[DTBrown]

Hi all, I'm new to the hobby with a 20 g high. It's cycled and I have 6 black skirt tetras and recently added 4 julii corys. I want to add 2 more Juliis soon (6 total) and am wondering about adding a single Bolivian Ram later on, and possibly even a dwarf gourami or honey DG. Would they all fit and get along in my tank? Thanks!

 

[rsskylight04]

hi

There are people on this forum with more expertise than me, so I hope someone will either back me up or refute me, but id say with six tetras and six catfish you might have room for one more fish; either the ram or the gourami, but not both. For 20 gallons that would be heavily stocked in my opinion but possible if you have sufficient filtration, aeration,circulation. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

 

[keepsmiling]

I think six cories is pushing it in a 20 high. Remember they need bottom space/footprint.
You could probably do one showcase fish like the dwarf gourami. They can be a bit grouchy though so keep an eye out on aggression.
If your tank is newly set up as you say, and has just cycled, I would give it a chance to build a good foundation of BB colony before adding any more fish.
Wait at least four weeks.
Welcome to TFK

 

[DTBrown]

Thank you both for the feedback! I thought I might be over stocked so I'll probably get one more Cory and 1 showcase. The tank has been going now for 7-8 weeks with fish, ammonia and nitrite 0, and nitrate barely reading above 0. Do you think it's established or should I wait to add more fish? Thanks again.

 

[keepsmiling]

If you are showing 0 nitrate, your tank is not yet stable. I would wait until you get at least a reading of 10 ppm or so. What type of test kits are you using? If you are using test strips, ditch them and purchase titration/liquid test kits. I recommend API test kits. I like to buy them separately, but you can purchase a master test kit. Are you testing for PH? Do a water change the day before you plan to add fish. How exactly is your set up, as far as what type of filtration, and are you keeping live plants or artificial decor? What are you using to dechlorinate your water? I recommend Seachem Prime. It should be the only one you use. If you have been using something else, get Prime next time when you run out.;-)

 

[DTBrown]

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[DTBrown]

I'm using strips for everything but ammonia, so I'll buy new test kits soon. PH is 8.0 that's with strips so I'm sure there's +\- but it's come down since minimal seachem stabilizer salt dose (was 8.2-8.4). I'm using seachems dechlorinater already. Set up is heavy artificial plants, a few small rainbow rocks and one large fake tree stump providing caves and overhangs, I'll try and post pictures soon. Filter is TopFin 20 came with tank, have foam media and carbon pouches. I bought a bubble stone and air pump but didn't install it after I found out it wasn't necessary. Should I? I also bought a net of Fluval filter capsules, the guy at LFS said I could just drop it in filter outtake to increase filtering power. Do you know of this?
Thanks!
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[jaysee]

Like others have said, I think due to the size of the fish you already have, the tank would be crowded adding both the gourami and the ram. Had you chosen smaller tetras, then I would certainly try both. But I have seen full grown black skirts and I think that they will occupy too much of the 20 gallon tank.

 

[Agent13]

PH is 8.0 that's with strips so I'm sure there's +\- but it's come down since minimal seachem stabilizer salt dose (was 8.2-8.4).
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I highly recommend throwing that out. Its very deceptive as the truth is youre going to cause pH swings by using it. If you really feel like you need to adjust your ph or kh to softer water then use peat in your filter. Im glad you didnt use much, its also going to raise your phosphates making an algae bloom likely.