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skibum100

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 30, 2010
Messages
23
Location
Eugene Oregon
Hey Guys! so from my previous thread (summing it up) ive pretty much completed my 55gallon set up and now the agonizing yet unbelievably fun time to get fish!
- it is sand base with rocks piled up to 2/3 tank right now it has my friends lil fishies in it 3 clouds and 4 danios BUT i needed fish food so went by and could not resist buying my first new inhabitant of the tank (it has cycled) a BEAUTIFUL flame dwarf gourmi. My plan was to stock it with african mbuna cichlids (and still kind of is my plan) i am going to idealy move all the smaller critters in the 55 into my previously set up 20gallon currently housing 3 cichlids (im waiting for my other friend who wants to come by and adopt them)....so question time:

i really really want a nice elegant rainbow shark (said to grow only 4") could i build my 20 gallon around that or would it not work? i want it to be a community tank with color (why i got the gourmi) and activity. ideally with as many fish as i can put in it for appearance so i was thinking about fish in the 2-3" range though ive also contemplated a school of maybe 6 neon tetras could a 20g tank work for my desires? please stocking ideas help so much i have no really good LFS around me to help

I Love the rainbow shark so if it cant work i might just put him in the 55gallon and build a community tank around him their but thats not 1st choice i love cichlids and their colors and playfulness so a 55 tank of them would be amazing. THANKS FOR Reading hope you post and help me out sorry if it was alittle longwinded i get carried away when comes to this, Its exiting!
 
I like endlers, they're pretty and colorful. :) I have some in with my flame DG, and they only have small chasing episodes.
 
so basic question ill just be blunt, stocking. What fish would be a good complement to a rainbowshark (4.75") and a flame dwarf gourami (3") in a 20 gallon tank?

ideas i have contemplated:
5 neon tetras and 3 black Harlequin Rasboras or
5 Green Tiger Barbs or
3 Dwarf Neon Rainbows (2") and 5 Cardinal Tetras

obiviously those are just ideas as tank mates comment on if those would work and please please comment/suggest more stocking possibilities id love to hear your opinions and ideas to make this 20 gallon B E A utiful

thanks
 
6-10 neon tetras and 6-10 black Harlequin Rasboras
3 Dwarf Neon Rainbows and 6-10 Cardinal Tetras

I would go with either of these groups. You won't get the full effect of the tetras and rasboras unless you get a bigger group. FYI, those rainbows will get about 4" long, but the males will get 2" tall also.
 
i would keep the rainbow shark in your 55gallon. i think a 20gal would be too small for it. it would fit in it but it wouldn't have enough swimming space and would be really unhappy. if going with tetras, i would also get at least 8 or, like BigJim said, you will not get the full effect, as they will not school unless in big enough groups. also i would stay away from tiger barbs unless setting up a species tank IMO. they can be quite aggressive, especially with just five. if they are not in a big enough shoaling group they will nip the heck out of any other fish in there.
 
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