05-25-2012, 05:02 PM
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#1 | | | Stocking questions 20 gal
Wow I haven't posted in a loooong time... Anyways, I bought a 20 gallon tank to replace my 10 gallon. The 10 gallon is currently home to 5 neon tetras and 5 black neon tetras and is moderately planted, running an AquaClear 20 HOB filter with just the sponge, no carbon.
Once I get the 20 gallon up and running I intend to move the tetras over and I would like to add additional fish. I really like Kribensis and don't want to worry about spawning aggression so I will only be getting one. I'm also thinking about german blue rams. I read the profile on them from this site and it says they should only be kept in a male/female pair. Does that mean "if they are kept in a pair, it must be a male/female pair, but it's ok to keep a solitary fish" or are they only happy in a pair?
My other question is what would be a suitable bottom dwelling fish for this tank? In my 67 gallon tank at home, I have zebra and yoyo loaches, but I'm sure 20 gallons is too small for a good sized group of either type. I love loaches though... I know that the loaches I own and have researched typically like to be in groups of 5 or more, but are there any that are smaller and don't require that social group? If not, can anyone suggest an alternative to loaches that would be as active/entertaining to watch? My substrate will be play sand, and I intend to move all of the plants from my 10 gallon over to the 20 gallon, and will bring more plants from home.
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05-25-2012, 08:13 PM
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#2 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by iamgray  Wow I haven't posted in a loooong time... Anyways, I bought a 20 gallon tank to replace my 10 gallon. The 10 gallon is currently home to 5 neon tetras and 5 black neon tetras and is moderately planted, running an AquaClear 20 HOB filter with just the sponge, no carbon.
Once I get the 20 gallon up and running I intend to move the tetras over and I would like to add additional fish. I really like Kribensis and don't want to worry about spawning aggression so I will only be getting one. I'm also thinking about german blue rams. I read the profile on them from this site and it says they should only be kept in a male/female pair. Does that mean "if they are kept in a pair, it must be a male/female pair, but it's ok to keep a solitary fish" or are they only happy in a pair?
My other question is what would be a suitable bottom dwelling fish for this tank? In my 67 gallon tank at home, I have zebra and yoyo loaches, but I'm sure 20 gallons is too small for a good sized group of either type. I love loaches though... I know that the loaches I own and have researched typically like to be in groups of 5 or more, but are there any that are smaller and don't require that social group? If not, can anyone suggest an alternative to loaches that would be as active/entertaining to watch? My substrate will be play sand, and I intend to move all of the plants from my 10 gallon over to the 20 gallon, and will bring more plants from home. | I personally would not have any cichlid in a 20g unless it was a breeding pair with some dither fish. I have maintained and spawned both rams and a few Apistos and the stress they place on other fish must not be underestimated. As this is intended to be a display rather than a breeding tank, I would forget cichlids.
Loaches are social fish and need a group. A 30-inch tank is minimum, and only for one of the dwarf species of which we have two in our profiles, Yunnanilus cruciatus and Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki. I have both of these, together in my 3-foot 33g, five of each species, and they are charming little fish. Five is the minimum number I wold suggest, and either would work in a 30-inch (such as a 20g Long or a 29g) tank. Lots of wood--Malaysian Driftwood with its tunnels is ideal, mine go in one tunnel and come out another, sometimes playing tag.
Corys are entertaining substrate fish, and several species in a group of 5-6 would be OK in the same sized tank.
Byron.
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05-26-2012, 11:58 AM
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#4 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by iamgray Ok, so no cichlids, and as I suspected, no loaches. I will look at corys. I've considered them before for my 67 gallon and I like them, but didn't want to add them to that tank because I thought the bottom is already busy enough with loaches that I didn't want to add more. But if they will work in my 20 gallon, then I'm happy with that.
Any suggestions a mid/upper level dwelling fish that would work in my setup? Something a bit bigger than the neons that I've already got, to be the showier fish of the tank. Or with the addition of a group of cories, will I have reached the limit of what I can put in a tank that size? | I don't recommend "larger" fish than the average tetra-type for a 20g. While one may find something peaceful, being over 2 inches makes it stand out like a sore thumb.  I think smaller tanks, for me anything under 30-40g, are best with small fish. One can have more of them, meaning more species, so there is more opportunity for interaction and interest. I very much like my 29g and 33g for this reason. I had a 10g with about 25-30 fish for a time, nothing much over half an inch, and it was very interesting. In larger tanks such fish are lost and make the tank look empty. And there are so many dwarf fish now available.
Byron.
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05-26-2012, 02:24 PM
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#6 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by iamgray That's a good idea! I really like bloodfin tetras so maybe i'll get 5-7 of them and they will be the largest fish for that tank, and then I'll look at some smaller ones to add. Thanks, Byron. As always, you've been most helpful. :) | Here we go again ... be careful of the bloodfin. The species in that genus are known to be feisty (putting it mildly) and nippy, some (the Dawn Tetra) viciously so. Check the profile. If this is it for the 20g, that's fine; a group of 9-12 on their own. But if other fish are included so the group has to diminish in numbers, trouble may lurk.
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05-27-2012, 12:32 PM
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#7 | | |
I have a 20 gal. long tank and have 7 Celebes Rainbow, 3 Otocinclus (who actually require a 30 Gal. minimum), 4 Gold Stripe Cory, 4 African Dwarf Frogs. There are also 5 Bleeding Heart Tetra, who I am currently trying to re-home.
This tank is maxed out. I agree with going for smaller fish. My tank is heavily live planted, and has a lot of Malaysian driftwood as well, so everyone is quite happy. That said, I second the suggestion of live plants and driftwood. Creates nice hiding places and things to swim through. The driftwood also has the added bonus of softening hard water. :)
Last edited by Stormfish; 05-27-2012 at 12:38 PM..
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05-28-2012, 11:10 AM
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#10 | | |
There are many suitable rasbora, and they can always be combined with no behavioural issues, most share similar water requirements too. The three (or four if you can find the rare one) species in Trigonostigma [includes the Harlequin mentioned by Stormfish], the six species in Boraras (2 are in our profiles, all share identical requirements), Brevibora dorsiocellata, etc. The three dwarf species of cory do well with any of these.
Amiong the characins, all but one of the pencilfish species would work [ Nannostomus beckfordi is the exception, but the other species in this genus are fine and several are in the profiles]. Corys match again.
Byron.
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