Son's 20 gallon stocking list - Suggestions?

Jighead

Jighead

Dwarf Cichlid Fanatic
Mar 5, 2006
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My son has got all excited now that i have got back into aquariums and asked me for his own tank. So, being the nice guy that i am i bought him a 20 gallon to put into his room.He has already picked out the fish he wants for his tank.

Here's his stocking list:

5 Scissortail Rasboras
6 Glow light Tetras
6 Black Neon Tetras
4 Peppered Corydoras
4 Green Corydoras

The filter is a bio wheel rated for 150 gph.


Any suggestions? Should fish be decreased/increased anywhere?

Thanks for all the help - Jighead
 
It sounds a little overstocked. You could replace one of the schools of tetras/rasboras with a centerpiece fish, such as a dwarf gourami.

dwarf.jpg

^^Dwarf gourami
 
Although people here usually suggest getting 6 of a schooling fish, I really feel that 10 or more is necessary to achieve any really interesting schooling behavior.

When I had only 4-6 neon tetras, they were not all that interesting. With a school of 16, they are much more fun to watch as they swim together.

So maybe you could convince your son to pick only one species of tetra and have a larger school?

The previously mentioned dwarf gourami would be a good choice too.

I also think it is just a tad overstocked, so I would suggest he pick one of the species of cory and perhaps drop the rasboras.

Here is my modified stocking plan:

1x Dwarf Flame Gourami
4x Corydoras of either species
12x Black or Glo-light tetras
 
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YuccaPatrol said:
Although people here usually suggest getting 6 of a schooling fish, I really feel that 10 or more is necessary to achieve any really interesting schooling behavior.

When I had only 4-6 neon tetras, they were not all that interesting. With a school of 16, they are much more fun to watch as they swim together.

So maybe you could convince your son to pick only one species of tetra and have a larger school?
Click to expand...

good idea, it will make the tank look less chaotic and more intresting to see natural behavior, plus one gourami would probably keep them schooling well
 
I agree with everyone, you might consider ditching the scissortails,they get pretty large, A few of my older ones are a good 4 inches
 
led_zeppelin said:
good idea, it will make the tank look less chaotic and more intresting to see natural behavior, plus one gourami would probably keep them schooling well
Click to expand...

You are right, I forgot that one bad-tempered gourami would keep those neons schooling very well!

I think that is a great idea!
 
YuccaPatrol said:
You are right, I forgot that one bad-tempered gourami would keep those neons schooling very well!

I think that is a great idea!
Click to expand...


could a betta be capable of disrupting schooling as well?
 
Thanks alot for the input guys he read your suggestions and tomorrow we are taking another trip to the lfs to re-evaluate what he really wants.

He has 2 more possible stocking lists that he wants your opinion on.

List 1:

Drop the Scissortail Rasboras and instead have-

8-10 Black Neon Tetras
8-10 Glowlight tetras
5-8 either species of Corys

List2:
Drop one species of tetras and have-

6 Scissortail Rasboras
8-10 favorite species of tetras
5-8 either species of corys

He also wants your opinions/suggestions on a small commonly avaible species of cichlid for a show fish. He has looked at alot of pictures in the cichlid forum and likes how some of them look.

Unca Bret,
My son is a 14 year old 8th grader.


Thanks - Jighead and Son Grant
 
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