What fish should I add first to new tank?

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da9k1ne

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
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I just bought a 20 gallon tank, i'm going home from college this weekend to set it up with lots of artificial (but real looking) plants, and several hiding spots.

I'm not going to put any fish in this weekend, or until the tank has fully cycled.

The fish I want to get are..

1 Angel
2 Clown Loaches
A school of neon tetras/zebra danios
2 Bottom dwellers (not sure what kind yet)

In what order should I introduce these fish so that there are no problem. I researched and it said that all these fish are compatible, I just want to make the process go as smooth as possible.

thanks!
 
Drop the clown loaches unless you have a 90 laying around somewhere. I would add the danios first then it would depend on the type of bottom dweller. I would not put an angel in a twenty, some people feel it is ok however.
 
okay, the loaches are dropped.
i'm still gonna go with the angel, i talked to the fish store and they said its fine. my tank is pretty tall.

what kind of bottom dwellers should i get that would go well with the angel and tetras/danios?
 

its either a 20 high or 20 extra high, i dont have the tank on me so i cant measure.

cory's it is for the bottom, i like them.

I would think otos would be ok. I have a friend with otos, an angel, and rummynose tetras.

i'm gonna do with corys.



1 angel
4 corys
6-8 neon netras

hows that sound?
 
Neon Tetras are the natural food source for Angels, so once the Angel grows up a bit you can expect the Neons to start disappearing.
 
Neon Tetras are the natural food source for Angels, so once the Angel grows up a bit you can expect the Neons to start disappearing.

haha your right, i just read that.

ive been reading about angels for about a half hour now.


does anyone have suggestions for nice fish to go with the angel?
we can start from scratch, i just don't want any molly's.
 
Rummy nose tetras, lemon tetras, harlequin rasboras, pristella tetras, any smaller tetra (just bigger than a neon) or rasbora will do fine.
 
Rummy nose tetras, lemon tetras, harlequin rasboras, pristella tetras, any smaller tetra (just bigger than a neon) or rasbora will do fine.

will a sepae tetra do?, i have that type of tetra now and i really like them!
 
They can be a bit nippy and in a smaller tank like this, with the tempting fins of an angel I would not add them.
 
okay, the loaches are dropped.
i'm still gonna go with the angel, i talked to the fish store and they said its fine. my tank is pretty tall.

what kind of bottom dwellers should i get that would go well with the angel and tetras/danios?

I don't have a lot to add other than to say that I've never heard any good advice from fish stores...only helpful advice came from the wonderful people on this site! :) Good luck!
 
I think an angel would be fine in that tank. You could get a red tailed shark (just one). I know you don't want mollies but I'd recommend them :) I have eight and they're very pretty and active. Cories are great. I think a bristlenose pleco would be really cool. I'm not suggesting you get all of these. I'd pic the pleco, the shark or the cories. Giant danios are really cool looking. So are silver dollars. Glass catfish are cool too. So many options. Maybe a few barbs?
 
there are so many options, your right.

how does this sound:

1 angel
1 red tailed shark (if the lfs has one)
3-4 silver dollars
6 lemon drop tetras
 
there are so many options, your right.

how does this sound:

1 angel
1 red tailed shark (if the lfs has one)
3-4 silver dollars
6 lemon drop tetras

I think you need to do some reading.

Silver Dollars get too large, you dont want to put lots of 5"+ fish its too much for a 20G. I think most people put 1-2 4-5" fish in a 29G.

Also if its a 20" long tank, its should be stocked more like a 10-15G due to the small footprint.
 
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