Opinions on Stocking

[gab_attack]

Hey all, me again

I think I've finally got a good idea on what I'd like to stock my new tank with once it finishes cycling, but I'd like some opinions other than my own research and aqadvice.

The tank will be heavily planted on one side with the other half more open to allow for some swimming room, here are the specs:

20 gallon long
Fluval 106 canister filter
Aquaclear 20 hob filter
Finnex fugeray 30"
Open top
Carib sea floramax and play sand
Open top
I plan on using liquid ferts for the plants until I can save up for/build a proper CO2 system

Stock ideas:
10-12 neon tetras
1 dwarf gourami
4 bandit corys
1 golden ram
1 German blue ram
5-10 ghost shrimp

From what I've read I think the two rams are technically the same species, just different color morphs? So I would assume they'd be okay together

The only real thing I was worried about would be a crowded looking tank as most of the fish are middle/bottom swimmers. I'd love some colorful top swimmer suggestions but I'm thinking they'd probably jump out of the open top, so I'm not sure they'd be a good idea.

Mostly I wanted a nice school of fish with some larger centerpiece fish that would stand out from each other.

What do you guys think?

 

[Pseudomugil]

I think this would be good:

7 neon tetras
1 dwarf gourami
4 bandit cories
2 rams (yes, German blues, electric blues, golden rams are the same species;
I personally recommend the electric blue)
3 neon dwarf rainbowfish (good top swimmers)
5 ghost shrimp

As the rams and gourami get larger, they may go after the neon tetras and ghost shrimp, so just watch out for that.

I would also recommend more cories but the tank would already be really stocked.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I think this would be good:

7 neon tetras
1 dwarf gourami
4 bandit cories
2 rams (yes, German blues, electric blues, golden rams are the same species;
I personally recommend the electric blue)
3 neon dwarf rainbowfish (good top swimmers)
5 ghost shrimp

As the rams and gourami get larger, they may go after the neon tetras and ghost shrimp, so just watch out for that.

I would also recommend more cories but the tank would already be really stocked.

Electric Blue rams are extremely sensitive and known for being unhealthy. Basically hyper inbreed, short lived fish and I would not recommend them. Rams in general may feel a little crowded in the tank and I wouldn't recommend them. A 20 gallon is smaller than you think once you get it set up so I would recommend something alone the lines of:

6 Neons
2 Apisto CACs
10 Corydoras Pygmaeus

according to Aq advisor 72% stocked so in my book perfect and will allow for some stocking flexibility as well as forgiveness on water changes if you happen to forget one .

 

[Pseudomugil]

Electric Blue rams are extremely sensitive and known for being unhealthy. Basically hyper inbreed, short lived fish and I would not recommend them. Rams in general may feel a little crowded in the tank and I wouldn't recommend them. A 20 gallon is smaller than you think once you get it set up so I would recommend something alone the lines of:

6 Neons
2 Apisto CACs
10 Corydoras Pygmaeus

according to Aq advisor 72% stocked so in my book perfect and will allow for some stocking flexibility as well as forgiveness on water changes if you happen to forget one .

Electric blues are the exact same species as Germans and golds...

 

[keegster803]

I think this would be good:

7 neon tetras
1 dwarf gourami
4 bandit cories
2 rams (yes, German blues, electric blues, golden rams are the same species;
I personally recommend the electric blue)
3 neon dwarf rainbowfish (good top swimmers)
5 ghost shrimp

As the rams and gourami get larger, they may go after the neon tetras and ghost shrimp, so just watch out for that.

I would also recommend more cories but the tank would already be really stocked.

Rainbows need to be kept in groups of 6 minimum


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[Pseudomugil]

I have 3 neon dwarf rainbows and they're fine.

 

[keegster803]

You could do the following

2 CAC apisto
10 neon tetras
6 bandit cories
Your stocking level is 82%
And the apistos would act as your centerpiece


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[gab_attack]

I've check out the CACs and unfortunately there aren't really any places around me that sells them. Any other suggestions? I really like some of the ideas here and am open to most species of fish so long as I can find them near me. (Still pretty cold in my area to be shipping fish I thunj, so I'd like to not risk it)

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[bribo12]

Electric blues are the exact same species as Germans and golds...

They are but they're they have been line bred to look the way they do and poor genetics along the way have led to an extremely poor survival rate. I've tried 4 and none lived longer than 2 months.

Op try liveaquaria or any of the other online vendors for cacs.


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[keegster803]

Or you could do a giant school of 12+ CPDs, with the tetras


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[Dallascowboys16]

Or you could do a giant school of 12+ CPDs, with the tetras


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CPDs really need a species only tank as they are extremely skittish fish and will be outcompeted for food even by small tetras. If you get CPDs do a species only

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Electric blues are the exact same species as Germans and golds...

Yes but are those known to be healthy fish as well? No. German blues tend to be the healthiest of the bunch filled by Golds, then Electric blues. Electric blues won't last but 6 months max they are so inbred and hormonally boosted by breeders, best advice is to avoid all rams unless you buy from a reputable breeder with good stock or get Wild caught.

 

[Razzle]

Yes but are those known to be healthy fish as well? No. German blues tend to be the healthiest of the bunch filled by Golds, then Electric blues. Electric blues won't last but 6 months max they are so inbred and hormonally boosted by breeders, best advice is to avoid all rams unless you buy from a reputable breeder with good stock or get Wild caught.

interesting to know about the EBRs. now im sad

 

[Pseudomugil]

I hope this isn't true. I've only had my electric blues a few months.

 

[keegster803]

I hope this isn't true. I've only had my electric blues a few months.

Sadly, it is pretty true, they are so inbred, it's quite sad


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[keegster803]

Gab, are you only interested in tropical fish for this tank?


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[Dallascowboys16]

I hope this isn't true. I've only had my electric blues a few months.

Well you've already gotten further than 99% of people do so you may end up with some healthy ones! Good Luck but don't beat yourself up if one of them randomly dies one day!

 

[gab_attack]

Keegster, yeah I'm keeping to tropicals for now. This is my first larger tank, as I have two 5 gallons and used to have a 10 gallon a few years ago.

I'm still thinking I'd like to keep with the larger school of neons, so I'm more looking for a centerpiece fish or two with color, which was why I was drawn to the rams. I wouldn't mind switching out the gourami/rams for something equally colorful though.

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[keegster803]

Well depending on the temperature the tank will be set to, and the amount of filtration. I was going to recommend a darter or two, as they are very colorful and are bottom dwellers. But they need well-oxygenated water, and require a powerhead.


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[gab_attack]

I have both an aquaclear 20 as well as a fluval 106 canister, so filtration isn't a problem. I was planning on a temp around 78 or so since most of the fish I was looking at seem to thrive around that temp, but I'd have more room for change if I keep away from rams. Would adding a powerhead cause too much movement that may bother other fish?

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