View Full Version : whats the biggest meanst fish i can but in a 20 gal???
deathspike63
07-15-2003, 8:18 PM
whats the bigest meanest fish i can put in a 20 gallon????
ROLLIN
07-15-2003, 8:34 PM
20 long or tall? If its long, Id say a convict. If its tall, Id say a convict too, unless you got a male and it was a brute the grew to 6 inches, then Id day you would need to upgrade.
DarthV
07-15-2003, 9:15 PM
I'd say convicts for cichlids... or you can try some exodons or a dwarf snakehead.
deathspike63
07-15-2003, 10:38 PM
convicts are not for me... anything else??
Dwarf pikes are pretty cool and eat very heartily, not exactly aggressive though. By that I mean don't expect to give them feeders.
DavidT
07-16-2003, 8:01 AM
Barracuda.
Surely you mean something other than the saltwater version. What is a fresh water barracuda? Do you have a link with some info? Sounds pretty cool.
DarthV
07-16-2003, 8:52 AM
Like I said before... a swarf snakehead would fit the bill... should get to 7-8" long and mean. Take a look at channa gachua or channa orientalis.
peifc
07-16-2003, 12:03 PM
I heard from some said that Salvini can get aggressive too.
optix
07-16-2003, 12:25 PM
Salvinis can also reach up to 8" :D Certainly to big for a 20 gallon
dave76
07-16-2003, 12:26 PM
please do not give faulty advice, a "freshwater barricuda" http://www.mongabay.com/fish/acestrorhynchus.htm would not go well at all in a 20 gallon aquarium.
Molino
07-16-2003, 12:32 PM
I looked up some info on the channa gachua and channa orientalis DarthV suggested. These fish sound very interesting. If I had a spare tank I would consider them myself.
nolemite
07-16-2003, 12:50 PM
Originally posted by DarthV
Like I said before... a swarf snakehead would fit the bill... should get to 7-8" long and mean. Take a look at channa gachua or channa orientalis.
Fine, but in a 20 gallon? Seems a little undersized to me.
peifc
07-16-2003, 12:57 PM
Originally posted by optix
Salvinis can also reach up to 8" :D Certainly to big for a 20 gallon
Oh...really?! Shot...I've been lied to :D Some told me they reach to 6" other said 7". Well...in that case, maybe I can have one in my tank since it gets that big....hehehe
You know...maybe he should consider getting African Cichlid. Some of them are aggressive and they are small enough to fit in 20 gallons tank. Tilapia Aurata is aggressive.
Originally posted by peifc
Oh...really?! Shot...I've been lied to :D Some told me they reach to 6" other said 7". Well...in that case, maybe I can have one in my tank since it gets that big....hehehe
Actually thats about the size they will reach, 8" is the biggest I've ever heard of. But still 6" is too big for a 20 gallon. If it were to reach 8" that would be insane to keep in a 20 gallon.
That's why I mentioned on the following post maybe deathspike63 should get African Cichlid. They are relatively small. Tilapia Aurata is one mean little fellow.
Mystroe_TheMyst
07-16-2003, 11:42 PM
Talapia....man those fish have ruined our dam's and water ways....they are highly adaptable and go around terrorising the other fish, digging up the substrate.....my uncle has a few in his tank and they are pretty beastie...though they are a muddy colour..and are Illegal to release into the water ways..but they grow quite large my uncles talapia is about 6-7" now it is a dark blue colour. but they should go to badly in a 20gal I guess, I always thought that fish only grew as big as the tank lets them to...and that if its too smalll it reduces there life span....
Cypherman
07-16-2003, 11:58 PM
Try jewel cichlids....Same size and attitude as cons but much more colorful.
oscarlvr
07-17-2003, 9:44 AM
how bour a couple pair of brevis, man there mean little suckers when they spawn, and with those little teeth sticking out they look real mean
DavidT
07-17-2003, 10:02 AM
Originally posted by dave76
please do not give faulty advice, a "freshwater barricuda" http://www.mongabay.com/fish/acestrorhynchus.htm would not go well at all in a 20 gallon aquarium.
I didn't give faulty advice, you could put a freshwater barracuda in a 20 gallon tank. The barracuda gets to about 12" long whilst the tank will be about 30" long so it will fit.
Nobody said they wanted the fish to be happy. They just asked what would fit!!
Deathspike63, do you actually care? I didn't get the impression that you did.
dave76
07-17-2003, 11:20 AM
Why buy a fish if you dont want it to survive? unless they are dithers or feeders I dont understand this line of thinking. If I asked what kind of agressive fish will go in a 20 gallon tank I would expect COMPATABLE answers. By your rationale a Pacu would go well in a 40 gallon. Oh wait, I bet you could put an umbee or a dovii in there as well......maybe I could put an arowana in my 55 gallon would this be ok?
So tell us DavidT what do you have in your 10 gallon?
DavidT
07-17-2003, 3:01 PM
Now we are getting to the point of my flippant answer. I should have added a ;)
Do we want fish to just survive or do we want them to thrive?
Dave76, the only thing I would put in a 10 gallon tank is a few fry.
Now in my 200 UK gallon tank I keep a selection of Malawi haps and peacocks.
:D :D
Cypherman
07-17-2003, 3:53 PM
Bah....Darn UK gallons....What is that, 20 US gallons?? :rolleyes: :D
dave76
07-17-2003, 4:07 PM
sorry about the flame, next time a ;) would be helpful :D. sorry I am such a smart a** :P
Biggest for a 20 gal?
Jewels is a good idea. their colors can be so beautiful.
Chipokees are pretty too, and can be mean. I don't think they get much past 4 or 5 inches. (not an expert, I have a couple and they aren't too big).Yellow and black colored.
Johannis are about the same. Pretty black and blue colors.
Just my .02
DavidT
07-18-2003, 3:48 AM
The problem with wanting aggressive fish to go in a small tank is that generally they are only aggressive towards other fish. But in a small tank you wouldn't want to put anything else in there as it would cause suffering and stress and IMO its cruel.
So what you get is a supposedly aggressive fish on its own looking decidedly wimpy.
If you want to keep cichlids for their interesting behaviour that is different. In a 20 gallon you could keep shellies or other small Lake Tangs (only a pair though) or you might just get away with a trio of smaller peacocks (1M/2F) or if you like mbuna then possibly 1M/3F pseudotropheus saulosi. As you can see I am an African fan.
Just had another thought, how about a pair of Kribensis or a pair of Blockheads.
HTH
David
dbcb314
07-18-2003, 11:55 AM
i have a red devil in my 20 gal, but its not full grown yet. when it grows ill probably get rid of it...
wishbobwouldlay
07-20-2003, 7:30 PM
hey dude_it's not about the biggest and baddest and meanest fish; you need to become more of a fishkeeper and take the animal's well being into mind. we as fishkeepers are stewards of the fish, not the masters; it's not about your ego, but should be all about the fishes well being and providing as close to as possible their natural habitat we are not God, but keeping fish is the closest we are going to get; we have the power over life/death-but as creatures of this earth, they too are entitled to quality of life. i have pikes/uarus (1/4" teeth here!) (not in same tank, however) both have reputations of being aggessive fish, (though uarus more docile); but it isn't about me,it's about some of the most incredible cichlids you can imagine; do your research - if you want bad *** fish, you are looking at at least 80 gals