Fish suggestions for a 20g L

[Todd2]

Hi all,

I need some fish recommendations for my 20g long. Right now all thats in there is driftwood, java moss, dwarf sag, and some bunched plants. I plan on getting some anacharis and some other plants in the near future. This tank has been empty for a while and its finally time for some fish! So what do you all recommend I get? I definitely would like to get a trio of otos on algae duty. I'm aware of how they're delicate and such. I'll do my homework to make sure they're happy and healthy. I want some type of bottom dweller as clean up crew (cories?). Also, I'm going to use Bio-Spira to cycle the tank so I can add all the fish at once.

 

[happyhillbilly]

A great bottom dweller is a clown loach. Although they're very expensive (2-3 in is around 7 bucks) they're very intresting to watch. They'll cleen up the uneaten food at the bottom. Get a pleco or two. They eat a lot of algae.

 

[jrp1588]

cories are great for bottom cleaners. As for the other fish, you could go in many different directions. I like livebearers myself, but you could also get various types of tetras and barbs. It's up to your personal preference and experience.

 

[Gunnie]

I wouldn't get the clown loach because he needs company of other clowns & clowns get too big for that tank, but in my 20 long I have 4 yo yo loaches, and they are doing excellent in that tank! I also have 5 cory cats in the same tank, along with 3 buenos aires tetras. Everyone gets along fine!

 

[jrp1588]

Yeah, I have loaches, and love them to pieces...but I shouldn't have them. I bought them not knowing their eventual size.

 

[happyhillbilly]

Yeah, livebearers are great. I've had absoloutley no problems with them, and I've had guppies for a year.

 

[Todd2]

Alright, thanks for the suggestions so far. For bottom dwellers I'm going to get 5 cories. I've had these before but in a tank with sharp gravel so they didn't fare too well. In the 20g I have sand so they'll be fine. pH in my tank is ~7.6, by the way. Here's the fish list so far

3 otos
5 cory cats (bronze or panda cories, maybe albinos)

I need more suggestions for surface dwellers. I was thinking tetras or some type of schooling fish. I also want some type of "show" fish, like a pair of gouramis or something of that type. I've tried German Blue rams before and it didn't turn out too well

 

[jrp1588]

There's always angel fish. Gouramis are good. I have a betta in my tank, though that's not very showey...

 

[coolchinchilla]

I'm afraid an angelfish would get too big for a 20 gallon. They are TALL fish up to 8 inches. I don't know much about gouramis but they sound good. Personally I'd go for a whole bunch of schooling fish.

 

[jrp1588]

Really, havn't researched angels much

 

[Zagz]

Mollies are great, they come in different colors and sizes. They are also very friendly and like to kiss your fingers when you have them in the tank.

 

[jrp1588]

Lol, indeed they do.

 

[RoK]

Maybe add a school of neon tetras and 1-2 dwarf gourami to that list?

 

[Felf]

dwarf puffers

http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/

 

[dieanna]

I love my gouramis. I'd say gouramis and cories.

 

[Todd2]

Hmmm... Maybe i'll try this.

3 otos
5 cories
6-7 rummy nose or other type of tetra
2 dwarf gouramis

Would that be too much?

Or I could try some Bolivian Rams.

3 otos
2 Bolivian Rams
6-7 tetras

 

[rich311k]

I think either list would work. I like the ram idea. Pretty little fish.

 

[severum mama]

Can anyone with gourami experience tell us if 2 DGs will fight? I haven't kept them before, but I know that some people have big problems with conspecific aggression in gouramis. If list #1 is possible, you may want to leave out 1 or 2 of the corys, just to avoid overstocking. List #2 is one I know will work great. Bolivians really like planted tanks, so you are on the right track there. If you get them, make sure you also provide caves, driftwood, or other hiding spots so each ram can claim a territory- mine have each claimed half of my 29 gallon. Since the footprint is the same for a 20 long, I'm sure you would be fine. They are territorial, but rarely do any real damage, mostly just chasing. One more thing to consider- rummy nose tetras do well with Bolivians (I actually keep them together in my 29), but if you want some activity in the top levels of the tank, you may want to pick another species. Both Bolivian rams and rummy nose tetras tend to stay almost exclusively in the bottom third of the tank. Again, these fish will not pay any attention to each other, so if it doesn't bother you to have the top of the tank relatively empty then there is no problem.

 

[dieanna]

Can anyone with gourami experience tell us if 2 DGs will fight?

I was actually wondering the same thing. I recently added a dwarf flame. I want to add one more and maybe transfer to a different tank, but I wasn't sure if they'll get along with each other. My blue gourami's get a long well with each other, but they're both female.

 

[jrp1588]

I had a couple DG's that hated each other. Eventually killed each other...