20g tank stock

[april_fish]

Hi everyone! Thank you to anyone taking the time to read this thread. I have two 20g tanks a long and a tall. I would like to get some help stocking them. I have an idea of what I want, but I just want to make sure it would work.

Tall:
7 skirt tetras
8 neon tetras
2 nerite snails
3 cory cats?

Long:
3 guppies
3 platies
1 DG
8 black neon tetras, or bloodfin tetras
2 ghost shrimp
3 cory cats?

Would these work out? I also have a 10g with a betta and a mystery snail. Would I be able to turn it into a community tank?
Thanks!

 

[Munroco]

The livebearers prefer harder water than tetras and corries. More corries would also be better, ie 6 per tank. I don't know what a DG is . A lot depends on your water parameters as to which fish would be best suited. I don't have much experience of bettas but there is probably a good reason most are kept on their own.

 

[Munroco]

I worked it out, Dwarf Gourami

 

[Byron]

There are some issues in your proposed stocking for both tanks. As Munroco noted, we need to know your source water parameters (GH, KH, pH) which you should be able to ascertain from the water authority if you are on municipal water, check their website.

As mentioned by Munroco, cories need a larger group. Five is minimum, but the more the better, as this is a highly social fish and the more there are the healthier. And Betta are not community fish, so don't risk upsetting things.

Now, to the other mentioned fish, leaving the water parameter issue for the moment. Skirt tetras need larger quarters, as they are not really "small" and they need a group and like to swim more than some tetras. But they are also not well mannered; they can be nippy of fins of slower fish. I would forget these in either tank; at minimum a 3-foot tank length would be advisable.

Dwarf gourami are a risk, health wise. They are known to carry the iridovirus, which is not treatable. I would only acquire this species if you can get them direct from a reliable breeder. The Honey Gourami is much better.

Bloodfin tetras are another species that tends to be nippy of fins. I would not include this species, unless you have them as the sole species in the tank, with a group of cories perhaps.

Byron.