What fish to get?

[ribboneel33]

I have a 20 gallon tank with two java loaches and two Bolivian rams. I want to get a new fish once the tank cycles and want to research the fish first. Are there any suggested tank mates?

 

[Gish]

pretty wide open question there. your main limiting factor is your tank size.

i think you could add most any community fish. maybe a gourami and a school of tetras/rasboras.

you could try other smaller cichlids- blue rams, apistos, an angelfish (although it might outgrow your tank).

a small pleco, cories, another loach

check out your stores, come home, do some research on the website, then go back and pick up what you like and what you think is appropriate. would not just rely on store advice.

 

[DavidAl]

Are your Bolivian rams a pair? If so, leave the tank as is. If you feel like adding more fish, add something that will inhabit the top layer, e.g. pearl danios Danio albolineatus.

David

 

[ribboneel33]

Are your Bolivian rams a pair? If so, leave the tank as is. If you feel like adding more fish, add something that will inhabit the top layer, e.g. pearl danios Danio albolineatus.

David

Well I do want a top swimmer, and no I don't believe the rams are a pair. But I had only gotten them a few weeks ago.

 

[ribboneel33]

To be more specific, im looking for a top swimmer that has about the same upkeep as my loaches and rams. I dont want a schooling fish though, as I can only add so much at once in such a young tank

 

[DavidAl]

To be more specific, im looking for a top swimmer that has about the same upkeep as my loaches and rams. I dont want a schooling fish though, as I can only add so much at once in such a young tank

Look into the dwarf gourami.

David

 

[Jake_71]

Get a couple of dwarf gourami's they look great and couldn't hurt a fly. But get at least two they don't like to be lonely. Molly fish are also really good fish but can be a bit nippy.

 

[DavidAl]

I would use a lot of caution if adding two dwarf gouramis. They will most likely be males, as females are not that common. The alpha male will harass the weaker male, possibly to death. It's better to add three if you choose the dwarf gourami, but even that would be risky in a 20-gallon. I've kept them singly without any problems whatsoever.

David

 

[Gish]

good point about them being a pair. they won't like company during breeding time.

make sure you have a lid for top-dwelling fish - they might jump.

a top dweller i've been interested in, but haven't kept is the golden wonder killifish. it looks great in the fish store and it never seems to move from the surface of the tank.

 

[Jake_71]

Yes your right half the time my local pets mart does not allow me to get females in some fish breeds. But if you can I would because they are great fish. I also had 2 male Molly fish one black the other silver and they were best buds until my silver one died of a parasite but I got a male dwarf gourami to keep the Molly active and they are great buddy's to. I must have like a miracle tank or something.

 

[ribboneel33]

I'll look into a gourami. Thanks for the info

 

[ribboneel33]

i did some looking around and learned that what were sold to me as Bolivians are actually young GBRs. i don't know if this'll change much in ways of tank mates, but i have already decided against a gourami for now

 

[Borderlesscott]

GBR's shouldn't be added to a newly cycled or uncycled tank, if they make it past the initial cycle process you will be very lucky to get them past 4-6 months. It would have been better to add a school Tetra or the like for the cycling process.

 

[ribboneel33]

It had cycled a while back before I got them, and im hoping that they arent ones imported either. The ones that are imported are often given color enhacing hormones which have bad effects on them.

 

[Majbarsalona]

the two rams would look great with a nice school of neon tetras say about 10 and a small school of hatchet fish. The neons could also be replaced with about 6 rummy nose tetras. I've never heard of java loaches so I have no advice concerning them

 

[ribboneel33]

the two rams would look great with a nice school of neon tetras say about 10 and a small school of hatchet fish. The neons could also be replaced with about 6 rummy nose tetras. I've never heard of java loaches so I have no advice concerning them

They are also called black khuli loaches or chocolate khuli loaches. They look like someone glued a catfish head to a small eel. They are actually quite interesting