Stocking&scaping A 20 Gallon Hex Tank

[Channti]

So; as some of you may know, I aquired a 20 gallon hex tank a couple weeks ago. It's ALMOST clean (I got busy and it was put off to one side). I'm hoping to set it up running in January, start buying decor for it, and get the filter running on my 46 gallon to cycle.

As this tank has been sat on my bedroom floor, and I've been studying for exams, I've had a LOT of time to sit and stare at the tank, and therefore lots of time to ponder what the heck I'm going to do with it.

Here's the basic idea.

-small, smooth black gravel
-1 tall piece of malaysian driftwood (pref between 14" and 16")
-VERY low maintenance low-light plants (likely just Java Fern, Anubias, etc.) + Some kind of floating plant (Amazon Frogbit? Water Lettuce? Can't get floating plants til Pond season as it is..)
-lighting: 8 watt flourescent bulb (which hasn't been purchased yet)
-Filtration will likely be an AquaClear 50
-will need to buy a heater for it.

Because of the height of this tank, I imagine it will be VERY difficult to grow any "proper" plants.

Stocking: ... THIS is where I have big problems.

My 46 gallon has a young angelfish (She's about 2" in diameter) that is getting VERY nippy and harassing my loaches and african butterflyfish. I'd planned originally to rehome her, or donate her to my LFS, but this tank is plenty tall enough for her. The question is, will this tank be suitable for her?. If this is suitable....

-1 Angelfish
-5 Kuhli loach

--IF THERE'S ROOM.. possibly a small group of tetras.

How does this sound...?
Am I flying on a totally different track than I should be?

 

[Biulu]

Do you know the length of this tank?

 

[Biulu]

Ok, found it; almost 40 cms. I would put in a shoal of ember tetras. Have a look at ianho's thread for these fish. Very nice. You can easilty have around 10. And some small cories for the bottom is fine too.

Plantwise I would go with vallisnerias. Easy to take care off and they will grow up all the way of your tank. They will make a nice background.

 

[Carlovel1]

You could do this Channti:
1 Angelfish
8 Kuhli loach
6 Penguin Tetra

Carl

 

[Channti]

Ok, found it; almost 40 cms. I would put in a shoal of ember tetras. Have a look at ianho's thread for these fish. Very nice. You can easilty have around 10. And some small cories for the bottom is fine too.

Plantwise I would go with vallisnerias. Easy to take care off and they will grow up all the way of your tank. They will make a nice background.

I cannot, for the life of me, manage to keep vallis alive. I've killed $50 worth of the stuff in my attempts to keep it alive. My attempt to keep vallis in my 46 gallon resulted in me just dropping in plastic vallis. And in my 5 gallon and 15 gallon? I flushed the plant after it slowly deteriorated in the tank and then never grew back.

I've looked for Ember tetras in my area in the past. I think they're gorgeous, but it seems that I can't get them around here. My local LFS's look at me like I'm nuts, and the parents refuse to travel more than an hour from home. I've called every pet store within an hour of my house, no one seems to be able to stock them.

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My concern with stocking is that I tend to have a bad habit of overstocking a tank (though that works in my favour on my planted tanks). Because this tank will have very minimal plants, I don't want to end up putting TOO many fish into it, mainly because I've also heard that Hex tanks are a pain in the butt to clean.

 

[Fraoch]

Ok, found it; almost 40 cms. I would put in a shoal of ember tetras. Have a look at ianho's thread for these fish. Very nice. You can easilty have around 10. And some small cories for the bottom is fine too.

Plantwise I would go with vallisnerias. Easy to take care off and they will grow up all the way of your tank. They will make a nice background.

I cannot, for the life of me, manage to keep vallis alive. I've killed $50 worth of the stuff in my attempts to keep it alive. My attempt to keep vallis in my 46 gallon resulted in me just dropping in plastic vallis. And in my 5 gallon and 15 gallon? I flushed the plant after it slowly deteriorated in the tank and then never grew back.

i have had the same problem with vallis, every bit i have bought slowly turns brown and dies off.

 

[I Keep Fish]

angelfish in a 20gallon? they're an active fish and require long,deep tanks

 

[KittyKat]

I would advise against keeping the angel: I kept some in a much bigger tank and even then felt that they needed more space. This is what I would stock the tank with:

* 6 khuli loaches
* 6-10 schooling fish (depending on size)
* 1 dwarf gourami or a pair of honey gouramis

 

[Carlovel1]

If she's only 2", then a 20 gallon will be sufficient for most of her life. Later on, you can rehome her or get her a larger tank.

 

[Channti]

If she's only 2", then a 20 gallon will be sufficient for most of her life. Later on, you can rehome her or get her a larger tank.

2" is guessing on the generous side. I wouldn't even say she's as large as that in diameter.