20 Gallon Stocking

[honmol]

I want to stock a 20 gallon long tank. It will be very well planted and I'd like fish that:

a. Will not mess up plants

b. are very peaceful

c. are not very big

d. are colorful

e. can breed fairly easily (not required, just something that I like alot)

f. I'd also like a "centerpiece fish" that would be a little larger and very colorful

Any Advise? I was looking at guppies, tetras, ottos, cories, sparkling gouramis, and possibly cherry barbs. This is just an idea and all but the guippies would be new to me. Please tell me how you would stock this tank without thinking about my ideas as I have almost no experience.

 

[coyotesweat]

Consider Dwarf Praecox Rainbowfish... I have 2 pair in my 30 gal, and they're very pretty! Peaceful, shiny, get along with all my other fish, and friendly. they get up to 3 inches long when grown.

(mine are currently getting along well with a few neons, black skirt tetras, a dwarf gourami and a couple cories, plus an algae eater).

 

[jrp1588]

I may be wrong, but maybe a single angelfish for the centerpiece and some livebearers...Mollies, platies, swords. If you get an angel, guppies may become food.

 

[Jchillin]

Here's what I'd do:

4-6 black skirt or black phantom tetras
An dwarf gourami
3-4 corys
A bristlenose pleco.

 

[honmol]

I want a very diverse aquarium. I was thinking of:

5 or 6 panda or dwarf cories

6 black tetras (possibly, depends on other fish and whether I have room in the tank

2-4 sparkling gouramis

2 or 3 (possibly more) ottos

a few cherry barbs (maybe)

Looking at other fish. I really like guppies and have some already that are beautiful. I want really peaceful fish. I'll post an updated list later

 

[lyquidphyre]

I think that list would be pushing your limits fish wise

Possibly:

5 panda cories
2 gouramis
2 ottos
6 tetras or 3-5 cherry barbs

 

[honmol]

I think that list would be pushing your limits fish wise

Possibly:

5 panda cories
2 gouramis
2 ottos
6 tetras or 3-5 cherry barbs

I've decided to definately get:

5 panda or dwarf cories, probably panda because the lfs doesn't usually have dwarfs

2 sparkling gouramis

3 ottos

And A "Centerpiece fish" That's colorful and a little bigger than the others in the aquarium. These are all small fish and if you go by the inch per gallon rule for the small fish (I don't but I use it to find out approximate stocking levels) Then I have
5-10 inches of cories

2 inches of gouramis

and about 5 inches of ottos

That leaves room for other fish that I want