Stocking Suggestions For My Long 20 Gallon Tank

[Durbkat]

Since some of you may know I recently moved all my fish from my 20g to my 55g and there doing great and for once the tetras are swimming all over the tank and they even come out with the light on and swim just like they were when the lights were out. So I want a new kind of fish I've never kept before for my 20g, so far I've kept black widow tetras and x-ray and red eye tetras and a pleco and corys but I want an active tank this time not a boring one like it used to be when the tetras just hid in the plants all day. Any suggestions, also I do know I'm getting a bristlenose pleco for it?

 

[Durbkat]

Anyone?

 

[love_fish]

Hmmm, maybe a smaller cichlid like a Bolivian or Blue Ram. Get some cories too, maybe a kind u havent kept yet. With that, maybe get some cherry barbs? What do you think?

 

[Durbkat]

When I get my 4 angels and 2 of them pair up and if they become to aggressive to the other angels or fish could I put the other 2 angels in the long 20g because someone I know has 2 angels in this size tank and they seem fine?

 

[sylvia]

A 20 gallon is not very large as you know so don't have too many high expectations.

Having said that, some of the simplest fish to keep are also the most active and colorful... I'd suggest a trio of platies, a trio of cherry barbs, 4 dwarf chained loaches, 1 male banded gourami (colisa fasciata) and 4 male endler's. That would deffinately be active and very colorful and would render your tank fully stocked. Planting the tank quite heavily would be agood diea as well as you'd have quite a few fish and they'll want to have hiding places/territories etc.

If you want more boisterous slightly larger, fish, perhaps a pair of bolivian rams, 5 praecox rainbowfish and a couple of female mollies would be better. (You have no idea how difficult it is for me to suggest a community tank without gouramies )

Or you could try something with lots of tiny fish. They'd be small but their number would mean there's always activity: 5 pygmy cories, a trio of honey gouramies, 7 spotted rasboras and 4 male endler's are what I would suggest.

If you'd like to try something completely different, try some neolamprologus/lamprologus multifasciatus shell-dwellers. they're tiny but worth it for their remarkable behaviours. You'll need to research them carefuly if you want them to do well as they have a few specific requirements.

There are plenty of other options. I'd suggest going to your LFS, taking note of any particularly active or interesting, but small, fish and coming back to research them and see if you could keep them.

edit: Don't attempt angels in a 20 long.

 

[Durbkat]

What about 5 congo tetras and a bristlenose pleco?

 

[sylvia]

Yep, you could do that - but won't be particularly active. Deffinately colorful though

 

[Durbkat]

Are danios active?

 

[bogwood]

My 20UKGal tank is almost cycled and I've been thinking of:

1M and 2F Dwarf Gourami
6 Glowlight Tetra
1 Bristlenose Catfish
6 Pygmy Cory

... and a Cherry Shrimp

I fancied some Sterba's Corys but lack of space made me go 'Pygmy'...

 

[Phillip.M]

Hmm a 20 gallon?

5 zebra danios
2 cories
5 tiger barbs (very nippy)
1-2 snails

Or if u wana breed fish

4 female guppies
3 male guppies
2 cories
^when time comes u'l get loads of fries.

 

[Durbkat]

Hey I never thought about barbs I may just get about 6 or 7 tiger barbs and a bristlenose pleco, would that be ok as far as room and stocking wise goes?

 

[fish_keeper2]

that would work.

btw phillip corries should be in groups over 3.


if you want active how about 5 danios, 5 tiger barbs and 5 corries. all areas of the tank covered and all these fish are pretty active.

 

[Durbkat]

But wouldn't the barbs nip the long fins of the danios and I thought that barbs had to be in a group of 6 or more so they will spread aggression through there own type and not other fish.

 

[MegTheFish]

I'm going to have to disagree with everyone here. You should be giving your other fish suitable homes before even thinking about adding more fish. At the moment, you have 3 red eyed tetras, 3 x-ray tetras, and 1 cory in your ten gallon which are all schooling/shoaling fish, and you have none of them in schools/shoals. You should get 3 more red eyed tetras, 3 more x-ray tetras, and 5 more cories for now, and play around with the stocking in your tanks. You could put 6 red eyed tetras, 6 x-ray tetras, and 6 cories in your 20 gallon, that would be a busy tank. Or you could keep one of the schools in your 10 gallon and have the rest in your 20 gallon, you have many options, I just think you should be taking care of the fish you already have before buying new ones.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Also, i wouldn't recomend tiger barbs in a 20 gal, even a 20 long. They are EXTREMELY Active, and need lots of swimming space. The minimum recomended tank size for them is a 30 gal (and trust me, they will use every gallon). I have heard rosy barbs are still active but not as active, so they might be suited for your 20 gal.

Hoenstly though, move your 10 gal occupants up to the 20, and how about something exotic, like maybe a dwarf puffer, for the 10? Make sure it is very well cycled, as i know they are very sensitive to bad water.