20 Gallon Stocking Ideas

[WildGringo]

Hola! I am now to these forums and am glad to be here.

I have a 75 gallon Saltwater Reef tank and a 20 gallon freshwater thank. I realized while I was caring for the reef, I let my freshwater go to ruin. I decided to do an overhaul and clean the heck out of it. 2 50% water changes later and it is looking spiffy. It has a very natural appear to it. All of the rocks have a green almost mossy look (no it isn't algea) and the plants (fake) are all green and yellow. The gravel is corse and different shades of brown. I rearanged the rocks and plants and love the way they all look.

After the neglect all I have left in the tank is a single Silver Hatchetfish that I love to death.

Here are my parameters:
Temp- 78-80
Ph- Around 7.0
Amonia- low
Nitrites- low
Nitrates- a little higher than I would like
Hardness- Hard

So for stocking I was thinking maybe a few more hatchetfish to go with my buddy and possibly some small species of Rainbowfish and a Bristlenose plecko to eat some algae off of the glass. Other than that I do not know. So what do you think would look good/ work well. I just want this to look nice so I am not really looking for something that requires a lot of extra energy.

Oh and I was thinking of maybe adding a few live plants to help lower the Nitrates. Maybe some floating stuff for the hatchets.

 

[FishayFishay]

What do you mean when you say the ammonia and nitrites are low? I hope you mean 0. What are you testing with?

Aside from that, don't mean to come off rude or anything I just misunderstood that. But, I don't suggest getting any type of rainbows In a 20 gallon especially if you already are thinking of a school of hatchet fish and a bristle nose pleco. I agree with the idea of a nice school of maybe 10+ hatchet fish and a bristle nose pleco that will grow(fairly slow) to about 5 inches. I suggest getting the pleco at a tiny size but be careful how tiny. I got a tiny albino bristle nose pleco once (my second ever) just to eat some brown algae off my 10 gallon but I think it was a lot for the little guy. He was so tiny. He ended up dying in 3 days. Maybe there was another problem but be careful.
You can get them at your big box stores fairly small but only get them there if you trust them.

Any rainbow species wouldn't really work in that 20 gallon except for thread fin rainbows but one could argue they should be the only school in that tank because of their activity level and desire for a well sized school. Good luck on redoing the 20. I'm soon starting on my own 20. Any pics would be nice, I would love to see what you're working with and of this lovable hatchet fish you speak of.

 

[FishayFishay]

Oh and welcome to the forums!

 

[WildGringo]

By low I mean 0. As for the Rainbowfish, I have never kept them so I wasn't sure. Other than the Pleco and Hatchets any other thoughts on some possible mid dwellers? What about Cherry Barbs? I know they are easy and stay small

 

[WildGringo]

Thanks!

 

[FishayFishay]

By low I mean 0. As for the Rainbowfish, I have never kept them so I wasn't sure. Other than the Pleco and Hatchets any other thoughts on some possible mid dwellers? What about Cherry Barbs? I know they are easy and stay small

It's alright, I know rainbow fish are beautiful and tempting. They look fairly small but unfortunately for this tank they will get to be 4-5 inches. Cherry barbs could work. I advise using this stocking calculator

Aqadvisor.com

This will help you determine how much fish and how much filtration you'll need in the tank for the most part. I wish you the best of luck on this rebuild. If you want red you could even try serpae tetras or harlequin rasboras. Great colors and amazing in a big school. Good luck.

 

[WildGringo]

Wow thanks. That is really cool. I will check it out right now.

 

[WildGringo]

It's alright, I know rainbow fish are beautiful and tempting. They look fairly small but unfortunately for this tank they will get to be 4-5 inches. Cherry barbs could work. I advise using this stocking calculator

Aqadvisor.com

This will help you determine how much fish and how much filtration you'll need in the tank for the most part. I wish you the best of luck on this rebuild. If you want red you could even try serpae tetras or harlequin rasboras. Great colors and amazing in a big school. Good luck.

So how does this look? It is 97% Stocked. Is that pushing it?
http://aqadvisor.com/AquStockImage.php?N=&L=30&D=12&H=12&J=&UV=gUS&UL=inch&F=5:200912141347:,1:200909300033:,8:200909300094:,1:201001131510:

 

[FishayFishay]

So how does this look? It is 97% Stocked. Is that pushing it?

http://aqadvisor.com/AquStockImage....200909300033:,8:200909300094:,1:201001131510:

It didn't load up for me, can you try the link again?

 

[WildGringo]

It didn't load up for me, can you try the link again?

http://imgur.com/vXyoyco

I hope either one of these works

 

[FishayFishay]

Cories need to be in a school of 6 at least and honestly I think one bottom dweller is enough because the pleco can be a bit territorial. I know mine is. Minus the cories and you should be good. Maybe add a bit more cherry barbs or hatchetfish and you'll find it more interesting(the tank). Make sure your filtration can handle them also.

 

[WildGringo]

Would a Pleco be considered a bottom dweller? I always mentally seperated the suckermouths and the bottom dwellers.

 

[FishayFishay]

Would a Pleco be considered a bottom dweller? I always mentally seperated the suckermouths and the bottom dwellers.

Yeah I guess you can do that but at the same time if you think about it that's where the pleco would be getting leftover food or algae wafers when they sink down

 

[WildGringo]

Ok. I guess if I dont add Cory's then I could have another Barb or two