Anyone have some stocking ideas for a twenty gallon tank? [Archive]

PaperThick

12-08-2002, 5:35 PM

It is nearing the end of it's fishless cycle and my parents are starting to get into the fish buying mode. They don't fully understand the limitations of the tank though - and I'm fresh out of cool ways to stock a smaller tank like this.

They don't want Zebra Danios, Neon or Cardinal Tetras, or any Bettas. They would like to have a pair of Dwarf Gouramis though, so any ideas compatible with these fish would be great. Any and all input will be appreciated.

Thanks!

pinballqueen

12-08-2002, 6:05 PM

Hmmm.... I have had pretty good success with small mixed african cichlids with the bigger gouramis, but I don't think that would go too well, since I'm pretty sure Africans get bigger than dwarves....

I would definitely recommend a cleanup fish like a couple of cory cats (your folks will fall in love with them....), but as far as other fish (besides the ones you mentioned), I am fresh out of ideas. A couple of dwarf gouramis, a couple of cories, maybe a small-type pleco (5" full-grown and slow-growing, like a queen arabesque or something), would be all a tank that size really needs, I would think....

Anyone else have a suggestion? Maybe more than just one pair of gouramis in different color schemes?....

Good question, PT!

Jeremy S

12-08-2002, 6:10 PM

Some cory catfish, a couple of ghost shrimp, and maybe an African dwarf frog would all go well with the dwarf gouramis.

PaperThick

12-08-2002, 8:10 PM

Thanks for the suggestions thus far.

How about any ideas without a pair of Dwarf Gouramis? Does that broaden the scope of what can be done a bit?

Sum-X

12-08-2002, 8:19 PM

Having Dwarf Gouramis doesn't hurt the choice of tankmates... Especially seeing that D Gouramis are open water swimmers and usually leave anything else alone...

What I would suggest however, seeing that they want Dwarf gouramis is:

2 Dwarf Gouramis
4 Kuhli Loaches

Both are farely hardy fish and are good for beginners. Keep us informed, and good luck! ;)

You could even buy some Dwarf Cichlids such as Apistagramma or Kribensis... They're very neat too. Have fun! :D

SpunkyCadaver

12-09-2002, 12:40 AM

I agree with Panzer on the Khulies =) great fish but make sure to get a group of them. They tend to hide alot under rocks and such in my experience but if you provide enough plants (mine were fake) they will prop themselves in the plants.

I myself am re-stocking my 20G long as well. Currently has 6 Black Khulies (cant find the standard ones around here lately), 3 Cories and a pair of Hillstream loaches. I myself am looking for something else more open water (since stuff I have hugs the bottom or hides ;) and have been considering dwarf gouramis as well but any other suggestions here will be considered as well. Was going to start a thread on it but I'll let this one fly ;)

jdheff1982

12-09-2002, 3:17 AM

Yo! I am in the same boat!! When I was given my 20 gallon, I was told it was a 29 gallon. So I had the tank for like 6 months before realizing it was a 20 gal. (Made me very made!:mad: ) Anywho, thinking that it was a 29 gal, I was told that I could house to small firemouths; I bought them and they wouldn;t leave each other alone. So I boght a tank divider yesterday. I am thinking about either a pair of julies or maybe a pair of apistos of some sort to restock the tank with. As dither fish, maybe some zebra danios, or maybe a small tetra school of some sort!! I would really like to stick with the swarf or small cichld breeds if possible. (No more kribs!! I have 2 pairs as is!!) Any other ideas will be well noted!! Thanks!!

firetank

12-09-2002, 3:20 AM

african butterfly cichlid.....
maybe egyption mouth brooder??

both grow no larger that 3"

are very interesting fish...

Wippit Guud

12-09-2002, 5:25 AM

Instead of gouramis, could go with 4 dwarf rainbows. Only get to about 3in max and fairly active middle-top.

Pootspete

12-09-2002, 5:33 AM

How about Tiger and Rosy Barbs?

tyler

12-09-2002, 9:35 AM

silver: get a pair of german blue rams.

Sum-X

12-09-2002, 10:05 AM

Silver Shark:

2 German Blue Rams
6 pristella tetras

That's a good mix. ;)

val

12-09-2002, 10:16 AM

I'd stick with the Dwarf Gouramis, esp if it is your folks who are paying for the tank. I also like the Kuhlie loach idea as the bottom dweller. Why not 4 or 5 checker barbs, a really awesome fish, very hardy, subtle but distinct coloring so you can tell which are males and females (males have a reddish dorsal fin).

It always pays to keep those who are giving you the funding happy...

Val

jdheff1982

12-09-2002, 10:45 AM

How about a pair of julies or apistos? From the pics I have seen, they seem to be pretty neat looking fish.

PaperThick

12-09-2002, 10:37 PM

Thanks for all the great ideas.

In the end, however, my folks ended up doing their own **** thing...

10 Cardinal Tetras (I thought they didn't want these...heh!)
5 Gold Tetras
2 cats of some type...

Geez. Why they ended up not going the Dwarf Gourami route is beyond me. I'm not displeased with their choices however, and am prepared to exile a couple of Cardinals to my 90 gallon tank if need arises.

One last question, I would really like to know what these fish are called...

http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/1156985.jpg
http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/1156986.jpg
http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/1156987.jpg

Sorry for the crummy quality. The fact that he was so intent on hiding didn't help matters. :)

Serrateeth_2002

12-09-2002, 10:42 PM

That is an upside down catfish,these fishes don't know where gravity is,almost all synodontis swims upside down the the first few weeks when added to the tank,try butterfly fishes for a 20 gal but make sure the surface don't have active water movement

PaperThick

12-09-2002, 10:51 PM

Gosh, I hope this variety doesn't get too large. The LFS told my parents they stay roughly that size...

They sure as heck better...

PaperThick

12-09-2002, 11:02 PM

AHHH!!!!

If it's this variety, which I think it is..THEY ARE GOING BACK!

http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/s_acanthomias.htm

Can anyone confirm the exact type it is?

rjl420

12-09-2002, 11:31 PM

I'm 0-2 today, should I go for 0-3?

0-3, can't win em all ;)

I really can't tell with that pic, does it look like this?

pic removed for bandwidth

if so, it's a spotted corydoras. and they don't get large at all, in fact they are one of the smaller corydoras.

PaperThick

12-09-2002, 11:39 PM

Not really. Sadly. :(

It has a long moustache and several (three I think) feathery barbels.

I'm convinced it's one of these "upside down catfish" because they do swim upside down.

Freakin' LFS selling a Synodontis to a 20 gallon tank owner. Even the small ones grow to 5-7 inches. If it's the kind I think it is they will get to over a foot long. Morons.

Now to convince my Dad to take the bloody things back and get some CORY cats.

PaperThick

12-10-2002, 7:20 PM

Phew. After rigorous research I think they are Synodontis nigriventris ...

http://www.scotcat.com/mochokidae/nigriventris%20.htm

That would be a good thing.

PaperThick

12-10-2002, 7:26 PM

And I wish when I originally searched for "upsidedown catfish" as it was original identified as that I didn't get all sorts of weird results for many different catfish! Huge ones!

It appears this species has it as it's common name...finding it first would have been to simple. Argh.

Don't mind me, I love bickering to myself. :rolleyes:

ROLLIN

12-10-2002, 9:09 PM

Originally posted by PaperThick
Phew. After rigorous research I think they are Synodontis nigriventris ...

http://www.scotcat.com/mochokidae/nigriventris%20.htm

That would be a good thing.

You should get a few more of those if you have the room as they like to school.