BIG fish for a 20gal

[vcorey04]

I was first interested in Discus, but realize i can't provide a suitable environment for that species..

i was wondering, if the lovely online fish community had a suggestion??

something colorful, doesn't munch plants, not too nippy, and does or doesn't like to be in small schools of 3-5...

keep in mind, i have a 20gal planted tank

 

[missileman]

I have 3 Dwarf Gourami in my 20gal but it has artificial plants so I don't know how they will do with live plants. They are colorfull.
If you want real color get a school of Neon Tetras in there.Small fish but very bright.

 

[mike47517]

I would personally go with gouramis like missileman but anothher good choiice would be rainbow fish.

If you want a more colorful look to your tank then i would go with a community tank. These fish would be smaller but they would also be more clorful and more prettier looking. If i hhad a 20g that i was stocking with community fish then my list would e something like this:

4 Harlequin Rasboras
5 neon/cardinal tetras or 5 danios
4 cories (of your choice)

Hows that?

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

For a 20 g planted, the gourami idea is nice, but I wouldn't combine mulitple males in that environs. My dwarf gourami likes weaving in and out of the plants, and he does no damage to them.

I could see a pair of kribs or a pair of rams as alternatives, too.

 

[Jnam]

I vote for Rams also nice size and very colorfull

 

[mike47517]

Yeah i was thinking the same rams are nice but they are small.

 

[vcorey04]

i have a guorami in there now. love their personality. he ripped up my red tiger lotus, so pissed...

but i understand they do this to prepare for a bubble nest of some sort...

o well

i'd like a male and female german ram, but i can only locate german ram males around here.

thank you for the suggestions. i'd like to know more about the rainbow fish as i am only familiar with it as a sushi roll...

what are kribs?
​

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

Kribs are a African riverine cichlid that do well in planted tanks, and although I do see some sites stating a 30 g is the minimum for a pair, several others go down as low as a 10 for a pair, and when I'd asked about keeping a pair in my new to me 15, many thought it would work.

They might do better with fewer tankmates, but they generally are kept with some fast smaller fish who help to keep the pair from in-fighting. Many prefer white clouds or zebra danios with them -- these fish are fast enough and live high enough in the tank to avoid the receiving end of the krib aggression when it comes.

I don't know about keeping kribs with a gourami--what kind do you have?

Krib - Pelvicachromis pulcher

If you're interested in rams, you could likely order in a pair even from a user here without breaking the bank. Apistos would be a comparable choice, but they are rarer for me locally anyways. I can get rams most days at one local store for $10 each (and once I even saw them at Wal-Mart); I've seen apistos locally only once, and they were $30 each.

 

[JustOneMore20]

A pair of Kribs would be good, like Johnny mentioned. Or a pair of Bolivian Rams (maybe buy 3-4 at first and keep a pair).

Alot of rainbowfish are too large for a 20g. Some of the smaller varieities like Pseudomugil furcatus and gertrudae would be fine. You'd want atleast 6 or 7 though and they aren't very big at all. Signifers are pretty and small too. Same with Celebes.

If you are looking for something that is larger (as large as you can put in a 20g) and only needs a pair or small group, I'd skip the Rainbows.

A pair of dwarf Cichlids sound like the best bet for ya.

 

[vcorey04]

i have avoided the cichlid idea only because of their aggresive nature.
my dwarf gourami is a peaceful malicious red tiger lotus eater..

i like the idea of rams.. very much so. if i was going to have them, i'd like it to be a male female pair...


thanks you for your suggestions ya'll

 

[mike47517]

So your getting some rams huh. Good choice i think you will love 'em. But keep in mind that rams like really clean water so make sure that you keep up with you PWCs.

 

[bs6749]

Rams would be a good choice for a tank that size. IME they aren't "small" like neons and guppies...mine were at least 2.5+". I am getting a bunch of young ones in that are extremely nice stock. I plan on growing these out and offering them up for sale (around $5 each plus shipping, which will be $10-15). I can guarantee you a male and female "sexed pair" and will also have breeding pairs for sale as well as proven pairs. I think the larger breeding pairs aer spoken for though by two other members on here and I have some of the smaller ones spoken for already, but there are still plenty of those left. They will hopefully be ready some time in January and the quality is outstanding (they are half wild too!). Let me know if you are interested and I'll save you a pair of the younger ones. If you are looking to breed them it'd be best to buy 6 juvies (3 males and 3 females) and let them form their own pairs.

 

[vcorey04]

ok, not ready to breed anything yet.. the only thing i think i can grow is ALGAE!

lol

my CLEAN water, is one over 50% water change every week sufficient enough?
.....also

i've bought plants online, but never anything alive..

how do you ship fish?? how do i know i'm receiving good ones?

??

 

[vcorey04]

I vote for Rams also nice size and very colorfull

how did you get that picture of your puffer yawning??????

 

[bs6749]

ok, not ready to breed anything yet.. the only thing i think i can grow is ALGAE!

lol

i've bought plants online, but never anything alive..

how do you ship fish?? how do i know i'm receiving good ones?

??

It's not hard to ship fish. Most people don't think about it but nealry all of the fish available in local fish stores are shipped. They are bagged (sometimes individually depending on size), often bag buddies and oxygen is added to the bag, heat packs are added to a styrofoam box and the fish are placed inside and shipped out.

You know you will be getting good ones from my word. That, and I have sold to numerous people on here and on other forums (so far just shrimp and plants...not fish), and I have perfect feedback on AquaBid as well. I can give references upon request. Here are a few pictures of some rams that I used to have and the ones I will have for sale will be half wilds crossed with the line shown in the photos, which speak for themselves:

Two Males

Female

One of many spawns

 

[Tony Gill]

You might also consider killifish. There are a number of species that would establish a nice little breeding colony in a planted tank of that size. There are probably killifish clubs in your area, which are the best source of eggs or fish to get you started (at a fraction of the price you'd find in a LFS), as well good advice on which species to try given your water conditions and level of experience.

Tony

 

[JasonC]

BS, your rams are absolutely Gorgeous! I could only hope to be able to get my hands on such a lovely stock someday!

Gratz!