Looking For Suggestions About My Tank.

[catpants]

As a newbie I would like to say that I have learned a lot and am very thankful for all the information available here!
I have a 20 gallon set up with sand substrate, a piece of bog wood, a rock with holes in it and 3 plants of varying sizes. I also have a heater, 2 small aerators, and an over the side filtration system. My temperature stays between 75 and 80 and the levels are all reading safe on a regular basis.
My fish are:
1 peacock eel
4 ghost catfish
2 golden mickey mouse platties.
I am getting 2 more golden mickey mouse platties as I know these are community fish and will need companions.
My question is can I get another eel or is my tank too small to house two? I am currently "feeding" him but I have not seen him eat in the 3+ weeks that I have had it. I always feed the other fish first and drop the blood worms right on his head and turn out the lights and go to bed. He seems to be doing well so I am pretty sure he is eating.
I love my fish and would like to safely add more if possible. I am looking for advise on what I can add or even advise not to add any more if my tank is reaching its limit.
Thank you.

Here are some pictures!

 

[Glassman]

As a newbie I would like to say that I have learned a lot and am very thankful for all the information available here!
I have a 20 gallon set up with sand substrate, a piece of bog wood, a rock with holes in it and 3 plants of varying sizes. I also have a heater, 2 small aerators, and an over the side filtration system. My temperature stays between 75 and 80 and the levels are all reading safe on a regular basis.
My fish are:
1 peacock eel
4 ghost catfish
2 golden mickey mouse platties.
I am getting 2 more golden mickey mouse platties as I know these are community fish and will need companions.
My question is can I get another eel or is my tank too small to house two? I am currently "feeding" him but I have not seen him eat in the 3+ weeks that I have had it. I always feed the other fish first and drop the blood worms right on his head and turn out the lights and go to bed. He seems to be doing well so I am pretty sure he is eating.
I love my fish and would like to safely add more if possible. I am looking for advise on what I can add or even advise not to add any more if my tank is reaching its limit.
Thank you.

I am new to fish keeping also, but I was told 1" of fish per gallon of water.

 

[meguro]

Probably want 2 or so more catfish as they do best in groups of around 5-6+. The extra platies should be fine but I'd wait for more replies before adding any more after those 3-4 fish.

 

[catpants]

As a newbie I would like to say that I have learned a lot and am very thankful for all the information available here!
I have a 20 gallon set up with sand substrate, a piece of bog wood, a rock with holes in it and 3 plants of varying sizes. I also have a heater, 2 small aerators, and an over the side filtration system. My temperature stays between 75 and 80 and the levels are all reading safe on a regular basis.
My fish are:
1 peacock eel
4 ghost catfish
2 golden mickey mouse platties.
I am getting 2 more golden mickey mouse platties as I know these are community fish and will need companions.
My question is can I get another eel or is my tank too small to house two? I am currently "feeding" him but I have not seen him eat in the 3+ weeks that I have had it. I always feed the other fish first and drop the blood worms right on his head and turn out the lights and go to bed. He seems to be doing well so I am pretty sure he is eating.
I love my fish and would like to safely add more if possible. I am looking for advise on what I can add or even advise not to add any more if my tank is reaching its limit.
Thank you.

I am new to fish keeping also, but I was told 1" of fish per gallon of water.

Thank you for the response. I had always heard that too but after reading some things here I am learning that rule really depends on what fish you have. I have read that is a guideline told to new tank owners to try and prevent them from overcrowding their tanks. I have only about 12 inches of fish in my tank right now so by that 1 inch of fish per gallon rule I should be fine to add another 4-6 inch eel but I am unsure if that is true. They had 6 eels this size in a very small tank at the fish store but I have learned that they do not always do what is right for the fish.

 

[catpants]

Probably want 2 or so more catfish as they do best in groups of around 5-6+. The extra platies should be fine but I'd wait for more replies before adding any more after those 3-4 fish.

Thank you, I will buy two more when I go back to the fish store then. I got 4 because that was all that was left in the tank when I went to buy them, I had intended to get 5.

 

[SwordtailLover]

That one inch per gallon rule is a general guide to follow, but remember that your fish will grow if fed and kept healthy. So I always try to figure out how many fish I can keep in the tank based on their full potential, that way if you were to say add clown loaches to the tank, and as they like to school, that would take up a rather large amount of fish that can be kept in the tank due to their big size as adults. Little things like that are what will get you in trouble, unless you are looking to get another, or larger fish tank in the future.

Your eel can grow to about 12 inches, which will be a huge fish in that little 20 gallon tank, and that is just one of your fish. I'm sure it'll take him/her a while to grow to that size, but remember their potentials. : ) Good luck

 

[catpants]

That one inch per gallon rule is a general guide to follow, but remember that your fish will grow if fed and kept healthy. So I always try to figure out how many fish I can keep in the tank based on their full potential, that way if you were to say add clown loaches to the tank, and as they like to school, that would take up a rather large amount of fish that can be kept in the tank due to their big size as adults. Little things like that are what will get you in trouble, unless you are looking to get another, or larger fish tank in the future.

Your eel can grow to about 12 inches, which will be a huge fish in that little 20 gallon tank, and that is just one of your fish. I'm sure it'll take him/her a while to grow to that size, but remember their potentials. : ) Good luck

Thank you for the great advice! I am absolutely loving fish keeping and I am surely going to get a bigger tank as soon as I can. The thing that is worrying me right now is that since getting my eel I have found out that they like to be in groups of 2 or 3 and I am worried that my eel will get stressed if I do not get it a buddy. I am also now starting to wonder if it is a one-stripe eel and not a peacock eel as the fish store said.

 

[Curiosity101]

If you can get a pic of the eel then I'm sure people will be able to help with the ID.

So far you have
4 Ghost Catfish (Also known as Glass catfish) = 12.6 inches fully grown
2 Platys + 2 more in future = 8 inches fully grown
Peacock Eel = 6 - 12 inches fully grown
From reading it seems to imply in home aquariums they often don't get past 6 inches. So long as it doesn't get past 6 inches it should be alright in your current sized tank. But if you want to get it a friend or too then an upgrade will be essential

Anyhoo, altogether you will have 26.6 inches of fish roughly. Which isn't a problem for the filter (this is what the 1" per gallon rule refers to, but it also only applies to small bodied fish). With your eel being a meat eater, and a bit chunkier than your average fish I would assume it will create a bit more waste than the 1" per gallon rule allows for.

As a new keeper I personally would only add one more glass catfish and the 2 platys you have planned. Stick to that, keep a close eye on water conditions and let your fish grow to near enough full size before you think of getting more. Unless you upgrade in the mean time, or start to over-filter the tank.

 

[catpants]

If you can get a pic of the eel then I'm sure people will be able to help with the ID.

So far you have
4 Ghost Catfish (Also known as Glass catfish) = 12.6 inches fully grown
2 Platys + 2 more in future = 8 inches fully grown
Peacock Eel = 6 - 12 inches fully grown
From reading it seems to imply in home aquariums they often don't get past 6 inches. So long as it doesn't get past 6 inches it should be alright in your current sized tank. But if you want to get it a friend or too then an upgrade will be essential

Anyhoo, altogether you will have 26.6 inches of fish roughly. Which isn't a problem for the filter (this is what the 1" per gallon rule refers to, but it also only applies to small bodied fish). With your eel being a meat eater, and a bit chunkier than your average fish I would assume it will create a bit more waste than the 1" per gallon rule allows for.

As a new keeper I personally would only add one more glass catfish and the 2 platys you have planned. Stick to that, keep a close eye on water conditions and let your fish grow to near enough full size before you think of getting more. Unless you upgrade in the mean time, or start to over-filter the tank.

Thank you! I will get a bigger tank and a couple more eels then because I love them! I am going to try to post some pictures here now.

 

[catpants]

Just an update, I added pictures to the original post!

 

[Curiosity101]

Definitely a peacock eel

 

[catpants]

Definitely a peacock eel

Thanks! That is what the fish store said but after reading some things here I learned that it can be very hard to identify them and that true peacock eels are not widely sold.

 

[SwordtailLover]

Ah, I had not read that they would only reach about a foot in length in the tanks. Sorry for perhaps providing false information there, thanks Curiosity : )

I hope everything is going well with your new fish, and your tank looks great! Keep up the good work! : )

 

[catpants]

Ah, I had not read that they would only reach about a foot in length in the tanks. Sorry for perhaps providing false information there, thanks Curiosity : )

I hope everything is going well with your new fish, and your tank looks great! Keep up the good work! : )

Thank you! My fish are all happy and healthy, my brother watched the house for me this weekend while we went camping and he really liked the fish, especially the eel. Now that I am sure he is well adapted I have to think of a name