Idea on how to stock my 20gal

[tamtam]

Hi all! It's been years since I've owned any fish and as we've been preparing our tank I've been working at remembering and digging up my long lost knowledge from back in the day. Of course I couldn't help but think of this site in it all and though I just had to come back for some help.

Ok, so basically we are starting off with a 20gal tank. Cycling is done and we are ready to start stocking... but I just can't decide on what would be best. I've got lots of ideas but when it comes down to picking them and picking numbers I just can't make up my mind. I need help!

I have a list of favs, and would love some suggestions on different mixes of them and appropriate numbers. My only real want is to have a nice visually appealing tank. With some nice colors and use of space.

So my favs are

neon tetra
gourami - I'm partial to the dwarf but open to suggestions
black skirt tetra
zebra danios
betta - male or female options
rams
rasboras
cory cat and loach.

We also plan to start up a second larger tank in the future so as some of the fish perhaps start to outgrow the tank we will have the option to switch it up. If memory serves a loach would probably out grow the 20 gal eventually.. and possibly some other.

So I'd love some different ideas on what are some possible mixes of these fish that will give the best visual impact.
TIA!!

 

[tamtam]

I'm also open to some other suggestions if you have any fish you think would compliment nicely.

 

[Niki]

Here is what I have in my tank, it may be over stocked to some people but it works for me and my water change schedule:

4 neon tetras
4 glow light tetras
3 harlequin rosbora(sp)?
4 Corey cats
1 dwarf flame gourami
2 Mickey mouse platy
1 dwarf red platy

And lots of live plants, my glow lights often spawn, however, I never get the babies bc I don't move the eggs or turn of the lights( the lights are on for about 8 hours a day)

 

[Niki]

Ps it is a 20 gallon

 

[tamtam]

Here is what I have in my tank, it may be over stocked to some people but it works for me and my water change schedule:

4 neon tetras
4 glow light tetras
3 harlequin rosbora(sp)?
4 Corey cats
1 dwarf flame gourami
2 Mickey mouse platy
1 dwarf red platy

And lots of live plants, my glow lights often spawn, however, I never get the babies bc I don't move the eggs or turn of the lights( the lights are on for about 8 hours a day)

The rasboras do ok in the group of 3?

Do the glow lights and neons school together?

 

[Niki]

The rasboras do ok in the group of 3?

Do the glow lights and neons school together?

Mine seem to be fine, not stressed, good color, good appetite.

They don't really" school" I often see 3 or 4 glow lights chilling with a couple of neons and the other neons are off exploring by them selves or vise versa. I like the color mixtures in my tank

 

[tamtam]

Mine seem to be fine, not stressed, good color, good appetite.

They don't really" school" I often see 3 or 4 glow lights chilling with a couple of neons and the other neons are off exploring by them selves or vise versa. I like the color mixtures in my tank

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[tamtam]

For some of the more experienced people here can anyone tell me if there are any combinations here that won't work at all?

I'm guessing the Gourami and male bettas are no go. Are there any of the fish I listed that would go ok with a male other than the neons?

What about the females? Would they be ok with all of the fish I listed provided adequate hiding spaces?

I guess really I'm wondering what fish are serious no gos with any of the other fish?

I feel like such a newb. lol

 

[librarygirl]

Is it a 20 high or a 20 long?

Assuming it's a 20 high, you could do something like:

6 Neons
6 Harlequin Rasbora
4 Corys (I'd stick with the smaller species, like Dwarf, Pygmy or Panda)
5 Kuhli loaches (stay away from clowns; they need 150+ gals)
1 Dwarf Gourami

There are many other combinations and options of course; this is just one possibility from what you've listed.

Bettas can be hit and miss in a community tank and the neons may be too active for the betta. You could try it instead of the Gourami but have a back-up plan if the betta doesn't work out.

 

[TangoTank]

Hi... I'm interested in practically the same fish!! I have a Crowntail male Betta. I have a 15 high. I'm thinking a small school of tetras & some Corys, not sure what else. I'm lookin' at Kuhlis now, thanks LibraryGirl! I'll add the other fish first, then the Betta. If it doesn't work out w/ the Betta, I'll pull him out.. I'm interested in what you end up getting & how it goes. Good luck!!

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Suggestions:: (these are all tetra species) penguin, cardinal, rummynose, silvertip, albino

Maybe an angel fish(will outgrow 20 gallon)

 

[siva]

Hi all! It's been years since I've owned any fish and as we've been preparing our tank I've been working at remembering and digging up my long lost knowledge from back in the day. Of course I couldn't help but think of this site in it all and though I just had to come back for some help.

Ok, so basically we are starting off with a 20gal tank. Cycling is done and we are ready to start stocking... but I just can't decide on what would be best. I've got lots of ideas but when it comes down to picking them and picking numbers I just can't make up my mind. I need help!

I have a list of favs, and would love some suggestions on different mixes of them and appropriate numbers. My only real want is to have a nice visually appealing tank. With some nice colors and use of space.

So my favs are

neon tetra - Perfect. Schoolers so get 6 or more.
gourami - I'm partial to the dwarf but open to suggestions - 20g is too small to mix w/ a betta. I have mixed dwarfs with females but not males.
black skirt tetra - No - 20H is too small...20L is borderline if you want to stock other species. Doesn't mix well with flowing finned fish. Tried to add these with my last dwarf gourami and he bullied them endlessly until I removed them.
zebra danios - No if it's 20H, yes if 20L. Schoolers so get 6 or more.
betta - male or female options - Yes, avoid nippy fish and provide floating plants.
rams - Yes, go with just one or, if two get the same sex if you want to have other bottom dwellers.
rasboras - Yes. Pork chops or harlequins would work nicely. Schoolers so get 6 or more.
cory cat and loach. - Yes if you pick smaller species. For cories pandas would be perfect. Anything larger is too big for a 20H. If it's a 20L, larger species like peppered, julii's, orange lasers, and albino to name a few, are fine. 6 is a good number for the cories. If you want to go with loaches, kuhli's are your best bet. There are some other small ones that would work such as Yunnanilus cruciatus but they aren't bottom dwellers so much like the kuhlis are. Go with a substrate like sand or small smooth stones if you stock the kuhlis. Loaches should be in groups of 5 or more.

We also plan to start up a second larger tank in the future so as some of the fish perhaps start to outgrow the tank we will have the option to switch it up. If memory serves a loach would probably out grow the 20 gal eventually.. and possibly some other.
I'm a big believer in stocking fish that can remain in the tank long term, especially for hobbyists who just have one or a few tanks. Some fish grow faster than others, and who knows if your plans for that future tank will match up with the timeframe your fish needs it. JMO.

So I'd love some different ideas on what are some possible mixes of these fish that will give the best visual impact.
TIA!!

Comments in red.

 

[tamtam]

Is it a 20 high or a 20 long?

Assuming it's a 20 high, you could do something like:

6 Neons
6 Harlequin Rasbora
4 Corys (I'd stick with the smaller species, like Dwarf, Pygmy or Panda)
5 Kuhli loaches (stay away from clowns; they need 150+ gals)
1 Dwarf Gourami

There are many other combinations and options of course; this is just one possibility from what you've listed.

Bettas can be hit and miss in a community tank and the neons may be too active for the betta. You could try it instead of the Gourami but have a back-up plan if the betta doesn't work out.

Thanks! I actually really like this list but not so sure on the Kuhli Louches, not a big fan of the really eel looking ones. hmmm, maybe I could switch them out for something else.

 

[tamtam]

Comments in red.

thank you, exactly what I was looking for. I'll cut the danios and black skirts from my list, TBH they were at the bottom of it anyways.
I'll stick with the gourami over the betta. I've kept a female betta with a gouramis before but it was a bigger tank and wasn't sure if that combo would work for a 20gal.

I'm going to forgo the kuhlis, not a big fan of the look and I've already got a gravel substrate so doesn't really sound like a great fit.

I like a previous posters suggestion.

6 Neons
6 Harlequin Rasbora
4 Corys
1 Dwarf Gourami

there was 5 kuhli in there could I switch out them for a ram? I'd love that if it would work.

ETA - I've forgotten to mention it's a 20 high

 

[tamtam]

Hi... I'm interested in practically the same fish!! I have a Crowntail male Betta. I have a 15 high. I'm thinking a small school of tetras & some Corys, not sure what else. I'm lookin' at Kuhlis now, thanks LibraryGirl! I'll add the other fish first, then the Betta. If it doesn't work out w/ the Betta, I'll pull him out.. I'm interested in what you end up getting & how it goes. Good luck!!

Good luck!

 

[tamtam]

Also if I went with something like the above list which would you suggest I start with first?

 

[siva]

List is great. Well balanced community. Go ahead and up the cories to 6. The smaller species you'll be looking for especially prefer larger groups, and w/o the khulis you'll have room for them. Adding a ram is fine as well.

What filtration are you using?

I'd do rasboras first, 2nd cories, 3rd neons, 4th ram, last gourami.

 

[Kstauch]

I have a 2.5 gal with a male Betta and a snail. Is it too small to add a bottom feeder?

 

[siva]

Yes. I wouldn't keep even a male betta in a 2.5 gal, but some hobbyists do feel it's suitable. I consider 5 gals the minimum for a male. There aren't any bottom feeders that work in a tank that small besides shrimp. You could try shrimp, but they'll likely be eaten.

 

[TangoTank]

List is great. Well balanced community. Go ahead and up the cories to 6. The smaller species you'll be looking for especially prefer larger groups, and w/o the khulis you'll have room for them. Adding a ram is fine as well.

What filtration are you using?

I'd do rasboras first, 2nd cories, 3rd neons, 4th ram, last gourami.

If the tank is completely cycled already, could you add all those fish at once? Or for "territory" reason, you'd add them a species at a time?