Help stock my 20G

[Thepokerkid227]

I just started the cycle on my 20G long tank, and I want to get a list of possible stocking options to research for the next month or two while it's cycling. It is going to be a planted tank with a driftwood centerpiece. I was thinking to make it a live bearer community tank. Should I also consider adding nano shrimp? My LFS guy suggested this to me as they're great cleaners. Thanks for all the help in advance!

 

[Thepokerkid227]

Would also like fish that will cover water column from bottom to top

 

[absolutangel04]

For small shrimp like rcs, be aware that they will likely get eaten. nano fish do best with nano fish, and even some of those will decimate all their young. If you want to try something like ghost shrimp, that would work. they are also a cheaper investment in case the fish don't get along with them. Also, your best cleaner will always be your gravel vacuum.
For fish, it is hard to give suggestions because of the thousands of possibilities. There are tons of lovely livebearers. I always keep some platies in my tanks because I love how colorful they are, and they come in many color combos.
Honestly, I think your best bet for ideas for stocking is to go to your lfs and see what is actually available. Right down names of anything that catches your eye, and then research them. that is an easier option than me listing off hundred of fish which might not even be readily available to you.
Consider tetras, livebearers, dwarf cichlids, danios, and cories.
If you get a more focused idea of anything you like, feel free to ask more questions!

 

[Thepokerkid227]

I was thinking of swordtails, mollies, some barbs, and corys maybe some smaller danios too

 

[absolutangel04]

For barbs, I suggest the cherry barb. It is a personal favorite of mine. They are colorful, fun, and hardy. Tiger barbs can be nippy, aggressive, and large. Gold barbs and rosy barbs are also nice, but I personally really like the color of the cherry.
With a 20g long, danios are a fun choice. They don't realty school, they tend to be rather chaotic. I personally really like the white or albino zebra danios. They can be a nice off-set to the bright colors of the other fish you are looking at.
With mollies, make sure to watch the gender ratio, and make sure to pick healthy looking ones. They do not always tend to have the longest life spans due to poor stock being so readily available everywhere.

 

[Thepokerkid227]

Should I be sticking to the 1"/gallon rule or can I go more being it's a fully planted tank?

 

[Brookster123]

Celestial pearl danios are great, I have 3 soon to be 6 going in my new 20g

 

[Thepokerkid227]

I've got an idea of a list:

Dwarf gourami x2
Zebra danio x3
Swordtails x3
Cardinal tetra x4
Red platy x2
Fancy guppy x2
Cherry or Amano shrimp x2

 

[Reaper216]

I would use AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor over the 1" rule. But even aqadvisor can be off sometimes.

Punching in your list came up at 105% stock which I feel isnt bad at all if youre tank is fully planted. But, it does say the swordtails and platys may interbreed and that you should keep at least 5 danios together.

In my opinion I would do something along the lines of

Dwarf gourami x2 maybe 2 different ones like the flame red or powder blue.
zebra/leopard danios x5 (I prefer the longfin leopard)
Neon Tetras x 11
Platy x 5
male fancy Guppy x 3
shrimp x10

This comes out on aqadvisor to 116% stock level but provided you have adequate filtration and stay on top of your water changes you should be fine.

aqadvisor says I am at 162% stock level[SIZE=-1] with this
[/SIZE]Molly x12
opaline gourami x1
blue gourami x1
dwarf gourami x1
leopard danio x2 (i need to get more)
neon tetra x15
german blue ram x1
female betta x2
green cory x1 (more here also
mystery snail x3

But I do 50% water changes every 3 days, and my tank is heavily planted.

I am not in anyway advocating over filling a tank. Start small. dont add everything at once. Keep up with your water changes and your testing and you will know when you are full.
Beware with the live bearers though. They will breed and you will get more fish!

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I would use AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor over the 1" rule. But even aqadvisor can be off sometimes.

Punching in your list came up at 105% stock which I feel isnt bad at all if youre tank is fully planted. But, it does say the swordtails and platys may interbreed and that you should keep at least 5 danios together.

In my opinion I would do something along the lines of

Dwarf gourami x2 maybe 2 different ones like the flame red or powder blue.
zebra/leopard danios x5 (I prefer the longfin leopard)
Neon Tetras x 11
Platy x 5
male fancy Guppy x 3
shrimp x10

This comes out on aqadvisor to 116% stock level but provided you have adequate filtration and stay on top of your water changes you should be fine.

aqadvisor says I am at 162% stock level[SIZE=-1] with this
[/SIZE]Molly x12
opaline gourami x1
blue gourami x1
dwarf gourami x1
leopard danio x2 (i need to get more)
neon tetra x15
german blue ram x1
female betta x2
green cory x1 (more here also
mystery snail x3

But I do 50% water changes every 3 days, and my tank is heavily planted.

I am not in anyway advocating over filling a tank. Start small. dont add everything at once. Keep up with your water changes and your testing and you will know when you are full.
Beware with the live bearers though. They will breed and you will get more fish!

I hope you don't mind me asking but is all of that in a 20 gallon tank?

 

[Reaper216]

Oh no! My tank is a 40G quarter round tank.

 

[molliwopp]

10 neons, 5 cories, a snail and a gourami in a 20g and that would be pushing my personal stocking preferences. As for adding more danios and corys, i would hold off on that also reaper.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/ you can even use your browser!

*Edit* 40g instead of 20g i see.

 

[Reaper216]

My danios seem fine but the little ol cory seems lonely heh. He does hang with the GBR alot, and my molly fry at times though.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Oh no! My tank is a 40G quarter round tank.

Ok thanks i was just getting really concerned if that was in a 20 gallon tank.

 

[Reaper216]

Understandable. Im sure some people would disagree with me keeping everything in a 40 but my water levels are perfect and I have over 200 gph of filtration on my tank.

 

[Thepokerkid227]

I have no problem doing more than normal water changes, it will be a fully planted tank, and I an also using 200gph filtration on my 20g

 

[Thepokerkid227]

Think I changed up my mind a bit. I want to stick to mostly fancy guppies and endlers keeping both males and females and some sort of shrimp that will eat algae and keep my live plants clean, suggestions?

 

[ArtistGardener]

Amano and red cherry shrimp are fairly good algae eaters. With small livebearers like Endlers, you'll be able to do quite a few, but they will reproduce like crazy. I do suggest you check out aqadvisor for general help (you can stock more if you are heavily planted or willing to do more water changes). After your tank is aged a few months, you might consider otos--they do a good job on the plants, too.

I have a fully planted 20 gallon that has been up for a year now. I only need to do 25% water changes every 10 days or so--even at that rate, my nitrates are always less than 5 ppm. My stocking on that tank is
9 neon tetras
5 glowlight tetras
2 honey gouramis
3 otos
3 amano shrimp
1 cherry shrimp (my LFS hasn't gotten any for some time)

 

[Thepokerkid227]

It will end up being a heavily planted tank and frequent water changes aren't an issue for me. Will endlers and guppies do okay together?

 

[absolutangel04]

It will end up being a heavily planted tank and frequent water changes aren't an issue for me. Will endlers and guppies do okay together?

One thing to remember, they will breed together, and you will get a mix of endler-sy guppies (or, guppy-ish endlers).
For algae, planted tanks will often get less algae than otehr tanks, because the plants can use up the nutrients available in theory. RCS babies will get picked off by guppies in my experience. Amano shrimp do eat algae and are pretty fun to watch. There is also the nerite snail. They eat a variety of algae and don't reproduce in freshwater, so you won't get overpopulated.