20 gal long stocking

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF. I see you are a fellow Canadian.

Other members asked for your water parameters, and this is essential before you get any of the fish mentioned. The GH (general hardness) is the most important parameter, followed by pH. {Temperature is also a parameter but that you can easily control; the GH and pH of your source (tap) water is what you/we need to have numbers for.

The Green Neon (Parachierodon simulans) in particular is a very sensitive fish and will not tolerate inappropriate parameters for very long. And you are not overstocked per say, but there are some other issues to be sorted out once we know the parameters so we have a better idea going forward.

 

[utahfish]

I tend to under stock in my tank instead of over stock because doing so tends to lead to less issues down the line.
The stock you are purposing is right at the limit to over stocked.
Now i know the inch per gallon rule is a swear word around here but with the species you are suggesting the inch per gallon rule can come in handy as a basic measurement, all the species youve suggested are suitable for the size tank you have.
With 6 khuli loaches lets say thats 6 inch of fish even though theyre longer than an inch each their bodies are very narrow. 8 green neon is another 8 inches bringing it to 14 inches another 8 inches for the cherry barbs brings it to 22 inches then lets say 3 inches for each gourami makes 9 bringing your total to 31 inches of fish which would be 11 inches of fish over the suggested limit. Which will potentially create more ammonia than your biological filter can break down leading to higher nitrates which can be detrimental to your fish and also lead to algae on live plants. So expect to really keep up on water changes.
Having said that if you get cherry barbs the suggested ratio is 2 females for every male. Males compete for females and if there arent at least 2 females per male the dominant male will kill the other male for control of the females. I usually go 3 females for every male but if you wanted 8 cherry barbs the ratio would be have to be either 2 males and 4 females making 6 total or 3 males and 6 females making 9 total. Which would add 1 more inch to your load.
8 neons is a good size shoal the more the merrier within reason.
As for gouramis id only keep one. Gouramis are territorial and a 20 gallon really isnt a big enough area for them all to establish territories. Id go with just one gourami which wont just limit aggression and stress but will also shave about 6 inches if fish off your load bringing the total of inch if fish closer to an ideal stocking level.
8 green neons= 8 inches approx.
6 khulis= 6 inches approx.
9 cherry barbs=9 inches approx
1 dwarf gourami= 3 inches approx.
Which is 26 inches of fish which technically is still over but a bit more manageable.good luck!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I tend to under stock in my tank instead of over stock because doing so tends to lead to less issues down the line.
The stock you are purposing is right at the limit to over stocked.
Now i know the inch per gallon rule is a swear word around here but with the species you are suggesting the inch per gallon rule can come in handy as a basic measurement, all the species youve suggested are suitable for the size tank you have.
With 6 khuli loaches lets say thats 6 inch of fish even though theyre longer than an inch each their bodies are very narrow. 8 green neon is another 8 inches bringing it to 14 inches another 8 inches for the cherry barbs brings it to 22 inches then lets say 3 inches for each gourami makes 9 bringing your total to 31 inches of fish which would be 11 inches of fish over the suggested limit. Which will potentially create more ammonia than your biological filter can break down leading to higher nitrates which can be detrimental to your fish and also lead to algae on live plants. So expect to really keep up on water changes.
Having said that if you get cherry barbs the suggested ratio is 2 females for every male. Males compete for females and if there arent at least 2 females per male the dominant male will kill the other male for control of the females. I usually go 3 females for every male but if you wanted 8 cherry barbs the ratio would be have to be either 2 males and 4 females making 6 total or 3 males and 6 females making 9 total. Which would add 1 more inch to your load.
8 neons is a good size shoal the more the merrier within reason.
As for gouramis id only keep one. Gouramis are territorial and a 20 gallon really isnt a big enough area for them all to establish territories. Id go with just one gourami which wont just limit aggression and stress but will also shave about 6 inches if fish off your load bringing the total of inch if fish closer to an ideal stocking level.
8 green neons= 8 inches approx.
6 khulis= 6 inches approx.
9 cherry barbs=9 inches approx
1 dwarf gourami= 3 inches approx.
Which is 26 inches of fish which technically is still over but a bit more manageable.good luck!

I agree it’s much better to under stock than to over stock.

 

[puppyfoxcat]

I tend to under stock in my tank instead of over stock because doing so tends to lead to less issues down the line.
The stock you are purposing is right at the limit to over stocked.
Now i know the inch per gallon rule is a swear word around here but with the species you are suggesting the inch per gallon rule can come in handy as a basic measurement, all the species youve suggested are suitable for the size tank you have.
With 6 khuli loaches lets say thats 6 inch of fish even though theyre longer than an inch each their bodies are very narrow. 8 green neon is another 8 inches bringing it to 14 inches another 8 inches for the cherry barbs brings it to 22 inches then lets say 3 inches for each gourami makes 9 bringing your total to 31 inches of fish which would be 11 inches of fish over the suggested limit. Which will potentially create more ammonia than your biological filter can break down leading to higher nitrates which can be detrimental to your fish and also lead to algae on live plants. So expect to really keep up on water changes.
Having said that if you get cherry barbs the suggested ratio is 2 females for every male. Males compete for females and if there arent at least 2 females per male the dominant male will kill the other male for control of the females. I usually go 3 females for every male but if you wanted 8 cherry barbs the ratio would be have to be either 2 males and 4 females making 6 total or 3 males and 6 females making 9 total. Which would add 1 more inch to your load.
8 neons is a good size shoal the more the merrier within reason.
As for gouramis id only keep one. Gouramis are territorial and a 20 gallon really isnt a big enough area for them all to establish territories. Id go with just one gourami which wont just limit aggression and stress but will also shave about 6 inches if fish off your load bringing the total of inch if fish closer to an ideal stocking level.
8 green neons= 8 inches approx.
6 khulis= 6 inches approx.
9 cherry barbs=9 inches approx
1 dwarf gourami= 3 inches approx.
Which is 26 inches of fish which technically is still over but a bit more manageable.good luck!

Wow, thanks for all the info! I’m thinking I’ll either get just the cherry barbs or just the tetras. Any opinions on which is better?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Wow, thanks for all the info! I’m thinking I’ll either get just the cherry barbs or just the tetras. Any opinions on which is better?

I tend to like tetras better, because they are more active. But I hear Barbs have more personally.

 

[utahfish]

Wow, thanks for all the info! I’m thinking I’ll either get just the cherry barbs or just the tetras. Any opinions on which is better?

Personally i like tetras because i dont have to worry about female to male ratios. For example lets say one of your female barbs die, all the sudden ratio is off one of the males gets aggressive and starts pushing the others around it just makes for a mess id rather avoid. Where as a tetra dies that sucks but im not going to have to worry about maintaining ratios. Having said that cherry barbs are pretty hardy fish where as tetras can be a little sensitive.

 

[AquaBarb]

I tend to like tetras better, because they are more active. But I hear Barbs have more personally.

Id love to find a Tetra more active than my barbs

 

[AquaBarb]

Wow, thanks for all the info! I’m thinking I’ll either get just the cherry barbs or just the tetras. Any opinions on which is better?

Not really one better than the other. Its just a case of what you like and would prefer in your tank. I have both Tetra and Barbs. Tetra are more sedate, chilled out fish while the barbs are more active and certainly more hardy (Cherrys are the exception tho for me, they are more chilled like Tetra's so they are a really good option)

You have more choice with Tetra's with soft water and are more suited to smaller tanks than barbs imo

 

[Retired Viking]

I tend to under stock in my tank instead of over stock because doing so tends to lead to less issues down the line.
The stock you are purposing is right at the limit to over stocked.
Now i know the inch per gallon rule is a swear word around here but with the species you are suggesting the inch per gallon rule can come in handy as a basic measurement, all the species youve suggested are suitable for the size tank you have.
With 6 khuli loaches lets say thats 6 inch of fish even though theyre longer than an inch each their bodies are very narrow. 8 green neon is another 8 inches bringing it to 14 inches another 8 inches for the cherry barbs brings it to 22 inches then lets say 3 inches for each gourami makes 9 bringing your total to 31 inches of fish which would be 11 inches of fish over the suggested limit. Which will potentially create more ammonia than your biological filter can break down leading to higher nitrates which can be detrimental to your fish and also lead to algae on live plants. So expect to really keep up on water changes.
Having said that if you get cherry barbs the suggested ratio is 2 females for every male. Males compete for females and if there arent at least 2 females per male the dominant male will kill the other male for control of the females. I usually go 3 females for every male but if you wanted 8 cherry barbs the ratio would be have to be either 2 males and 4 females making 6 total or 3 males and 6 females making 9 total. Which would add 1 more inch to your load.
8 neons is a good size shoal the more the merrier within reason.
As for gouramis id only keep one. Gouramis are territorial and a 20 gallon really isnt a big enough area for them all to establish territories. Id go with just one gourami which wont just limit aggression and stress but will also shave about 6 inches if fish off your load bringing the total of inch if fish closer to an ideal stocking level.
8 green neons= 8 inches approx.
6 khulis= 6 inches approx.
9 cherry barbs=9 inches approx
1 dwarf gourami= 3 inches approx.
Which is 26 inches of fish which technically is still over but a bit more manageable.good luck!

I also try to be under stocked in all my tanks. Reduces the stress for the fish but there are times I am tempted to buy more fish like everytime I walk into the LFS It can be very stressful but I overcome it by buying a plant instead.

 

[utahfish]

I also try to be under stocked in all my tanks. Reduces the stress for the fish but there are times I am tempted to buy more fish like everytime I walk into the LFS It can be very stressful but I overcome it by buying a plant instead.

Thats a good way to avoid buying fish im gonna have to try that