Starting a new tank, need advice

[bungo]

So I have recently got a 20 (US) gallon 80 (UK) liter tank off eBay. I am fully aware of tank cycling and water hardness etc. According to my local water supplier, the water is soft, a more accurate number and pH will be given once I get the stuff I need from my local fish specialist.

In this 20 gallon tank I want to have a (planted) community tank. The fish that I want to have are as follows:
Dwarf pufferfish (1)
Kuhli loach (Dont know many I want)
upside down catfish (Dont know how many I want)

Can someone please give advice on whether these fish are compatible, some advice on some easy to get hold of plant for said tank, whether I should use the plants in cycling, and also the % water changes I would be expecting to do weekly. Finally, what would you suggest I do the fishless cycling with.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I don't recommend keeping puffers with anything in case they die and release toxins into the water or eat everything.

 

[Jessie J.]

Yes, don't put puffers with other fish; they are toxic and often pick fins of their tankmates. Kuhli loaches should be kept in groups of 8+, or else they will become very stressed. For the plants, try some java moss, java fern, anubias, and banana plants. They are very easy to care for. Are you planning on adding any other fish?

 

[Byron]

I concur with other members that the Puffer is not a community fish. In a 20g you could have a small group, but not with anything else. Snails are good though, as the Puffer excels at eating them, and snails will greatly aid the puffer's "beak" health. Puffers can be specialized feeders, and flake food is never a good idea, just so you know.

Kuhli loaches will need sand to burrow into, which is not a problem assuming you do not already have gravel. You mention plants, so do not use any so-called plant substrate as fish that dig or burrow will make this a real mess, not to mention other problems with ammonia. A group as has been mentioned, minimum five. If you do go with kuhlii, that will be it for substrate fish.

The upside down catfish will not work in this tank; attaining close to four inches, it needs a group and a 30-inch length tank minimum.

If you plant this tank first, you will not need to do any "cycle" as such, which is far simpler. Fast-growing plants, and here floating are the best, will handle any ammonia any fish can produce provided the tank is not seriously overstocked. I can detail this if asked.

You asked about water changes...50-65% of the tank volume, once each week. This will ensure more stable water quality, always important but especially so in smallish tanks.

 

[bungo]

Would 4 kuhli loaches have enough room in this tank?

Edit: I measured the tank wrong. Its actually 81 cm across and 110 litres

And if this community doesn't work can someone suggest a different one

 

[bungo]

I concur with other members that the Puffer is not a community fish. In a 20g you could have a small group, but not with anything else. Snails are good though, as the Puffer excels at eating them, and snails will greatly aid the puffer's "beak" health. Puffers can be specialized feeders, and flake food is never a good idea, just so you know.

Kuhli loaches will need sand to burrow into, which is not a problem assuming you do not already have gravel. You mention plants, so do not use any so-called plant substrate as fish that dig or burrow will make this a real mess, not to mention other problems with ammonia. A group as has been mentioned, minimum five. If you do go with kuhlii, that will be it for substrate fish.

The upside down catfish will not work in this tank; attaining close to four inches, it needs a group and a 30-inch length tank minimum.

If you plant this tank first, you will not need to do any "cycle" as such, which is far simpler. Fast-growing plants, and here floating are the best, will handle any ammonia any fish can produce provided the tank is not seriously overstocked. I can detail this if asked.

You asked about water changes...50-65% of the tank volume, once each week. This will ensure more stable water quality, always important but especially so in smallish tanks.

The tank is 30 inches, but would they have the room for other fish too?

 

[Byron]

Confirming the tank size first...this is now a 110 liter (29 gallon) aquarium, with a length of 30 inches. So a basic 29g. This is a nice size, I have two of them in my fish room and find them quite adaptable.

If you want kuhlii loaches, remember there must be sand for the substrate, and some chunks of wood so they can find hiding spots. A shoaling species so a group, five is minimum but you have space so a larger group is OK, but no fewer than five or six.

With this tank you could have a shoal of the upside down catfish, a group of five would be my aim. Here you need some surfaces they can get under, such as floating plants and lower plants with substantial leaves. Sword plants are good for this, along with floating. Or arrange some chunks of wood vertically with horizontal pieces, or branches. If you don't provide the right environment, the fish will be stressed and that means poor health and early demise. More info here:
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/synodontis-nigriventris/

I am going on the basis there is soft water, which your tests will confirm. There are many suitable tankmates here, have a look at the smallish tetras, rasboras, hatchetfish, pencilfish.

 

[bungo]

OK so apparently my local fish dealer has sold out of both of the above. Can someone recommend a tank based on this stock list
https://www.facebook.com/permalink....gNygk05zxwOlWJPtBPX1WyWq8LqONeSneA&__tn__=K-R

 

[Byron]

OK so apparently my local fish dealer has sold out of both of the above. Can someone recommend a tank based on this stock list
https/www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1019852948139259&id=882168165241072&__xts__[0]=68.ARCumgHV6Oygtz7pKeMG_5puITAwZ8XjC9laRCuAflMtcgUAaHw7cblScyqnnFidi-Auy-Jj_jj-iFdTl8mh3BQdzwtmjsLRhovpSa3NtgCAV5Rhr46CEIMKRrYHDjp5XDPnkUxSkQpv5wAU3FWwdD_C4QuH8neck5b2tZ_zNH2D2USFlYZRF-dLr4rq1hWUVQkYpWuWzniGdZ6n7dwSz5hkobai98GehkPqCvdfSq06FAX4WT7VQAzSLyHoVHzXyoduhx8Y02eR0mrsDn9UYQTbfdFEZanMZGxZ-uOFmK0x9LXdW-bYgNygk05zxwOlWJPtBPX1WyWq8LqONeSneA&__tn__=K-R

It would depend upon which fish from that long list you wanted. Many in that list would not be compatible with many others. Some have different water parameter needs, different temperaments, shoaling fish...You need to identify the species you would like.

 

[bungo]

It would depend upon which fish from that long list you wanted. Many in that list would not be compatible with many others. Some have different water parameter needs, different temperaments, shoaling fish...You need to identify the species you would like.

3 yoyos and a couple of Phallocerus Caudimaculatus ?

 

[Byron]

3 yoyos and a couple of Phallocerus Caudimaculatus ?

The Yo Yo Loaches (Botia almorhae) should be in a group of no less than five. Generally peaceful, but like all loaches (to some degree) they establish a social structure within the group and there will be some in-fighting though not damaging if the fish are maintained in a group of at least five and there are numerous hiding places in the aquarium (chunks of bogwood with crevices and tunnels is ideal). Long-finned upper fish should be avoided to prevent possible fin nipping. This fish would need a tank with a length of 4 feet (120 cm) or larger. The length/width is more important than volume because of the territorial issue.

Phallocerus Caudimaculatus is a species I have never come across locally, so I will refer you to this reliable data:
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/phalloceros-caudimaculatus/
The initial question concerned fish and tank size, so as it notes these fish will manage in a smaller tank, a group of three in the 20g would work. But not with the loaches obviously.