New Member, stocking assistance needed

[Animag771]

So my girlfriend and I just got a 20 gallon Top Fin long tank (24.1x12.5x19.1) a few nights ago (first tank btw), which is cycling now. We have decided we are going to make it a planted tank for a more active and natural feel. I am sure I will have PLENTY of questions on the do's and don'ts of planted tanks later. For now I am thinking of which fish I want in this tank, that will cohabitate happily together and be active as well as a few to clean the tank a bit.

I will let the tank cycle for a few more days then get my water tested to be 100% sure it will be ok to put fish into. Then I will put whichever fish will be the hardiest to help the ecosystem thrive with as little chance of the fish dying as I can get.

I hope that is all correct so far

Here is my idea so far. I am sure there is something wrong with it though, being as this is my first tank.

A little worried about the Guppy being all alone, but I think he will be ok hanging out with the Tetras. I don't want overcrowding but I REALLY don't want to get rid of the Apisto and my GF absolutely has to have a Yellow Guppy.

Any tips or suggestions are GREATLY appreciated, as this is my first time and would like to get it right.

 

[trennamw]

I'd first look into fishless cycling and get a test kit ... If you do that you won't need to worry so much about who to start with because the tank will be truly ready to make ammonia disappear.

 

[trennamw]

Why not eliminate the tetras and do more guppies? I'm pretty new but keep reading that lonely fish don't color as brightly, so that yellow guppy might not be stay very yellow.

 

[azmodan]

Personally I'd bump out the mollies and then add to the cories, neons, and guppies. They'll all be happier in larger groups.

 

[sabrinarichard]

Personally I'd bump the mollies and then add to the cories, neons, and guppies. They'll all be happier in larger groups.

+1 to that I believe guppies and mollies are happier in groups, always 1 male to minimum 2 females, I try 3.. also I believe most Cory's like bigger tanks, like 30g.. And planted is definitely the way to go Good luck with your new tank!!

 

[Coursair]

So my girlfriend and I just got a 20 gallon Top Fin long tank (24.1x12.5x19.1) a few nights ago (first tank btw), which is cycling now. We have decided we are going to make it a planted tank for a more active and natural feel. I am sure I will have PLENTY of questions on the do's and don'ts of planted tanks later. For now I am thinking of which fish I want in this tank, that will cohabitate happily together and be active as well as a few to clean the tank a bit.

I will let the tank cycle for a few more days then get my water tested to be 100% sure it will be ok to put fish into. Then I will put whichever fish will be the hardiest to help the ecosystem thrive with as little chance of the fish dying as I can get.

I hope that is all correct so far

Here is my idea so far. I am sure there is something wrong with it though, being as this is my first tank.

A little worried about the Guppy being all alone, but I think he will be ok hanging out with the Tetras. I don't want overcrowding but I REALLY don't want to get rid of the Apisto and my GF absolutely has to have a Yellow Guppy.

Any tips or suggestions are GREATLY appreciated, as this is my first time and would like to get it right.

I would not do Mollies, they do better in 30g+ and can be bullies.
I would have more Neons. I doubt you'll find C number Cats easily. Probably only via online auctions. And the rarer species are Wild Caught and need a QT tank and live food. But there are many awesome Cories available. Pygmy species are fun. C habrosus are my favorites. You could try Threadfin Rainbows.

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[Animag771]

I'd first look into fishless cycling and get a test kit ... If you do that you won't need to worry so much about who to start with because the tank will be truly ready to make ammonia disappear.

Oh, I am actually doing fishless cycling, but I thought I would still have to start with the hardier fish for some reason. Probably got confused somewhere in the tons of articles I was reading last night. Trying to learn as much as I can before adding fish, but I might be overloading myself with info.

Personally I'd bump out the mollies and then add to the cories, neons, and guppies. They'll all be happier in larger groups.

That is a good idea, the gf is kind of partial to the mollies but I think we might be able to get rid of them to add more of the others. We are just trying to keep a lot of variety, which seems easier said than done with only a 20 gallon tank.

 

[Animag771]

I would not do Mollies, they do better in 30g+ and can be bullies.
I would have more Neons. I doubt you'll find C number Cats easily. Probably only via online auctions. And the rarer species are Wild Caught and need a QT tank and live food. But there are many awesome Cories available. Pygmy species are fun. C habrosus are my favorites. You could try Threadfin Rainbows.

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Yea, I might just have to talk to the gf and explain to her that it would just be better to ditch the mollies. Honestly I don't care too about what is in the tank as long as I get my Apisto centerpiece and the tank gets a decent variety as well as top, mid, and bottom dwellers to cover the full range (a lot to ask I guess). As far as the C number Cory Cats go, the calculator only had C numbers so I just picked some. I will be getting whichever one's they have here at the local pet store, I think the ones I was looking at are Clown Cory (as long as they won't grow too large).

 

[Coursair]

I've never heard of a Clown Cory.
But common names are a pain anyway. For accurate Cory info try Planet Catfish

I would research tank mates for the Apisto species that you choose. That might be easiest.


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[Coursair]

A nice Apisto article
http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/the-apistogramma-aquarium.htm


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[Brookster123]

A nice Apisto article http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/the-apistogramma-aquarium.htm Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

great article! Makes me feel special for breeding my double orange cac's

 

[Khuligirl93]

Oh, I am actually doing fishless cycling, but I thought I would still have to start with the hardier fish for some reason. Probably got confused somewhere in the tons of articles I was reading last night. Trying to learn as much as I can before adding fish, but I might be overloading myself with info.


That is a good idea, the gf is kind of partial to the mollies but I think we might be able to get rid of them to add more of the others. We are just trying to keep a lot of variety, which seems easier said than done with only a 20 gallon tank.

Are you adding pure ammonia for your fishless cycling?
Just wondering because sometimes pet store employees and misleading info can lead people to believe that running the filter on the empty tank for a few days will get the tank "cycled" although this is not the case.
Cycling a tank and growing the necessary bacteria colonies takes a lot longer than a few days and you will need to add some type of "food" for the bacteria (ammonia). Think a month or two.
You are right that even after your tank is cycled, it's never a bad idea to start with hardier fish

 

[Animag771]

I've never heard of a Clown Cory.
But common names are a pain anyway. For accurate Cory info try Planet Catfish

I would research tank mates for the Apisto species that you choose. That might be easiest.


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Ok, so I figured out what happened.. I completely mixed two fish names together. Clown Catfish (I think) and Peppered Cory (Corydoras paleatus). Thanks for the helpful info/links.

 

[Animag771]

Are you adding pure ammonia for your fishless cycling?
Just wondering because sometimes pet store employees and misleading info can lead people to believe that running the filter on the empty tank for a few days will get the tank "cycled" although this is not the case.
Cycling a tank and growing the necessary bacteria colonies takes a lot longer than a few days and you will need to add some type of "food" for the bacteria (ammonia). Think a month or two.
You are right that even after your tank is cycled, it's never a bad idea to start with hardier fish

A month or two? Wow, not what I was hoping for. The pet store employee told me to set up my tank, gravel, ornaments, bubbles, etc. then fill the tank, add water conditioner (I got Top Fin) then just let it run for a few days and have the water tested. Did I miss something important?

 

[Mebbid]

A month or two? Wow, not what I was hoping for. The pet store employee told me to set up my tank, gravel, ornaments, bubbles, etc. then fill the tank, add water conditioner (I got Top Fin) then just let it run for a few days and have the water tested. Did I miss something important?

No, you didn't miss anything. But the pet store employee did. In general you can completely ignore any information gathered from employees of a big box store as they just don't know what they are talking about.

This is the easiest and safest way to cycle a tank
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

This is the fish in method which works fine but is a bit more work with water changes.
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

I would read both articles and then decide which way you are going to go. Also, get an API master test kit while you are at it. Amazon sells them cheaply

 

[Animag771]

No, you didn't miss anything. But the pet store employee did. In general you can completely ignore any information gathered from employees of a big box store as they just don't know what they are talking about.

This is the easiest and safest way to cycle a tank
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

This is the fish in method which works fine but is a bit more work with water changes.
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

I would read both articles and then decide which way you are going to go. Also, get an API master test kit while you are at it. Amazon sells them cheaply

Thank you for the links, they were very helpful.

I am definitely going to be doing a fishless cycle. I don't like the idea of my fish having to suffer through the cycle.

I will go out an pick up some pure ammonia and fish food later today. I also have to go to my dad's and he has a tank somewhere in the area of 120 gallons with only a big Pacu in it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind letting me borrow a few rocks from his tank to work as seeding material to help cycle my tank.

 

[CPryor]

Hello there

I agree with the advice to bump out the mollies....they are pretty, but they seem pretty fragile, especially for anything under 30 gal., and I ALWAYS tell people to keep them out of new tanks. The cory cats in a 20 gal. is somewhat controversial...pay attention to their max growth size; pygmy cory cats may be a better option.

Also, plus one to the previous advice to add fewer fish varieties with bigger schools....you get much better coloring and activity in your tank that way.

Do you have any friends with healthy, established tanks? You can always "borrow" a piece of their filter sponge, or a handful of gravel to jump-start your good bacteria, as long as you inspect their tank and determine it's not harboring any disease - you can drastically reduce the fishless cycle time that way. *EDIT- read some more and saw you already got that advice....sorry! *

But feel free to ignore me...I'm a big chain employee

 

[Animag771]

Ok, I am going to take everybody's advise and eliminate the mollies from the tank and add more of the others. How many more of each fish can a really get away with though? Without the mollies this is what I am at...

It also says that my filtration capacity is only at 89% with this current setup. The calculator isn't factoring in the Cory Cats ability to clean contaminants or the plants extracting organic waste, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate.

Will this make a noticeable enough difference in the filtration of my aquarium or should I upgrade my filtration regardless, to be on the safer side of things?

Thank you, everybody for all of your help so far.

 

[Animag771]

I got some ammonia from Ace, then went to the pet store to pick up a test kit (which they were extremely limited on) and some dwarf hair grass (which is a pain to keep from floating). While I was there I was talking to one of the employees and told them about adding ammonia to cycle the tank and she looked at me like I was crazy! Here is how that conversation went. Her: "No! You should NEVER have ammonia in your tank, your ammonia levels should ALWAYS be at 0 or it will kill your fish" me: "I don't have any fish yet, I will just be using it to help the cycling process. The levels will be at 0 when I put fish in." her: "It doesn't matter. Never put ammonia in your tank."

So I got home and put my rocks in from my dad's house, which to my surprise tested ok for everything other than nitrite (which was off the charts). I think he is trying to kill that Pacu, personally. I haven't added any ammonia yet because I want to see how the tank does after a few days with just the rock's bacteria helping out. If nothing is happening, I will add some ammonia.

 

[Animag771]

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