20 Gallon High Stocking Schooling Fish

[NY FishGuy87]

Hey Everybody,

So I've been cycling my 30 gallon long and while that was going down I managed to snag a 20 high from a friends father brand new. He got it for his birthday but decided he wanted a bigger tank so I said sure I'll take it. Only charged me 30 bucks and it's an Aqueon led kit.

I plan on doing a fishless cycle and will be changing the light (don't know what kind yet) and the HOB Filter will be upgraded to a Fluval 206 canister. I will also have some low maintenance plants in it. Sand for the sub...

I want some suggestions for a good hardy schooling fish that would do well in there. I want to keep it simple so I want to work off the basis of the following configurations. 1. Either only one type of schooling fish for the tank, 2.Two types of schooling fish or 3. One type of schooling fish with some kind of hardy dwarf Corydoras. Any and all suggestions welcomed. Also, I do realize the cory cats school together as well.

 

[Ashenwelt]

So they may seem small, but my favorite schooling fish is the rummynose tetra. They are gorgeous, swim like soldiers and over all fun to watch their squadron antics.

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[mambee]

A tank with a large school of neons or cardinals is pretty stunning. My favorite schooling fish are rummynoses. A 20 gallon tank is large enough for 5 or 6 full-sized cories. My favorites are the adolfoi/duplicareus complex.

 

[ICoolGuy]

Rummynose Tetras are great but I think alot of people under estimate Zebra Danios which are a great fish more like shoaling fish but great and I think you should choose corydoras they will be great.

 

[NY FishGuy87]

Ok guys I actually decided whatever I go with with be in my 30 long not the 20 high. I checked out the rummynose tetra fish some of you told me about. I really like those little guys. Definitely interested in them. If I had a school of them would they do ok with another school of fish? Like rasboras or zebra danios? I also like a bunch of the corydora fish I'm looking at online.

 

[mambee]

Rummynoses are great because they school in the lower third of the tank and sweep back and forth as a school. They will do well with any other fish.

My other favorite schooling fish are harlequin rasboras, glowlite tetras, neon tetras and cardinal tetras. Emperor tetras are also great but they don't school.

 

[The_Desacrator]

Personally love neons. Had 18 in my 37g and they are awesome to watch

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[NY FishGuy87]

Rummynoses are great because they school in the lower third of the tank and sweep back and forth as a school. They will do well with any other fish.

My other favorite schooling fish are harlequin rasboras, glowlite tetras, neon tetras and cardinal tetras. Emperor tetras are also great but they don't school.

Yeah I like the neon and cardinal tetras a lot. But some people tell me they're kind of tricky to take care of and others say they aren't a problem. Do you have any views on this?

 

[NY FishGuy87]

Personally love neons. Had 18 in my 37g and they are awesome to watch

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I get mixed answers from people. Do you consider them hardy? or are they on the more sensitive side?

 

[The_Desacrator]

Yeah I would say they are hardy. I had a couple die from the stress of moving them to a bag and trading them in at the store but other than that no issues

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[Ashenwelt]

Here is the thing... Hardy in the case where they rarely get ill. But if a neon gets ill they are usually dead very quickly and don't recover. Its kind of a mixed result like most small fish sadly.

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[Barliman]

Yeah I like the neon and cardinal tetras a lot. But some people tell me they're kind of tricky to take care of and others say they aren't a problem. Do you have any views on this?

Assuming good care at the shop you purchase them from, it really depends on where they come from: "farm" or wild. Cardinals are mostly wild-caught, as I understand it, so they gone through the stress of capture, transport from South America to the wholesaler to the store to your tank. Plus, being wild, they're more likely to be carrying parasites or disease that affects their health. I prefer them to Neons, but they do seem more delicate.

Neons, if farm-raised, are generally hardier because they've been given better conditions and food, and aren't subjected to as much stress. That said, everyone has a story about frustrating neon deaths. It seems that if you can get past the first couple of weeks, you'll likely be successful. My first school of neons died within a week. I bought a second school from a reputable local LFS after that and, four months later, still have them all.

Others have made great suggestions. In the neons' favor, a medium to large school is just gorgeous, like little gems in your tank.

 

[mambee]

I agree with everything stated by Barliman. Cardinals are wild caught, need warmer water and are harder to acclimate. Noens are farmed and are generally hardier. I purchased 2 batches of neons totaling 10 from Petco and I still have 9 of them 3 years later. My only loss was during a bad ich outbreak.

 

[NY FishGuy87]

Yeah I would say they are hardy. I had a couple die from the stress of moving them to a bag and trading them in at the store but other than that no issues

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Yeah it seems to me most people are saying the neons tend to be a little easier to get everything right with. I think some Harlequin Rasbora fish and Neon Tetras each swimming around their respective schools would be an awesome sight. I also found a great deal on a 55 gallon tank so instead of my 30, the fish I pick will go into the 55. More room for me to play around with so that's nice.

 

[NY FishGuy87]

Here is the thing... Hardy in the case where they rarely get ill. But if a neon gets ill they are usually dead very quickly and don't recover. Its kind of a mixed result like most small fish sadly.

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Interesting....I might have to try my luck with them, they look so beautiful in schools on the youtube videos I've been watching. I also managed to get a good deal on a 55 gallon tank so now w/e I pick will be in the 55 gallon instead of my 30.

 

[The_Desacrator]

Try angels. They have great personality, various colors, and are great to watch. I have 6 in a 60

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[NY FishGuy87]

Assuming good care at the shop you purchase them from, it really depends on where they come from: "farm" or wild. Cardinals are mostly wild-caught, as I understand it, so they gone through the stress of capture, transport from South America to the wholesaler to the store to your tank. Plus, being wild, they're more likely to be carrying parasites or disease that affects their health. I prefer them to Neons, but they do seem more delicate.

Neons, if farm-raised, are generally hardier because they've been given better conditions and food, and aren't subjected to as much stress. That said, everyone has a story about frustrating neon deaths. It seems that if you can get past the first couple of weeks, you'll likely be successful. My first school of neons died within a week. I bought a second school from a reputable local LFS after that and, four months later, still have them all.

Others have made great suggestions. In the neons' favor, a medium to large school is just gorgeous, like little gems in your tank.

Well thank you for that little lesson there! I also need to find some good stores around me. Maybe a smaller chain or something. I only know of Petco and Petsmart as of now. I don't really know their reputation for the fish that they carry. I would imagine it can be hit or miss. I have so many choices to make and as I told the others instead of a 30 gallon I now have a 55 gallon that I will be able to stock instead.

I suppose I could also order fish online as well. Do you know of any reputable websites to order from? I'm also going to end up needing to get plants as well. A lot of the time the stuff I've seen in my local pet stores doesn't look too well.

 

[NY FishGuy87]

Try angels. They have great personality, various colors, and are great to watch. I have 6 in a 60

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Hmm never really thought of that. Are they easy to care for? I always do my own research as well but I like to hear from other people too.

 

[Ashenwelt]

Angels if all the same size are very popular because they are moderate skill level. I have wanted some blue angelfish for over a decade... One day.

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[Barliman]

Well thank you for that little lesson there! I also need to find some good stores around me. Maybe a smaller chain or something. I only know of Petco and Petsmart as of now.

It really depends on the person managing the fish department at the big box store. That first school of neons I mentioned, from which I lost six of seven in just a week, was from a local Petco. (My stupid mistake: I should never have bought from a tank in which I saw dead ones. ) But Mambee, who replied to my post, has had great success with her Petco purchase. (And I will say the platys I got from that Petco are doing great.)

I'd say pay a few visits to your local big-box stores and take a close look at their fish section: are the tanks clean? Fish active and healthy-looking? More than one or two dead? Ask the staff questions and see if they know what they're talking about. (A question I always ask: "This baby Oscar is really nice. Can I put him in my 20-long?" The answer tells me what I need to know. )

And, naturally, check out your LFSs, too. Window shopping is a big part of the fun.