20g looking ahead for stocking

[Chris1212]

Assuming I'm getting close to my fish in cycle being completed, I want to start thinking about stocking the rest of the tank and set up a quarantine tank.

20g, hard water, ph generally 7.8ish, temps 77-79 degrees fahrenheit. Lots of fake plants, short and tall and hiding spots. No real plants.

Currently have two happy male Platies and a male swordtail, all getting along.

Eventually we want to add a school (5-6) of glofish, either danio or tetras but I'd prefer to do that last so as not to overload a newly cycled tank.

I want to add a single or pair of bolivian ram next. I'd also like to have someone hanging out towards the bottom helping me a bit clean the tank. With the above, I probably won't have the room to do cory or kuhlis right? What about a few of the bigger shrimp? Do they need real plants or will my fake plants be ok?

Thanks

 

[Tobek28]

I haven't kept Bolivian Rams, but a breeding pairs can get quite territorial and 20 g might not be large enough with other active swimming fish. That would be my concern.

There is nothing wrong with keeping a fish only tank, you just need to ensure that you get enough filtration. Also keep up with tank maintenance/water changes, etc.

Sorry I can't be more help, but others could likely give more information for the specific fish and stocking.

 

[Chris1212]

Thanks. Seems like the norm for the "peaceful" cichlids. They also seem to be just fine with one male in a tank by himself, maybe not such striking colors but still a good addition.

 

[Koglin]

You have enough room for Cory's. Since you're wanting a small school of something else though, you should maybe pick between one or the other, group of Cory's or group of mid swimmers (and just make the school a little bigger, more the merrier!)

If you do just get a small school but don't make it a little bigger, you could maybe check out the otocinclus catfish, awesome algae eater. And since they only get a couple inches, are happy in just a small group of 3, you would still have a decent amount of stocking room left for a small school.

A school of 5 or 6 little neon tetras and 3 oto's, with your platys and swordtails (as long as I'm thinking of the right fish) you would be at capacity, if not slight over, good maintenance is key.

Unfortunately, you really should only add oto catfish to an established tank (as they need a lot of algae). So to get them, let your other fish nasty your tank up a bit (don't worry the oto's will clean the algae/bio film right up). Maybe get the little school first so they can help.

This way the oto's have an established food source right when they get in there (you should also supplement with algae wafers etc., especially if your tanks algae growth isn't sufficient to keep them fat and happy)

I also am a big fan of nerite snails, but I get the feeling you're leaning more towards fish =P

 

[Chris1212]

Thanks for the info. I actually think I'm going to get a few Amano shrimp first. There's not a lot of algae yet but there is some - my P2 Platies love scouring the tank, picking at little bits here and there. I'll supplement for the shrimp with the algae wafers.

I don't think there's enough tank for eventually two schools right? Or are you saying there is? Kids definitely want the school of glofish so that's a definite eventually. I think they look cool too.

 

[Wills]

If you have hard water the Rams and Cories are probaly not the best idea. Do you know how hard your water is?

If you go for the Glo fish the danios would be the better choice

Wills

 

[Koglin]

I would just stick with 1 school if you're gonna do some shrimp for cleanup