20 gallon high stocking

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Bubbles0oO

Bubbles0oO

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
1,264
Location
Florida
Hello all!


I have a 20 high that is in desperate need for a restocking mission, so get ready!
Currently i have 4 goldfish in it (yeah yeah they will be gone as soon as i get a stand for this tank)
Loads of algea covered fake plants
Clown puke gravel,
And a whisper 40 filter
With an 18in t8


I would like to have a schooling fish and maybe some cories or ottos, with a gourami of sorts for the center piece. I do like chichlids, but i know not many others than shell dwellers would work in a small surface area tank.

All gravel will be replaced, to sand most likely, planted is a duh feature (im thinking some stem plants, purple ones are cool) and the stock is negochiable,

Anyway to the question!

What would work in this tank? Plant and fish wise?
Any suggestions?


Thanks all!!!!


P.s. i like pearl gouramis, they are flashy. Lol.
 
You could do something like:
6 panda cory
6-8 of a schooling fish such as rummynose tetra, neon tetra, or harlequin rasbora (many options here, those are the ones that came to mind)
1 dwarf gourami (a pearl gets too large for a 20 gal I think)
1 bolivian or german blue ram if you'd like
 
Hi Bubbles!

The suggestions librarygirl gave you were spot on! I myself have a healthy low-tech planted 20T with 9 rummynose, 4 neons (leftovers from a different tank), 1 GBR, 1 honey gourami and a few amano shrimp. I am particularly fond of rummynose tetra but there are a number of different types of schooling fish you could do instead.

In terms of plants a lot will be determined by your lighting and whether or not you plan to dose ferts. Can you tell us the exact types of bulbs you have? If you plan to go with low-maintenance low-tech plants you could easily fill your tank with plants like anubias, java fern, different mosses (java, flame, fissidens, etc), water sprite, anacharis, some types of bacopa, some crypts, and quite a few others. If you want to go with a higher-tech setup you'll need to upgrade to a pretty strong light, ferts, and either CO2 or a carbon supplement (such as excel or glut). Here's a good starting point for learning about planted tanks: Planted Tank Basics - Aquarium Advice. Allow me to please stress that you could easily do a low-tech setup with your current light and very basic fertilizers and still have it look amazing. Please feel free to ask more questions! :)
 
librarygirl said:
You could do something like:
6 panda cory
6-8 of a schooling fish such as rummynose tetra, neon tetra, or harlequin rasbora (many options here, those are the ones that came to mind)
1 dwarf gourami (a pearl gets too large for a 20 gal I think)
1 bolivian or german blue ram if you'd like
Click to expand...

Oooohhhh i love panda cories! I think ill add them to the stock!
Rummy nose tetras are gorgeous too!
Would a pair of honey gourami work?

And i tried rams before and they are not tolerant of my water, but they are pretty.

I looked through some plants and like these ones let me know what you think

Hair grass
Ruffled sword (im a sword girl lol)
Aponogonton undulatum
Water trumpet
Water star
Ludwigia repens
 
azmodan said:
Hi Bubbles!

The suggestions librarygirl gave you were spot on! I myself have a healthy low-tech planted 20T with 9 rummynose, 4 neons (leftovers from a different tank), 1 GBR, 1 honey gourami and a few amano shrimp. I am particularly fond of rummynose tetra but there are a number of different types of schooling fish you could do instead.

In terms of plants a lot will be determined by your lighting and whether or not you plan to dose ferts. Can you tell us the exact types of bulbs you have? If you plan to go with low-maintenance low-tech plants you could easily fill your tank with plants like anubias, java fern, different mosses (java, flame, fissidens, etc), water sprite, anacharis, some types of bacopa, some crypts, and quite a few others. If you want to go with a higher-tech setup you'll need to upgrade to a pretty strong light, ferts, and either CO2 or a carbon supplement (such as excel or glut). Here's a good starting point for learning about planted tanks: Planted Tank Basics - Aquarium Advice. Allow me to please stress that you could easily do a low-tech setup with your current light and very basic fertilizers and still have it look amazing. Please feel free to ask more questions! :)
Click to expand...

Didnt see your post until after i posted, but here is the bulb, and i don't dose any liquid ferts, but i do have root tabs for my other swords if needed.

image-2635188400.jpg
 
Many of the different schooling fish that you would choose are relatively similar, so I won't give the specifics now (you should do some more research about that) but here is an outline or two that you could use:

1.
6 Corydoras of some kind
6-8 of some kind of tetra
1 ram or dwarf gourami

2.
5 Corydoras
6 tetras
4 otocinclus
1 ram or dwarf gourami

3.
6-8 tetras
6-8 other tetras
1 ram or gourami OR 4-5 cories

What is the ph of your tap water? Have you started cycling yet?
 
Fishperson said:
Many of the different schooling fish that you would choose are relatively similar, so I won't give the specifics now (you should do some more research about that) but here is an outline or two that you could use:

1.
6 Corydoras of some kind
6-8 of some kind of tetra
1 ram or dwarf gourami

2.
5 Corydoras
6 tetras
4 otocinclus
1 ram or dwarf gourami

3.
6-8 tetras
6-8 other tetras
1 ram or gourami OR 4-5 cories

What is the ph of your tap water? Have you started cycling yet?
Click to expand...

I would have to check on the PH (im going to bed after this post) so ill get that tomorrow after school. This tank has been set up and cycled with seeded filter media for about 4 months (1 month at my house, i got it from a friend, which explains the goldies and the clown puke gravel) and i have seeded media if it needs it, but yes it is cycled.
 
Bubbles0oO said:
Hair grass
Ruffled sword (im a sword girl lol)
Aponogonton undulatum
Water trumpet
Water star
Ludwigia repens
Click to expand...

Most of those should work (but anyone please chime in if I'm wrong!) although maybe not the hair grass (and admittedly I'm not familiar with water star). A good alternative to hairgrass in a low-tech tank is dwarf saggittaria. Unless you are getting your plants locally I highly recommend PMing AA's very own jetajockey as he sells a number of very healthy lowlight plants (Peabody's Paradise LLC - Peabody's Paradise LLC) Also, I am by no means an authority on bulbs but someone will likely come along soon to perhaps suggest a specific upgraded bulb from your tank which you should be able to purchase rather easily. Along with the root tabs you already have I'd also probably suggest simple liquid ferts like Seachem Flourish and API Leaf Zone. They are pretty affordably priced and only need to be dosed around once a week so one bottle should last quite a while. Seachem Flourish Excel is also a handy and common carbon supplement worth looking into.
 
azmodan said:
Most of those should work (but anyone please chime in if I'm wrong!) although maybe not the hair grass (and admittedly I'm not familiar with water star). A good alternative to hairgrass in a low-tech tank is dwarf saggittaria. Unless you are getting your plants locally I highly recommend PMing AA's very own jetajockey as he sells a number of very healthy lowlight plants (Peabody's Paradise LLC - Peabody's Paradise LLC) Also, I am by no means an authority on bulbs but someone will likely come along soon to perhaps suggest a specific upgraded bulb from your tank which you should be able to purchase rather easily. Along with the root tabs you already have I'd also probably suggest simple liquid ferts like Seachem Flourish and API Leaf Zone. They are pretty affordably priced and only need to be dosed around once a week so one bottle should last quite a while. Seachem Flourish Excel is also a handy and common carbon supplement worth looking into.
Click to expand...

I have some seachem flourish, and the roottabs.
I was definetly going to order everything offline from AA members, to support them, thanks for the site
 
There is always dwarf puffers. 2-3 in that size would suffice. That's what I'm fixing to set up. As long as you do a male to female ratio of 1:3 you should be fine.
 
Grrr, ok im going to bed after this post but here are my ideas so far...
1:
Dwarf gourami (honey , or another i cant remember)
7 tetras ( im thinking rummynose, they are different)
5-6 panda cories ( definetly pandas they are adorable! )


2: Puffers...?


3: killifish...?


Edit: and definetly $20 of PFS and some plants from AA members (might get some DW from LFS)
 
Opaline gouramis are nice and grow to a decent size. A small shoal of around five mollies could work but if mixed genders prepare for babies. Emerald cory cats are good and so are hoplo catfish(not corys but small and friendly). Hope it helps
 
Bubbles0oO said:
Grrr, ok im going to bed after this post but here are my ideas so far...
1:
Dwarf gourami (honey , or another i cant remember)
7 tetras ( im thinking rummynose, they are different)
5-6 panda cories ( definetly pandas they are adorable! )

2: Puffers...?

3: killifish...?

Edit: and definetly $20 of PFS and some plants from AA members (might get some DW from LFS)
Click to expand...

Puffers usually don't play we'll with other fish.
Small Killis are fine, Golden Wonder Killis are predators and will eat Neon sized fish.

Panda Cories like Cooler temps, but may work.

Research temps and water conditions before concrete choices :)
 
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