buying a 20 gal long pick-up friday still need to cycle so just planning the fish

shannonfbc · Jan 21, 2015

this is the exact tank
http://www.petsmart.com/supplies/aq...36-catid-300065?var_id=36-17289&_t=pfm=search

I already have a Male betta fish in a 3 gal (i was buying something for my dog, my son wanted betta and like a complete idiot i believed the so called store expert it could live in a jar thing they sold with no heat or filter).... i grabbed the 3 gal, filter, heater etc...... and now am buying him this 20 gal and will start cycle it before moving our little buddy...

I would love to add other critters but i want to do it right... i have chosen some based on what other betta owners have kept as tank mates but i want to make sure its 1. safe for all the critters 2. not overcrowded based on space or bioload ......... so being new to this i would like some input since alot of little lives are depending on me to get this right...

my plan is..... thinking 2 african dwarf frogs, 6 cory cats, 6 zebra danios..... and having alot more silk plants, have terra cotta pot, need some more hideouts for frogs though...... does this setup make sense...

my logic is the corys are bottom fish, danios tend to school in middle to top, frogs will hide or be on glass dancing and well my betta goes everywhere.... does this seem too high a bioload this is filter Penguin 150 Bio Wheel Power Filter... this seems like maybe too many critters ....

shannonfbc · Jan 21, 2015

oh and almost forgot.... also important if this would work as a final setup, what quantity and order would you suggest adding these cause im pretty sure buying all at once and introducing them to the tank all once would through the cycled tank biology all out of whack... so if you could maybe suggest what to add and when ie... add 2 frog wait a month add 6 corys wait month add danios then last add betta

Vincenia · Jan 22, 2015

Adding all at once wouldn't be a good idea. I've done it a few months ago, but my tank is fully cycled and can handle quite a lot of fish. (I own 4 tanks) But about the Frogs... I wouldn't put them in a tank with fish, as they are near sighted and will nip or grab hold of a betta's fins or eat small fish. I normally wait a week before adding more fish, normally 3-6 at a time.

The Cories I would suggest you add last, all bottom dwellers should be added last. Either thought of Neon Tetras instead of Zebra Danios? Neons are less active but have bright colors verses the fast moving danios which might stress the betta.

I'm starting/setting up a 20 long gallon tank myself... Tanks take awhile to cycle if you do a fishless cycle normally 4 weeks. There is a thread on here about cycling a tank.

shannonfbc · Jan 22, 2015

yeah i know how long the fishless cycle takes ive cycled tanks before though its been a very long time... im just trying to plan carefully and research each one carefully... i have never owned a betta before ever though (thought they were boring cup fish, boy was i wrong, he is one active, cool and social guy)

jpappy789 · Jan 22, 2015

Is the 3 gal. currently cycled? If so, you can move the filter and betta over right now to "kick start" the 20, and stock solely from there.

Otherwise, stocking looks good. The danios might be a bit active for the betta, but it depends on the individual.

FreshyFresh · Jan 22, 2015

Shannon, the kit you linked to, isn't a 20 long, it's a 20 high. I personally skip the kit and pick up a 20L or 29g. Better footprint than a 20H, more versatile, etc.... Petco is running their $1/gal sale for a few more days IIRC.

Kayla, out of curiosity, why do you suggest all bottom dwellers should be added last?

shannonfbc · Jan 22, 2015

jpappy789 said:
Is the 3 gal. currently cycled? If so, you can move the filter and betta over right now to "kick start" the 20, and stock solely from there.

Otherwise, stocking looks good. The danios might be a bit active for the betta, but it depends on the individual.

I wish unfortunately the tank is not cycled... came home with the betta on saturday with a tiny wee tank, setup tank on sunday after some online digging showed that the petstore person lied and he actually needs space, heat and filtration (my bad i should have known that no living thing could live like that, i suspected it wasnt true but went ahead and got the poor guy anyway)......... I have already grabbed safe start plus, stress coat, and of course aquasafe plus.... I also grabbed 3 medications to keep on hand just in case for the common illnesses that could happen and will get some salt (hopefully wont need any of that but i figured it was like keeping advil in the cupboard) and checked around and the links road animal clinic is the place to go if i need help with the frogs (they saw my mali years ago so i should have guessed..

If you can think of anything else i need on hand let me know and i will grab it friday

FreshyFresh · Jan 22, 2015

I wouldn't say the pet store help lied. Bettas can live in small, unfiltered, unheated vessels, provided water is changed daily and it's in a room with decent room temperature. Most of us don't roll that way though, and keep them in larger tanks and community tanks.

Cycling a 20g with a single betta is going to take a long time. I'd setup your new larger tank with the zebra danios you want, skip all the chemical adds you bought aside from a quality dechlorinator. Monitor your water params daily with your API Master Test Kit (that I hope you have) and be prepared to do large water changes often until you see nothing but nitrates.

Star_Rider · Jan 23, 2015

safestart plus is the equivalent of the old bio spira..basically live bacteria to jump start the cycle. there are shelf stale bacteria as well as the type that need refrigeration .

in any event you should still monitor your water quality.
aqua safe is a de chloinating chem added when doing water changes. you might want to look at prime or Safe as an alternative as they will be much cheaper to use in the long run as you won't need much to de-chlorinate with these. but for now aqua safe is fine.
(personally I use Safe as I have over 20 tanks to do water changes on weekly, up to 50% water changes)

evil wizard · Jan 25, 2015

ok well i see some potential problems with stockings.

the dwarf african frogs,they MIGHT mistake the bettas tail for food and bite it and not let go.or the betta and other fish could pester them to death.plus they will most likely not get any food or if they do then not enough most likely.

the zebra danios.they are high activity fish that have a high tenancy to nip other slow moving,big tailed fish AKA your betta.

instead or dwarf african frogs,why not get a dwarf orange crayfish or two? here is a link to them http://www.tfhmagazine.com/freshwater/feature-articles/the-orange-dwarf-crayfish-full-article.htm. \

and instead of zebra danios why not do a tetra?there are many tetras that would love to call your 20 gallon home.for instance there are the neons that Vincenia suggested,and ember tetras,lemon tetras,red eye tetras,cardinal tetras,


zoomed.com	hikariusa.com		aqaimports.com	Store

Search

Search

buying a 20 gal long pick-up friday still need to cycle so just planning the fish

shannonfbc

AC Members

shannonfbc

AC Members

Vincenia

AC Members

shannonfbc

AC Members

jpappy789

Plants need meat too

FreshyFresh

Global Moderator

shannonfbc

AC Members

FreshyFresh

Global Moderator

Star_Rider

AC Moderators

evil wizard

AC Members