Current Thoughts for 20 Gal Long

[Satsumas]

Hi all,
I have renovated a 20 gal long and i am really keen to set it up and get some ideas going. Once the tank is cycling then i will probably start to think more seriously on fish.

The tank measurements are:
Width: 90cm (35.43")
Height: 36cm (14.17")
Depth: 30cm (11.81")
My tank's volume is 97200 cubic centimeters or 97.2 liters, which is approximately 24.99 U.S. gallons or 20.8 Imperial gallons.
(Calculated using http://www.firsttankguide.net/calculator.php)

I am considering some of the following fish...
Cories (prefferably 2-3" max as i would like a minimum of 3)
Rummy Nose Tetra
Kribensis
Threadfin Rainbow
Blue Rainbow
Neon Rainbow

I would be most grateful if you could give some opinions or suggestions on my current thoughts on the fish and possible design ideas which they would like. Money is tight so i will be looking at the standard T8 lighting also the tank will most probably be medium to heavily planted with DIY CO2. I am currently looking at Eheim filters as i have read that they are probably the best out there. Also i may transfer my female bristlenose across from my other tank.

During my general browsing on the net i read that the red tail black shark or rainbow shark can go into a 3ft or 90cm tank. Well 3ft at least anyway which is what mine measures exactly, this is very early days, the tank hasn't began it's cycle yet! and i'm not really keen on the idea but it was just quite surprising that one may be able to go into my tank.

After i have done enough research, got some of your thought's on the matter and spoke to some people at my LFS then i will come to a conclusion on the red tail or rainbow shark issue.

Thanks in advance.

 

[WaterPond]

skip the kribs, they are very agressive while some are verypeaceful. Go with the threadinfs, dwarf rainbows and cories thoug'. How about rams intead of the kibs?

 

[Satsumas]

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah the kribs are the biggest doubt amoung the list, i didn't know they were very agressive but thought they would give the occasional territory chase. If they will disrupt the harmony in the tank then they're a no-no.

I'm also not sure wether my LFS has all of those rainbows, i know it has some but i'm not certain as to which ones.

My brother has a pair of GBR's and i do like to watch them, i find them quite interesting especially when they attempted to spawn and made a pit in the sand.
I would like to have different fish to what he has and what i have in my other tank, therefore i can get a wider knowledge of fish so if or when i get a very large tank in the future i can select which fish i want with some experience.

What about Bolivian rams? although i'm not sure if my LFS have any.
I would like a "pair" of fish though and dwarf cichlids seem to be good as a pair, or at least my brother's two do anyway.

 

[evercl92]

With that list, I'd also agree to skip on the kribs. I have 2 males, and they managed to dismantle two 3-5 inch crawdads overnight. They are pretty tough.

I don't see an issue with the red-tailed shark. I have one, it's taken him 10 months to reach 5 inches. I haven't seen many that are bigger, except at the Newport Aquarium and he was prob 8 inches. Keep in mind, one (RTBS or RS, not both) per tank though, they can be rough with members of their own kind. Mine plays well with my black ghost knife though, oddly enough.

 

[Satsumas]

Right. Kribs seem to be off the list then! lol

Would it be fair to say that RTBS' are as agressive as RS are?
My brother has a RS and he will really chase the GBR's at feeding time! He doesn't seem to bother any fish at any other time.

Yeah i know that both are agressive towards there own kind and also similair types of fish like the flying fox and sometimes SAE.

I think it would be interesting to get a RTBS and i will consider it.

I'm off to the LFS tommorow and i'll have a look around!

 

[Jarred Darque]

I thought that RTBSs where more agressive than RS? I persoanlly liek the RS, I have almost always had one, even though he wont survive forever in my tank, eventaullly his tnakmates will outgrow him, and then it is lights our for any fish under 8 inches. :/

 

[coldmachineUK]

I'm having to pass back a RTBS I picked up from a friend who had rescued him from someone else. He was due to live in my cichlid tank with 8 malawi saulosis, only he bullied them so badly i had to take him out. So much for that. Maybe he's just a bad example, but IMHO if an RTBS can bully eight cichlids, its got to be from an aggressive species (I mean, the proof is in the pudding...I already knew they were aggressive). I wouldnt want to house one now without serious consideration for potential tankmates.

Red finned (aka rainbow sharks) are much more peaceful.

 

[Satsumas]

Thats quite interesting coldmachine.

When i went to the LFS today there was a rainbow which was in a tank with about 8-10 5"+ cichlids. The rainbow was probably at the bottom of the pecking order or at least certainly down there. I felt sorry for him but then when i look at my brothers he bully's and chases those little rams when there's food around.

RTBS do seem pretty agressive, there's a tank with about 6-7 at my LFS and there all really, really small. About 2" maximum and there are slits in some of their tails, im not sure if there's enough in there to keep the agression down but there more agressive towards their own anyway aren't they?

Luckily though my LFS have panda, green, bronze and peppered cories, rummy nose's, neon rainbow's and a few other's i like the look of too.

I do like rainbow sharks but my brother has one and we tend to like keeping different fish. I would like a 'loner' that is fairly large about 5-6". Rainbow's seem perfect! lol

 

[ksfishguy]

I have a RS, he chases fish that like the same types of food, but nothing too serious. MY RS definitely has a problem with my GBR, but again, nothing serious, a quick chase and then he leaves him alone. My RS definitely doesn't like my bristlenose pleco, but again, he doesn't give much effort in chasing him either.

What about putting one angelfish in the tank?

 

[Satsumas]

Rainbow's seem slightly agressive but on the whole ok to me. My brother's does exactly the same thing with regards to GBR's ksfishguy.
He doesn't seem to bother pleco's but he has strangely enough just bought a BN so we'll wait and see if he takes kindly to him or not!

I'm not so keen on angelfish but thanks for the suggestion, there a fish which are fine on their own i hear and that is what i'm looking for.

What would be a sensible number of cories to put in the tank?
I like the look of panda's and peppered cories, with the panda's they only get to about 2" so they would be prefferable. I'd like a nice group which are as playful, energetic and active as their reputation suggests but also i'd like some room to put enough different types of fish as possible.

TIA

 

[coldmachineUK]

In a 20G I would think a school of about 4-5 panda cories would be ideal but they'd have to be the only bottom feeding fish I'd reckon, for them to be comfortable enough to be as playful as they can be.
In terms of peppered, I'd go for 3-4. The range is because it will be dependant on tank length + filtration + cleaning routine as much as space. If you want an easier life, go with the lesser option

I always opt for understocking my tanks. Sometimes this means they're occasionally dull to look at (e.g. few fish in sight b/c they're all hiding) but to me a fish that can hide is a happier fish than one that can't

 

[Satsumas]

I can't help but like the idea of 4-5 panda's!

If i had a mix of two different cories would they be as happy as they would in a group of say 3 pandas and 2 peppered? Yes they would be the only bottom dweller's, i may move my female BN pleco across but i doubt it.

I plan to buy an external filter to somewhat over filter the tank but i would also expect to be doing a mid-week gravel vac with a 30% PWC every week.

I'm most keen on cories so i doubt very much that i will end up with a fully stocked tank, it's also more peace of mind if the tank is understocked as apposed to overstocked.
I have learnt this from my other tank!

 

[joannde]

I was told that if the cories have similar "looks" that they will school together, however - I got a skunk cory to go with my pandas. The only difference between the two is that the skunk has a black line along his back while the panda has a black dot just before the tailfin. They did NOT school together. .... so my opinion is that you should get just one type of cory. When you have a larger group (5 or more) they are just too much fun to watch.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Corys can actually be complex little things! Like joannde says, different species generally don't school together (although they may sit and rest together). They also won't interbreed at all! And, on top of that, when two variants of one species do breed (e.g. albino and bronze) the fry will be either one colour or the other, not a mix (I only just discovered this lol).

 

[newfound77951]

For a 20 gallon tank i would stick with the threadfin rainbows, or maybe some Pseudomugil rainbows if you can find them. The "blue" rainbows that you mentioned are probably turquoises, which get quite big and are very active fish. The neon rainbows are a little smaller but still can get to 3" and need a lot of space to swim. The threadfins and Pseudomugil are beautiful and would be very happy in that size tank.

 

[Satsumas]

They also won't interbreed at all! And, on top of that, when two variants of one species do breed (e.g. albino and bronze) the fry will be either one colour or the other, not a mix (I only just discovered this lol).

That's very strange! but interesting.

Hmm, i will probably go for the smaller panda's but it is nice seeing a different group together. Here is a link to a tank full of cories, the panda's and skunks are they? seem to like each other's company altough they don't havbe much choice!

I think i'm going to the LFS tonight to give them the poor ryukin who was bought and put into a biorb by the owner who knew nothing about it. (neither did i at the time) Then lost his mate due to swim bladder problems now he's in my 20 gal (this thread title) on hiw own.
At the LFS they said they have a 3 footer (same as mine) that he will go on display in with other goldfish. I am a little worried becasue the 2 different goldfish in the biorb pecked at him and i think these goldfish whatever they are may do the same! I will tell the person who deals with it as sometimes i think know more than them!

Also i can look at filters, heaters etc... and also the Fish!

For a 20 gallon tank i would stick with the threadfin rainbows, or maybe some Pseudomugil rainbows if you can find them. The "blue" rainbows that you mentioned are probably turquoises, which get quite big and are very active fish. The neon rainbows are a little smaller but still can get to 3" and need a lot of space to swim. The threadfins and Pseudomugil are beautiful and would be very happy in that size tank.

Oh right. Thanks, i'll perhaps go for some threadfins then. If they have any. I can only remember seeing neons or 'turquioses' there but i'm going again so i will have another look. I don't think there are any Pseudomugil's there as i doubt i'd remember the name!