STOCKING A 15 GALLON TANK

[happyadd]

Any advise on what I want to keep in my tank when it finally cycles.
Its 15 US Gallon Hexagonal tank with external filter.

4 Neons maybe danios (heard neons are likely to get eaten)
1 Angel
2 Rams/Keyholes
1 Bottom Feeder.

Is that OKAY, or will it be a little overcrowded?

 

[JamesTasker]

It will be a bit oercrowded. I would say that the tank is too small for an angel fish, perhaps a few more neons would make a nice setup.

 

[aloaring]

It will be too small for keyholes and the angel i'm afraid, theey may look small in the shops but both these fish grow pretty big. I would get the neons, pair of german rams should be okay and they a pair of small loaches. (like the chain loach)

 

[paulthegreat]

The general rule is one inch of fish per gallon. If you are careful you can go over that but I would wait untill the system has matured for about four to six months. Angel fish should be kept in larger deeper tanks and can get up to six inches. A few more tetras or Zebra Danios would be a good fit. Do not get a pleco for the bottom feeder.(mine is starting to out grow my 112liter (29gal))HTH

 

[happyadd]

What about a siamesse fighting fish, I think some people refer to them as Bettas instead of the angel?

I want a single fish that will really stand out!

 

[paulthegreat]

I think a single Betta would be okay but not sure about the other fish being fin nippers or not. Check with the good people on the betta forum to be safe.

 

[sylvia]

Don't get danios first of all because they need more room to swim.
Keyholes and angels get too big for a hexagonal 15 gallon.

If you want a fish that'll stand out and do well in your tank, go for a gourami - a (male - brighter colors - colisa lalia) dwarf would work (but they can be fragile and are the smallest) or a banded gourami (colisa fasciata) or a thick-lipped gourami (colisa labiosa) or a pearl gourami (trichogaster leeri) or possibly an opaline, three-spot or golden gourami (trichogaster trichopterus) provided the tankmates are suitable.

I would personaly go for either colisa fasciata or colisa labiosa in this instance as both get to about 3", will not be aggressive towards tank-mates, are relatively hardy fish and are very colorful. You could combine this fish with a pair of rams, 6 or so neons and a couple of small loaches such as botia histrionica (gold zebra loach) which gets to 2.5" or maybe a couple of otos which would also take care of algae and grow to 2". Pygmy cory cats also stay small but they aren't realy bottom-dwelling. A small plec you could get in place of a couple of loaches/otos would be a bristlenose as these get to about 4".

 

[FrAnK3333]

Personally in a 15 gallon I wouldnt put a pair of rams, but you could try it.