The Ever Dreaded Question

[MAM]

alright, i know everyone hates this question, but i had to bring myself to ask it finally.

here's the deal: i have 20 gal fw tank that i want to change up a bit. now i'd really like to go down to just one tank for now, and i want to keep about 4 fish from the current tank. so i've been hemming and hawing about it. i could take those 4 fish (3 botia striata, 1 bn plec), and house them in a spare tank, not a problem, and go with bw fish (puffers namely). but this doesn't help, it actually creates more issues. i'd like to limit my maintenance due to being very busy. but a bw tank means more work, plus having a second fw tank...................... but i just can't completely tear myself away from the idea of bw puffers. okay, so i COULD go with asellus (fw puffers), the lfs finally has some in stock. but i'm not sure thats what i really want either (i spent a half hour last night in the lfs alternating between the asellus tank and the figure 8 tank......................)

so this is what i'm asking of you lovely TFF folks. i want you to list what YOU would put in a 20 gal (regular, not a long) if you had a spare one about, freshwater or brackish, but no marine. maybe someone will list something that sparks my interest and will help me make up my crazy little mind

thanks all!

 

[Fiddlesticks]

If my 20 gallon was not currently occupied, I would be at the lfs getting some kribs or rams right now instead of typing. I have really started too like those cute little guys. But I just cant fit them in at the moment, so I will have to wait.

 

[Dwarfs]

I would have...6 dwarf puffers and a Bnose OR 4 leaf fish and a constant food supply (large livebearers making babies but not getting eaten )OR a small community (tetras, rams, badis , gouramis ETC)

 

[parker313]

I would probably start a Lake Tanganyika shellie community....

...or dwarf puffers...

...or more rams or kribs...

 

[modernhamlet]

For a 20g tall that already houses 1 bn plec and 3 botia striata, I would put 1 large school of something active and fun. Maybe 8 tiger barbs, Blue danio (kerri), or my personal favorites, Harlequin Rasboras.

Doubt that will drag you away from puffers, but you asked!

 

[MAM]

hmmm, interesting ideas so far.................. keep 'em coming!!!

tiger barbs or kribs actually were what i was originally going to go with when i first set up the 20.............. maybe its a sign.......................

 

[David]

I'd get a malawi african cichlid tank with some malawi gold, pseudotropheus zebra, and maybe some yellow labs (small ones). Alternately, if you want to oddball it, I'd get an african butterflyfish. For a community I'd get 2 angels, a pair of dwarf gouramis and some cories for the bottom, and some platies for an occasional live food snack (the fry, not the parents)

 

[shrimpster97]

If my 20 gallon was not currently occupied, I would be at the lfs getting some kribs or rams right now instead of typing. I have really started too like those cute little guys. But I just cant fit them in at the moment, so I will have to wait.

hehe, Rams are my favorite fish, my LFS doesnt have very good looking rams. but once i got them and after acouple of weeks in my aqaurium their colors came out more because they were more comfortable.

 

[parker313]

hmmm, interesting ideas so far.................. keep 'em coming!!!

tiger barbs or kribs actually were what i was originally going to go with when i first set up the 20.............. maybe its a sign.......................

Yeah, a big school of tiger barbs would look awesome