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Stocking New 20 Gal

2K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  jsenske 
#1 ·
Hey, I've got my firs Tank all set up, its a 18 Gallon, tank

i've got a penguin bio wheel filter, a heater, everything but the fish basically

i just have no idea what kind of fish to get... i'd like one of them to be decent size,

if i got a rainbow shark or red tail shark what else could i get? Pleco? Gourami's? Pictus Cat? Danios? Tetra? i have no idea what i can put in the same tank??:-?

thanks for the help
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the forum.

I'd start by finding out what sort of water you've got - hardness and pH. Different fish like different water and you should get some that suit what you've got.

Then look at the fish profiles for the fish you're interested in (second tab from the left at the top of the forum) to see whether they suit your water and your size tank. 18 gallon isn't very big, so it may not be big enough for either of those sharks. Have a read of the profile for those fish and see what they say. If you can narrow down your selection by what suits your water and tank then you can ask for more info as to whether what you like can go in the same tank.

(As one idea, I had platies, pristella tetras and cories in my 75-litre (20 gallon))
 
#4 ·
Hi,

Just curious if you guys think

a group of Angel fish like 2 or 3? of small or medium size ones. i kno there are large ones

like 5 cory catfish

a school of tetras

betta fish

and some kind of snail

could this be a happy living arrangement for the fish?
if not angelfish? what could i get in place of them?

plz i'm looking for Ideas and Suggestions!!! anyone!!!!

:)
 
#5 ·
Hello!
Firstly water parameters and such would be helpfull, so we can suggest correct ideas.
Angel fish are a no no in 20G unless a mated breeding pair....And the minimum is a 55g with 5-6....
5 Cory Cats are good for the bottom, then a group of 8-6 neons or maybe even 2 small groups of 6...
Then maybe some hatchet fish for the top and a few central fish??? Some one else can give you more soon............
 
#6 · (Edited)
Welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping!:-D

All the fish that have been mentioned so far (except betta) are softwater fish, meaning they prefer soft water. Some people don't pay attention to this part of the water chemistry, but I try to make sure the hardness is in the prefered range (better for overall health and health). Don't overlook the pH either.

Some people have really hard water from their tap, so maybe you should test your tap (or whatever water source you are useing) to see what yours is. You can never go wrong testing your water!:-D
 
#8 ·
Unfortunately not. Angelfish should be in a group and they need a much bigger tank than yours (it was only when I got my 250-litre that I might have had angels).

Bettas are better off alone. People have managed to put them in a tank with other fish, but it needs to be a BIG tank with lots of vegetation where the betta can establish his own bit of territory and, even then, it depends on the betta as to whether there'll be fights or not. Definitely no betta in a small tank with other fish. It'd be fight club.

You could get the small schooling fish (not a huge number, you'd need to figure out how many would fit in your tank) and the cories though. You could maybe have a dwarf gourami as your "big" fish, a group of tetras and cories.
 
#9 ·
I'd like to welcome you to Tropical Fish Keeping.

Tanker has set you in the right path. In what is technically speaking a small tank, your fish options are limited. The other issue in smaller spaces is behaviour; fish can take on aggression more in small spaces just for that reason, lack of space for their territory, so be sure to note the info under Compatibility in the profiles. There are lots of small colourful fish that will do well, especially with some live plants; no mention has been made of your tap water parameters, and that can be a major influence depending upon what they are. The "Ideal Water Parameter" sdection covers this in the profile of each fish species.

Byron.
 
#10 ·
This seems to me to be much the same as your other thread on the 18g tank...if it is, I can merge the two. It is better to keep one thread for a topic, otherwise it can be more difficult for members to remain on track, and seeing the other responses often helps more.

Having said that, on to your question. I would not put Black Ruby Barb in a 20g; if you note in the profile it says this fish reaches 2.5 inches and should be kept in a group of at least 6, which means a 30-inch tank minimum to accommodate its more active swimming. You can see the profile of a fish by clicking on the shaded name in posts, or use the "Tropical Fish Profiles" tab in the blue bar.

The Celestial Pearl Danio is a miniature fish at under 3/4 of an inch; not a good match for a 2.5 inch barb.

A Betta is not advisable with other fish in so small a space; I assume you would want a male for the beautiful fins; they can be very aggressive--not always, true, but it is in the nature of the fish and you can't change fish nature any more than human nature;-). I would not include a Betta in a community 20g.

Corys are fine, and 5 is a good number. Tetra is fine, depending upon the fish species selected; some remain smallish and in a group of 6+ would be fine; others need more swimming space and would not be suitable. Similar to Tetra, are the Rasbora in the Trigonostigma genus, like the Harlequin Rasbora, Lambchop Rasbora and Hengels Rasbora. A group of 5-6 of one of these would be nice. Check their profiles.

Byron.
 
#11 ·
awesome, you guys are really helpful! i'm not sure of my tap water peramaters, i put water conditioner in it and had it running for about a week, right now just my betta is in it and i'm hoping to add the corys and tetras soon. black ruby barbs also if i can find them, i suppose i'll end up taking the betta out. i want to add a pearl gourami and will def remove the betta in that case. i guess my tank might be pretty full at that point. i'd like maybe one or 2 fish that stand out however.
 
#12 ·
I will merge this thread with your other as the issues are identical.
 
#14 · (Edited)
OK, now that's done...there are some issues with the ideas in your last post, could you have a look please at my posts in the second thread which are now here. No point repeating everything.:)

Re the water parameters, your water supply folks can tell you the hardness and pH of your water, they may have a website with this info and a list of what's in the water (minerals, nitrates, etc). This is a must-know, as the tap water may determine this or that with respect to fish. A t4st kit is also highly recommended, the API liquid test kit is good quality, there is a Master that includes pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate; this is well worth having when setting up an aquarium. Fish stores will often do water tests, but running back and forth every day or so can be a nuisance.

Byron.
 
#15 ·
Not trying to confuse you, my friend, but these days the pH and most of the water parameter stuff is just not an issue. The vast majority of fish you will get a your local fish store are hatchery raised, predominantly in higher pH and harder water conditions. I keep altum angels, for example, in very hard, high pH Houston TX tap water with no issues whatsoever-- and these are wild caught! You can see a clear image of these fish on my website under the "Hardscape Only" gallery. Unless you are trying to breed fish or induce some very specific behaviors, this whole pH matching business only confuses and deters new hobbyists unnecessarily.
Why can I say this with profound certainty? Because it's my life- my career- my absolute passion and I have an unmatched portfolio to back it up. We have over 500 fully aquascaped, freshwater aquariums of every imaginable size and makeup in our care and we do not test water and do not concern ourselves with matching "parameters" for the vast majority of fishes- right up to cardinal and rummy-nose tetras, discus, and many other notoriously "sensitive" fish. I only point this out to offer a powerful visual reference to substantiate what I am saying, not to brag. The Internet doesn't need any more "self-styled experts", and that's all I'd be without proof.
I'd rather see you be able to focus on creating and enjoyable, engaging aquascape rather than fretting over what pH your tap water is. I'm telling you in more than most cases the common fish you will be keeping will and/or already are perfectly adapted to your tap condition.
In a tank your size, you may want to consider more of a themed tank- not trying to squeeze too many different species, but rather a feature fish, and accompanying/complimentary school around them, and a bottom dweller group to complete the scene. Maybe think about the creation of an underwater scene- an aquascaped- and not just a "fishy tank". Tetras, many small barbs, danios, rasbora, cory cats, dwarf loaches, dwarf rainbows- all pose viable, interesting options for a 20 gal. I mean, if you want, I (or many here) could spec some specific combinations for you, but you probably get the idea!

I will defend but not argue about the above comments. Ive been doing this too long and at too high a level to argue about realities that I experience and deliver on for hundreds of clients everyday. It pains me to see so many new hobbysist frustrated and turned off to the hobby because of being overwhelmed with factoids and details that are not "incorrect", but often unnecessary. :-D
 
#17 ·
Not trying to confuse you, my friend, but these days the pH and most of the water parameter stuff is just not an issue. The vast majority of fish you will get a your local fish store are hatchery raised, predominantly in higher pH and harder water conditions. I keep altum angels, for example, in very hard, high pH Houston TX tap water with no issues whatsoever-- and these are wild caught! You can see a clear image of these fish on my website under the "Hardscape Only" gallery. Unless you are trying to breed fish or induce some very specific behaviors, this whole pH matching business only confuses and deters new hobbyists unnecessarily.
Why can I say this with profound certainty? Because it's my life- my career- my absolute passion and I have an unmatched portfolio to back it up. We have over 500 fully aquascaped, freshwater aquariums of every imaginable size and makeup in our care and we do not test water and do not concern ourselves with matching "parameters" for the vast majority of fishes- right up to cardinal and rummy-nose tetras, discus, and many other notoriously "sensitive" fish. I only point this out to offer a powerful visual reference to substantiate what I am saying, not to brag. The Internet doesn't need any more "self-styled experts", and that's all I'd be without proof.
I'd rather see you be able to focus on creating and enjoyable, engaging aquascape rather than fretting over what pH your tap water is. I'm telling you in more than most cases the common fish you will be keeping will and/or already are perfectly adapted to your tap condition.
In a tank your size, you may want to consider more of a themed tank- not trying to squeeze too many different species, but rather a feature fish, and accompanying/complimentary school around them, and a bottom dweller group to complete the scene. Maybe think about the creation of an underwater scene- an aquascaped- and not just a "fishy tank". Tetras, many small barbs, danios, rasbora, cory cats, dwarf loaches, dwarf rainbows- all pose viable, interesting options for a 20 gal. I mean, if you want, I (or many here) could spec some specific combinations for you, but you probably get the idea!

I will defend but not argue about the above comments. Ive been doing this too long and at too high a level to argue about realities that I experience and deliver on for hundreds of clients everyday. It pains me to see so many new hobbysist frustrated and turned off to the hobby because of being overwhelmed with factoids and details that are not "incorrect", but often unnecessary. :-D
I would generally agree, but only to a point. If one has soft water coming out of the tap, maintaining livebearers will be impossible. And I also speak from experience. I live in Vancouver, and the water here, as in neighbouring Seattle, Washington, is very soft. Aquarists have no success with livebearers unless they harden the water, which fortunately is very easy to do with calcareous rock/gravel or certain preparations.

As for soft water fish maintained in hard water, those that are tank-raised for generations may adapt. I say may because unless you dissect the fish and examine it, it is next to impossible to be absolute. Some fish are more adaptable. Some are not. You mention cardinal tetra; if you have managed to maintain these fish healthy for more than 10 years in your harder water, I would be interested to hear that. They have a 10-year lifespan, if maintained in very soft slightly acidic water, as Dr. Jacques Gery ascertained. In hard water they develop calcium blockage of the kidneys and seldom live beyond a couple of years. I suspect many of the very soft water fish react the same. And these are largely wild-caught, which obvious also makes a considerable difference.

It is also proven that many tank-raised fish maintained in hard water do not have the colour of their counterparts maintained in less hard water. The fact that many soft-water species will not spawn in hard water, or if they do the eggs will not hatch, indicates that the hardness does have an effect on the fish. The fish may manage, but obviously it is not in the best environment, and numerable other health and behavioral issues may likely result solely due to this fact.

Dr. Stanley Weitzman, Emeritus Research Professor at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, and an acknowledged authority on characoid fishes, wrote a series of articles in TFH in the 1990's wherein he set out that soft water fish absolutely must be maintained long-term in soft water to avoid internal issues. Neither Dr. Weitzman nor any other ichthyologist of standing has countered those articles to this day. I think it behooves us to take heed.

Byron.
 
#18 ·
Not sure how I let myself into this one... I know– science trumps all in the end. My apologies to the OP-- poor guy just trying to get his new 20 gallon stocked. What should be a simple question with simple suggestions turns into something more complicated (my fault, agreed). My goals are usually not spawning and producing contest-winning fish (in most cases), but rather an aquarium that is more of an overall experience/presence in the space. I'm probably in the minority in those terms, especially as forum conversations and expert opinions go.

And no, my cardinal tetras didn't live 10 years in hardwater conditions- honestly I don't tend to keep any one layout up that long. After 2-3 years either myself or my client is generally desiring a new look.

Bottom line NewFisher: I would avoid wild caught and touchy, condition-specific fishes when stocking your first/new 20 gallon aquarium. There's literally hundreds of options and combinations. Most fish are going to adapt and be fine.

I apologize for my attempt to simplify and inspire. Do enjoy your tank! :-D
 
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