20g Stocking Ideas

[bevoholic]

So I'll be getting my 20g all set up to start fishless cycling this weekend, but I wanted to throw out some ideas for stock.

I was thinking about this:

6 x Cardinal Tetras
2 x German Blue Rams
3 x Fire Red Guppies (1 male, 2 female)
2 x Flame Dwarf Gouramis

Do you guys think this would be a good setup? Would it give me an even distribution of fish? (Top, Middle, and Bottom)

I'm using Eco-Complete for the substrate, it will be heavily planted. AquaClear 50 for the filter.

 

[Samzter]

So I'll be getting my 20g all set up to start fishless cycling this weekend, but I wanted to throw out some ideas for stock.

I was thinking about this:

6 x Cardinal Tetras
2 x German Blue Rams
3 x Fire Red Guppies (1 male, 2 female)
2 x Flame Dwarf Gouramis

Do you guys think this would be a good setup? Would it give me an even distribution of fish? (Top, Middle, and Bottom)

I'm using Eco-Complete for the substrate, it will be heavily planted. AquaClear 50 for the filter.

I wouldn't do two male DGs. You would have to do 1m 2f. But females are hard to find and the tank doesn't have enough space. I would replace them for cory cats.

 

[bevoholic]

Could I do one DG then?

 

[Samzter]

Could I do one DG then?

Yeah probably

 

[bevoholic]

Any ideas on how that group would fill the tank? I really want a good mix of top, middle, and the bottom.

 

[Samzter]

Any ideas on how that group would fill the tank? I really want a good mix of top, middle, and the bottom.

I think it will fill the tank just fine.

 

[bevoholic]

What if I did 2 Panda Cory? AqAdvisor says that it recommends keeping 4 together, but if I do 4, it will put my tank at 103% stocked according to them.

 

[Samzter]

What if I did 2 Panda Cory? AqAdvisor says that it recommends keeping 4 together, but if I do 4, it will put my tank at 103% stocked according to them.

I wouldn't because they would be on there own. They wouldn't thrive or be very happy.

 

[bevoholic]

So what kind of Cory's would you recommend?

Or could I drop the Tetra's down to 5 and then add two more Pandas? AqAdvisor says that would stock my tank right at 100%.

 

[bevoholic]

So I look again on AqAdvisor and it gave me 100% stocking on this:

5 x Cardinal Tetras
2 x German Blue Rams
3 x Fire Red Guppies (1 male, 2 female)
1 x Flame Dwarf Gouramis
4 x Panda Cory

Does this sound like a good idea? Can someone chime in on what they think?

 

[Rivercats]

So I'll be getting my 20g all set up to start fishless cycling this weekend, but I wanted to throw out some ideas for stock.
I was thinking about this:
6 x Cardinal Tetras
2 x German Blue Rams
3 x Fire Red Guppies (1 male, 2 female)
2 x Flame Dwarf Gouramis

I would do the 6 Cardinal Tetras (as they do best in schools of at least 6)
3 Fire Red Guppy Males (or you are going to be overrun by fry)
1 Flame Dwarf Fourami
4 Panda Cory Cats
*then about 4-6 months after the tank has matured you could add the GBR's
They don't do well in new setups and are sensitive to nitrates so water quality
must be kept pristine with large weekly WC's.

This would be a good mix IMO. Guppies more to the top, tetras middle, DG all over, cory's bottom, and rams middle to bottom mostly. It would also be a very colorful tank.

 

[bevoholic]

I would do the 6 Cardinal Tetras (as they do best in schools of at least 6)
3 Fire Red Guppy Males (or you are going to be overrun by fry)
1 Flame Dwarf Fourami
4 Panda Cory Cats
*then about 4-6 months after the tank has matured you could add the GBR's
They don't do well in new setups and are sensitive to nitrates so water quality
must be kept pristine with large weekly WC's.

This would be a good mix IMO. Guppies more to the top, tetras middle, DG all over, cory's bottom, and rams middle to bottom mostly. It would also be a very colorful tank.

I was going for color. I also had planned on waiting on the GBR's. They were going to be the last to go in.

I also don't mind the fry. My LFS will take anything off my hands, plus I get 45% store credit for everything I bring in. By the time the tank has finished cycling, I will have another tank on hand for the fry as well.

Also, do I need to be worried about the Tetras breeding? Or the Cory's or GBR's? What would be the best for that?

 

[Rivercats]

There is little chance of the tetras breeding. Cory's might lay eggs depending on alot of factors but don't count on it. Rams could possibly but in a community tank most fry wouldn't make it. And as long as you can go somewhere with fry then you can do 1 male and 2 females.

 

[bevoholic]

There is little chance of the tetras breeding. Cory's might lay eggs depending on alot of factors but don't count on it. Rams could possibly but in a community tank most fry wouldn't make it. And as long as you can go somewhere with fry then you can do 1 male and 2 females.

Awesome! Thanks for your help Rivercats. I was hoping you'd chime in here. I've only been on here for not even a month, and your advice seems to be among the best!

Final thought...Would it be best to add the tetras first?

 

[bevoholic]

Any other options besides the GBR's? My wife doesn't like the red around the eyes, so she may not let me get them.

 

[Rivercats]

You could just add 2 more guppies or 2 colorful platies. You limited in a 20g. I'll post any other options I think of since my brain is drawing a blank right now.

 

[bevoholic]

I just really loved the color that GBRs would bring.id like something that would be pretty similar.

 

[Rivercats]

You could look into apistogramma's.

 

[bevoholic]

You could look into apistogramma's.

Are those alright to keep in a 20g that already has 14 other fish?

 

[bevoholic]

According to AqAdvisor, adding 2 Apistogramma's would put my tank at 119% stocked...Do you think that is accurate?

Also, liveaquaria.com says they're semi-agressive. Bad for the other fish?