How should I stock a 20gal freshwater tank?

Question

I'm look into getting a 20gal freshwater fish tank. I am looking for some ideas for the best way to stock it. What type of fish work well together and how many can I put in.

Thanks

Answer 1

First, decide if you want a goldfish tank, or a tropical tank. I'd suggest Tropical because they are cleaner and are more abundant and have many beautiful varieties.

If you choose goldfish, you'll need a filter, an air pump and decor. And you'll only be able to get about 2-3 goldfish since they are big and dirty.

If you choose tropical fish, you'll need a filter, heater, an air pump and decor. As for stocking it, I'd start out with Zebra Danios, and get about 6. Then you can stock it with some Mollies, Platies, Swordtails or guppies. Or if you like the little schooling fish, go with tetras instead of guppies.

I'd recommend looking at this website for compatibility and different species. Do some research and you'll be fine.

www.liveaquaria.com

*Additional*- If you are a begginer, DO NOT enter the realm of live plants, as they can be a pain in the butt. Get gentle feeling fake decor. Gravel needs to cover  about 1 and 1/2 of the bottom of the tank. And look up some things on cycling your tank as that is the key to fish survival. Always use tap water conditioner as well.

Answer 2

You'll definitely want to put small fish in there, not baby fish, I mean small fish. You have to make sure you don't buy fish that start out small, but then end up becoming too large for your tank. I would suggest buying fish that do not grow over 3 inches. Examples of fish like these are dwarf gouramies, harlequin rasboras, tetras, guppies, platies, danios, etc. Just do some research online and ask the fish store owners which fish don't grow over 3 inches. Also keep in mind that with a tank that size, you can not have any aggressive type fish like cichlids since there would be no room for your fish to swim away if any of your fish gets picked on. You want nice community fish for a tank like that. Fortunately there are a lot of fish that are wonderful to keep that would thrive in a tank like yours, including the ones that I mentioned. Google community fish to help you with your research. Make sure you get healthy hardy fish without ich as well, as ich will spread rapidly in a tank like that. Also, make sure you put a couple of hiding places just in case you have a few shy fish. Finally, make sure you do not buy too many fish, especially in the beginning as your tank needs to slowly build up an establishment of beneficial bacteria in order to fight off the poisons that come from the fish waste. Follow the 1 inch per gallon rule and you'll be fine, but start off with just a few fish and slowly add a few more every couple of weeks without breaking the rule. Good Luck on your new fish and remember, the happier your fish are, the happier they'll make you!

Answer 3

Good fish are dwarf cichlids. Like kribensis. If you give a pair of kribensis a pot to lay eggs in, they will. They also protect there fry, so they can be raised in a community tank! SO cool!! I also love dwarf gouramis! A male dwarf gourami in that tank would be so pretty, along with a school of neon or cardinal tetras...wow.

So my suggestions is.

1 dwarf gourami.

1 pair of breeding kribensis

10 Neon or cardinal tetras

And if the bottom looks bare to you, try adding 5 cory cats, after the corys the tank will be full tho. Make sure to cycle it.

Here is ow to cycle a tank- http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php

God luck with your fish!

Answer 4

i have a 20 gallon high tank, and i have (1 paradise fish, 1 swordtail, 3 blackskirt tetras, 1 cherry barb, 1 sunburst glofish, 1 raphael catfish, and 5 neon tetras) their schools used to be larger but some have passed away. if you are gettin a 20 gallon tank, i would suggest the 20 long, it appears to be much larger than a 20 high(even thow the gallon amount is the same), and gives your fish more room to swim and roam around. You have a ton of options, just make sure you stick to small-medium sized tropical fish. try to occupy all three levels of the tank (upper, middle, and lower), which bottom feeders (low), hatchet fish or labrynth fish -which are air breathers-  or danios of any kind , for the top), and tetras and various other fish for the middle section. you want to keep all sections balanecd to give your tank a better look. good luck with it....

Answer 5

Hardy" and "Undemanding" are good words to describe Bala Sharks, but it may take a while for them to get comfortable in a new tank, during which care should be taken so they don't jump out. They're among the best-humored fish you can get. Everything seems always fine to them, no matter where you want to set your water parameters or what you want to feed them. More than that, they're totally non-aggressive and very active, spending most of the time searching the entire tank for bits of food. They get pretty BIG though, and only feel secure in groups, so a large tank is recommended (500 L or more). They're the type of fish that concerned aquarists should resist the urge of having until they can actually care for them in the long run. My 3 balas took only a year to outgrow a 100x50 cm tank, they started becoming uncomfortable, often freaking out and hurting themselves on the glass and decoration. Moved to a 150x60 cm tank, they calmed down again and in 3 years had reached about 25 cm, with perfect bodies and huge fins (see photo). Unfortunately I lost the trio in an accident in this tank. Breeding in home aquariums is practically impossible, since in nature the couple will dart off side by side bumping their bodies on each other as the female spreads the eggs and the males fertilize them. I've seen mine rehearse the body-bumping dance, but it doesn't go beyond that...the tank would have to be a good 10 meters long for them to pick up the necessary speed and do it right.

Answer 6

hi and i would love to help you! =]

1) you need 2" of gravel from the bottom, sloping from the back of the tank to the front, so the waste collects at the front.

2) an air line to go into your tank, for Oxygen.

3) you need a filter to hang on the glass, unless it it has and undergravel filter

4) you need ornaments so fish and hide behind them

5) you need real aquatic plants

6) you need water dechlorinator

7) THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN YOU HAVE DONE THIS, LEAVE YOU TANK RUNING FOR 2 WEEKS FOR THE 'CYCLE OF AMONIA, NITRITE, NITRATE, AND OTHER CHEMICALS TO GO ROUND'