OK, so after waiting for this for months and months, I'm finally getting a 55g tank with wooden stand from my gf as a Christmas gift (their family got it cheap at a garage sale a few years back and never used it). I can tell that my little red cap is going to love the new tank, and I'll have to get some friends for him, too, once I get it all set up in about a week and after it cycles and all that.

Here's some info of what it's going to have:

* 55g tank w/ wooden stand
* Hood w/ two 24" flourescent lights
* AquaClear 500 power filter
* A bubble wall
* A thin layer of gravel with a few river rocks interspersed
* Plastic plants, decor, etc.

For fish, I have one red cap oranda already that I've had for about 2 months (3" or so including finnage), and I'm thinking about getting four more for a total of five fish. I'd like to get a black moor, a lionhead, and two others -- maybe a fantail and/or a ranchu or something? Anybody have any suggestions on good types of goldfish that I might like or that look pretty?

I'll post pics once I get the tank set up (I'm shooting to have the fish in the new tank and everything by the third week of January, whenever the tank ends up cycling). Stay tuned and thanks for any input you can give!

One other thing --

I'm also debating whether or not to go with four or five fish for this tank. If I get four, it'll make my decisions a little easier (one less kind to decide on! ) and they may like it a little better. But 5 fish for 55g is still less than the 10g per fish rule. Would four or five be better? Would they be too lonely with only four in that tank (especially when they're still little)?

its your call how many to put. Id put like 10 in there. they take a while to grow too. as for your aquaclear filter, id not use that, if it overflows youll have a flood on your floor. black moors are delicate but you can try your luck. Id get:

1. move your redcap oranda
2. black moor(take good care of her)
3. calcio rykuin
4. red rykuin
5. black oranda
6. calcio oranda

you think of more

I'd go with a total of 4 fish. That way they have plenty of room to grow and
play. Yes they do start small, but once they get big you wouldn't have to worry
about being overstocked.

If you do get a black moor, you'll have to pay a little more attention with
the feeding due to their eye sight being different than oranda, lionhead, fantail...

Oh! I love new tanks, and goldfish. I like Orandas, Fantails, Black Moors, and Ranchus.

I hope you are succsessful in your new tank! Good luck,

I'd do 4.. that way it's more likely that you'll NEVER have to upgrade, they can live in a tank that size their whole lives, unless you end up with a fish that's bigger than usual. (I'm picturing Bruce the Oranda in my mind as I write this, lol)

yea that giant is like 16 inches by now(including tail) but its frigging huge. was it fed growth hormones?

Get what fish YOU like. I would go with 4 total since the more water you give them the better.
Just remember too quarantine the newcomers. Even if you do nothing in the QT but observe them you will be better off. There is nothing worse than adding new fish and bringing one disease after another into the new tank.

I also just got a 55 gal. for Christmas. I had four in a 20 gal. and everything in it including fish was transfered over to the 55 gal. I also bought one more fish so now I have 2 comets, 1 blue oranda, 1 calico ryukin, and an oranda/ shubikin/calico mix. So now I have 5 fish. But I agree with the other posters 4 would be enough so that you won't have to upgrade in the future. The tank is on an iron stand. So if the fish get to big I am prepared to buy a 30 gal. long to sit on the bottom if necessary to split the fish up.

I have Aquaclear filters on both of my tanks and haven't had any problems with them. I think as long as you do general maintence on them you shouldn't have any overflow problems. Since you are planning on 4 to 5 fish it would be a good idea to get another filter to go along witht he 500 you already have. The AC 300 would be good.
Linda

I completely agree that if you put 5 goldfish in a 55 gallon that more filtration would be a good idea. I have five big goldies in my 55 gallon, but I also have double the filtration. I have the Aqua Tech 40-60 that came with the 55 gallon, but also added a Penguin 330 biowheel filter system. So I have enough filtration to run up to a 150 gallon aquarium but compacted into a 55 gallon. My fish have never looked happier. I say you can never have too much filtration.