Would This Be Overstocking?

[sotik]

I was looking around on the interweb and found a few different sites that gave different advice. Most seemed to go by the rule of one inch of fish per gallon of water, yet I have also seen sites that said if you are getting small fish that you should go one fish per one gallon of water.

I was thinking about getting a few different color of guppies, 3 each of yellow, sunrise, neon blue and fancy making that 12 guppies each. I have recently gotten 2 zebra danios to help with the cycle process of the tank and was wanting to get them buddies since they are a schooling fish so i was thinking of slowing adding in 2 danios at a time till i get a total of 8, and then when the tank has matured all the way, adding the guppies in later down the road till i get 12 making that a total of 20 fish.

So my question is, would 12 guppies and 8 danios in a 20 gallon tank be to much?


Also another question. Guppies are schooling fish, will they care that they are different colors, or will multi colored guppies school together?

 

[mystus]

Is your tank a 20 long or high, danios need space to swim around.

 

[sotik]

Is your tank a 20 long or high, danios need space to swim around.

I am not sure if it is high or long. The tank is 24"L 12"w 16"h so I would guess long but I could be wrong.

The danios I have now, though they are just two, have been doing laps non stop around the top of the tank and playing in the current of the filter. It is rather cute.

 

[mystus]

Well the guppies should be fine idk about the danios.
I think that might be a little overstocked but I haven't been good with guessing.
I would just say if you do get all thoughs fish do weekly water changes.

 

[sotik]

Thanks for the advice, I am thinking I might just do 6 danios instead of 8 to lower it down, or maybe just 5. I was wanting to get a few just so they could have a little school to go schooling in lol.

 

[arobinson1984]

Personally, I wouldnt put any danios in a tank less than 30 gallons as they are one of the most active fish you will find as you have already noticed lol and they require a lot of swimming space. I have 4 zebra danios in my 33 gal but wouldnt put anymore in it

Andy

 

[Truck]

its not long enough for danios...you want atleast a 3 footer with a 4 footer being preferable IMO

 

[sotik]

its not long enough for danios...you want atleast a 3 footer with a 4 footer being preferable IMO

hmm this is becoming quiet confusing lol. I was told that barbs and danios are the best fish to help with the cycle phase of a new tank however when I went down to the only pet store we have here the guy didn't have cherry barbs, just tigers and gold. I asked the guy if they would get along with the guppies and he told me that they are aggressive towards guppies and that i should get danios.

 

[Truck]

its not long enough for danios...you want atleast a 3 footer with a 4 footer being preferable IMO

hmm this is becoming quiet confusing lol. I was told that barbs and danios are the best fish to help with the cycle phase of a new tank however when I went down to the only pet store we have here the guy didn't have cherry barbs, just tigers and gold. I asked the guy if they would get along with the guppies and he told me that they are aggressive towards guppies and that i should get danios.

zebra danios can be just as bad...but theyre unsuitable for small tanks

 

[sotik]

its not long enough for danios...you want atleast a 3 footer with a 4 footer being preferable IMO

hmm this is becoming quiet confusing lol. I was told that barbs and danios are the best fish to help with the cycle phase of a new tank however when I went down to the only pet store we have here the guy didn't have cherry barbs, just tigers and gold. I asked the guy if they would get along with the guppies and he told me that they are aggressive towards guppies and that i should get danios.

zebra danios can be just as bad...but theyre unsuitable for small tanks

Alright, so shall I look into getting a larger tank or should I just let this one finish its cycle and leave these two in there and just add the guppies without getting more danios?

 

[Truck]

its not long enough for danios...you want atleast a 3 footer with a 4 footer being preferable IMO

hmm this is becoming quiet confusing lol. I was told that barbs and danios are the best fish to help with the cycle phase of a new tank however when I went down to the only pet store we have here the guy didn't have cherry barbs, just tigers and gold. I asked the guy if they would get along with the guppies and he told me that they are aggressive towards guppies and that i should get danios.

zebra danios can be just as bad...but theyre unsuitable for small tanks

Alright, so shall I look into getting a larger tank or should I just let this one finish its cycle and leave these two in there and just add the guppies without getting more danios?

upgrading the tank would be a smart move...i hope your doing water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite down

 

[sotik]

The tank is only a week old and the danios have only been in the tank for about 12 hours. They don't have that high of a ammonia output do they? I know goldfish have a horrible waste output... Would barbs do better in a 20 gallon tank versus the danios? I got the tank from walmart and it was $77, the other tank I wanted would have been $188 so that would take me some time to save up and after filling this tank up with fish I don't think I can take it back for my money back lol.