Stock My 20 Gallon

[nakomis90]

ok i have emptied the 20 gallon tank... i dont know what to stock in it... what would you suggest?

 

[Larissa]

I like your idea of rams - either blue or bolivian depending on your pH and nitrates. 2 groups of tetra species or one large shoal, a few hatchetfish or pencilfish and maybe some cories. It would be a nice south american theme.
You could do:
2 Rams
5 rummy nosed or any other tetra you like
5 neon tetras of any other tetra you like
5 cories or hatchetfish
3 otos
You can swap around the numbers and species depending on what you like.
Plant it with amozon sword and other plants of your choice, a nice piece of bogwood and some floating plants. It would be lovely.

 

[nakomis90]

I like your idea of rams - either blue or bolivian depending on your pH and nitrates. 2 groups of tetra species or one large shoal, a few hatchetfish or pencilfish and maybe some cories. It would be a nice south american theme.
You could do:
2 Rams
5 rummy nosed or any other tetra you like
5 neon tetras of any other tetra you like
5 cories or hatchetfish
3 otos
You can swap around the numbers and species depending on what you like.
Plant it with amozon sword and other plants of your choice, a nice piece of bogwood and some floating plants. It would be lovely.

Lol i keep trying to find other options, but i think its going to be the rams lol!
ive never seen a hatchet fish?
are they schooling fish?

 

[Larissa]

Yep, they are schooling fish. They are a bit delicate and are quite the jumpers so make sure you add them once the tank is a bit mature and keep a good lid on the tank. Also, they will stay right at the surface of the tank - so they are a good fish to add to get the best out of the entire water column if you know what I mean. Also, floating plants are a must with them. There is a profile of them under the species index - check out the marbled hatchetfish.

Edit:
As a bit more of an odball tank, you could make it a shelldweller tank and have it themed around Lake Tanganyika. You could have a group of shellies a pair of juliochromis (sp) and other small midwater Lake Tanganyika fish.

 

[nakomis90]

i may have too look into that the tanks been running for 4-5 years lol so nno probs with maturity...
even better that ther top swimmers well ill add them lastly...
will get the rams and plants this week... only 2 days yaaaaaaaaay

Yep, they are schooling fish. They are a bit delicate and are quite the jumpers so make sure you add them once the tank is a bit mature and keep a good lid on the tank. Also, they will stay right at the surface of the tank - so they are a good fish to add to get the best out of the entire water column if you know what I mean. Also, floating plants are a must with them. There is a profile of them under the species index - check out the marbled hatchetfish.

Edit:
As a bit more of an odball tank, you could make it a shelldweller tank and have it themed around Lake Tanganyika. You could have a group of shellies a pair of juliochromis (sp) and other small midwater Lake Tanganyika fish.

i dont like shell dwellers for some reason...

 

[Larissa]

Which rams are you going for - blue or bolivian. I'm sure you know that blues are a bit more delicate and need pristine water quality, low nitrates and water on the soft side, but just to double check. Bolivians are better if your water is on the hard side or if you are worried about how sensitive blues are.

 

[nakomis90]

Which rams are you going for - blue or bolivian. I'm sure you know that blues are a bit more delicate and need pristine water quality, low nitrates and water on the soft side, but just to double check. Bolivians are better if your water is on the hard side or if you are worried about how sensitive blues are.

Im attempting blues, but if bollivians are at pets at hme ill get them

 

[Larissa]

Either way, they are both gorgeous fish, full of personality! It will probably become your favorite tank!

 

[nakomis90]

lol well i have bettas..... i breed them...
and i was only wanting rams when i got them... hmm when get them do i get 2 that swimming together or just one male and one female?
or should i get 2 females?, one Bol one blue?

 

[Larissa]

Try to get a male and a female of the SAME species - don't mix rams in a 20g. Look for two of separate sexes that are swimming together and hopefully they will be a pair. Male blues are larger and females have redish bellies. If you go for bolivians, males have longer ends on their lyre-shapped tail, are larger and usually more colourful. Females tend to have visible ovispors. HTH. Good luck.
-Larissa

p.s. I am thinking I want a betta now...I'm being converted! lol.

 

[nakomis90]

eeek coluld be fun then... ill look when get there see wht is there and see if there is an obvious pair....
they do have some tiny tiny ones there 1cm maybe a 1 1/2 cm!
if i get them this youg will they pair up??

 

[Larissa]

Hopefully. Many people buy around 6 and let them pair up naturally then return the rest, but this isn't always possible - I'm not sure it is with your setup. I think if you get a young male and female that already seem to stick close to eachother they should pair up.

 

[nakomis90]

Hopefully. Many people buy around 6 and let them pair up naturally then return the rest, but this isn't always possible - I'm not sure it is with your setup. I think if you get a young male and female that already seem to stick close to eachother they should pair up.

cool ill trythat