptable range north a bit to Central America...either way there are plenty of smaller, less belligerent cichlids to fill a tank like that out.

Try to stock smaller fish that will have a more expansive environment, rather than the largest fish you can cram into the tank...not that you were trying to do this.

 

[Anonymous]

Apistos and checkerboard cichilids imo.

 

[Anonymous]

discus get less social as they get older,larger,and get the desire to pair off and a discus reaches the size of at least a coffee cup's saucer, if not a dinner plate, circumference i'd not recommend a 55, given it's only a foot 'deep'- a 50 breeder is do-able, though

altum angels might be a candidate they'll still be a 'tight fit', but they're better proportioned for a 'skinny' tank.

i'd just go with a few schools or three of nice tets, and a pair of apistos (borelli, agassizi, nissjeni, etc) with some nice tall vals in the back and some nice crypts in the front, with a cave or two for the dwarf cichlids

 

[Anonymous]

Skip discus, they are overrated princesses and IMO require a tank designed for them (it may contain other creatures but the tank is designed for the discus).

55g is a nice long tank that you can set up some lateral movement. Design your water system to flow from one side to the other if you can. Construct the strata like a rocky stream that descends along the current. You can put all kinds of neat plants in there, create low current eddys with rocky bouders and driftwood and set up an interesting pseudobiotope. the pleco would like the rocky upstream fast current area. your pack of corydoras (yes get 6 min) would like the lower end with low current. You can then stock some tetras for the mid zones. I would throw in some bolivian rams or something as your center peice or "interesting fish" ... they are a gentle breed.