Hello hello again!

[skibum100]

Hey Guys! so from my previous thread (summing it up) ive pretty much completed my 55gallon set up and now the agonizing yet unbelievably fun time to get fish!
- it is sand base with rocks piled up to 2/3 tank right now it has my friends lil fishies in it 3 clouds and 4 danios BUT i needed fish food so went by and could not resist buying my first new inhabitant of the tank (it has cycled) a BEAUTIFUL flame dwarf gourmi. My plan was to stock it with african mbuna cichlids (and still kind of is my plan) i am going to idealy move all the smaller critters in the 55 into my previously set up 20gallon currently housing 3 cichlids (im waiting for my other friend who wants to come by and adopt them)....so question time:

i really really want a nice elegant rainbow shark (said to grow only 4") could i build my 20 gallon around that or would it not work? i want it to be a community tank with color (why i got the gourmi) and activity. ideally with as many fish as i can put in it for appearance so i was thinking about fish in the 2-3" range though ive also contemplated a school of maybe 6 neon tetras could a 20g tank work for my desires? please stocking ideas help so much i have no really good LFS around me to help

I Love the rainbow shark so if it cant work i might just put him in the 55gallon and build a community tank around him their but thats not 1st choice i love cichlids and their colors and playfulness so a 55 tank of them would be amazing. THANKS FOR Reading hope you post and help me out sorry if it was alittle longwinded i get carried away when comes to this, Its exiting!

[dkpate]

I like endlers, they're pretty and colorful. I have some in with my flame DG, and they only have small chasing episodes.

[skibum100]

so basic question ill just be blunt, stocking. What fish would be a good complement to a rainbowshark (4.75") and a flame dwarf gourami (3") in a 20 gallon tank?

ideas i have contemplated:
5 neon tetras and 3 black Harlequin Rasboras or
5 Green Tiger Barbs or
3 Dwarf Neon Rainbows (2") and 5 Cardinal Tetras

obiviously those are just ideas as tank mates comment on if those would work and please please comment/suggest more stocking possibilities id love to hear your opinions and ideas to make this 20 gallon B E A utiful

thanks

[BigJim]

6-10 neon tetras and 6-10 black Harlequin Rasboras
3 Dwarf Neon Rainbows and 6-10 Cardinal Tetras

I would go with either of these groups. You won't get the full effect of the tetras and rasboras unless you get a bigger group. FYI, those rainbows will get about 4" long, but the males will get 2" tall also.

[mommytron]

i would keep the rainbow shark in your 55gallon. i think a 20gal would be too small for it. it would fit in it but it wouldn't have enough swimming space and would be really unhappy. if going with tetras, i would also get at least 8 or, like BigJim said, you will not get the full effect, as they will not school unless in big enough groups. also i would stay away from tiger barbs unless setting up a species tank IMO. they can be quite aggressive, especially with just five. if they are not in a big enough shoaling group they will nip the heck out of any other fish in there.