What kind of schooling fish should i add to my 20g?

[RedJ]

so far i have
5x rio flame tetras
1x crown betta
4x amanoshrimp
2x nerite snails

 

[SeanTrollope]

okay so firstly you should not be keeping the betta with anything else except the snails and if you are careful the shrimps could work. secondly the tetras you have got in there are schooling fish.

also can you please give us your water parameters.

 

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF.

You will find that before we recommend fish, we like to know the water parameters; some fish need soft water, others hard, many can manage in the middle, depending.

I do agree the Betta would be best alone.

Byron.

 

[Karen_2656]

Hello welcome to Tropical Fish Forum!!

Sadly betta fish must go on their own in a tank. You could also have snails in there and maybe shrimp! We also need to know what your water parameters are before we can give you any ideas on fish!
~Karen


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[RedJ]

parameters
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ph 6.8-7
temp is usually 72 in the morning then 74-76 during the day
also had the betta for a week so far i see no aggression at all towards the fish or shrimp

 

[NickAu]

temp is usually 72 in the morning then 74-76 during the day

You need a heater.

Is the tank cycled?
Have you got a filter?
What water conditioner do you use?
How often are you changing water?
What sort of plants do you have
Can you post a photo of the tank?

 

[RedJ]

yes i have a filter the tank is cycled and i use top fin water conditioner also cant send a photo right now its 3:43 am lol

 

[RedJ]

for plants i have 3 amazon swords 2 java ferns and i think the other is called anubius 1 moss ball

 

[Byron]

parameters
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ph 6.8-7
temp is usually 72 in the morning then 74-76 during the day
also had the betta for a week so far i see no aggression at all towards the fish or shrimp

The Betta's behaviour can change literally overnight. All the fish are settling down still. This is really not at all fair to the fish. And there could be trouble now and you won't "see" it.

On parameters, we need the GH (general or total hardness).

 

[Karen_2656]

Congo tetras are a very active fish, they have to be in a school of 6-8, preferably 8-10! Here is a photo of the Congo tetra fish:

Hope this helps




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[Essjay]

20 gallons is too small for congo tetras. They need a 4 ft tank.

 

[Karen_2656]

20 gallons is too small for congo tetras. They need a 4 ft tank.

Oh, my fault. Some website said they need a minimum of 15g, thanks for fixing my mistake


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[Essjay]

Some websites contain a lot of rubbish. The two best ones (because they are written by fish experts rather than just people who keep fish) are Seriously Fish and FishBase, though the latter doesn't have much on how to keep them, just how big they get and what hardness & pH they need.

 

[RedJ]

i got my betta from aquarium co-op it was in a tank full of schooling fish atleast 20+ should i still be worried?

 

[Byron]

i got my betta from aquarium co-op it was in a tank full of schooling fish atleast 20+ should i still be worried?

I don't want to scare you, but when members ask questions or issues, we try to be honest and helpful.

Fish in store tanks are not usually in ideal conditions. The store expects (hopes anyway) that they will sell them quickly, as feeding and maintaining fish costs money. The conditions are generally not ideal due to lack of necessary aquascaping, too many fish, wrong mix of fish, deteriorating water conditions, inappropriate water parameters, or flow-through water from tank to tank to tank which is about as bad as it can ever get for a fish.

Fish housed under these conditions are not going to be at their best, and they will exhibit different behaviours and traits because they are under stress. Think of it as you being in a closed room full of people with no escape and constantly shouted at; that gets frustrating, frightening, stressful. The fish has no escape, so it usually withdraws.

Once it is home in a proper environment, it will hopefully begin to settle down and behave "normally" for its species. Fish traits, needs, behaviours, etc. are programmed into the species by evolution. We cannot change these, so to have healthy and "happy" fish we research the needs of a species and then provide the closest we can to what the fish "expects" in life. Anything contrary to this is cruel to the fish, and not likely to be successful. Sometimes an individual fish may behave contrary to the norm, for reasons we do not understand--but this is common with all species,including humans, so it should not surprise us. But expect the norm and provide for it, and you will be guaranteed of success.

Male betta are not community fish, and they should be housed alone. This will ensure they are free of most stress, and they will be healthier and live a normal lifespan. And another aspect of this is lifespan--fish that do not reach the norm for their species means something was wrong, genetically sometimes but more often with their environment. Stress can be unseen by us until it is too late. Have a read of Loiselle's comments in green in my signature block. The blue comment from Nathan Hill is also relevant, but Dr. Loiselle has years of fish husbandry as a professional ichthyologist.