Stocking a planted 20 gallon tall fish tank?

W

Winkerbean

New member
20 Gallon currently has brown flourite substrate, driftwood and not enough plants yet... but I am hoping for lots of green plants and need some fish to go with. I have cichlids, tiger barbs and bettas already (in other tanks), so I am thinking something peaceful. :-) I am leaning towards neon tetras, rasboras and corydoras (dwarf maybe) for the bottom. Not interested in guppies or platties since I also have/had them already as well. So what do you think? How many? And anything else you would add/change?
 
I'd suggest you get either Neons OR Rasboras. A school of each would actually detract from the other school, making the tank look chaotic. Start with about 5 Cories--I'd not recommend dwarves in a 20 gallon tank--then work in the Neons (7 first, 7 later). That will give your plants time to catch up to the fish waste being produced, and it will give you time to decide what other fish you'd like to add. Personally, I'd go with a pair of Apistogramma species, even though you said you're not looking for Cichlids. Apistos are incredibly passive, unlike the "prototypical Cichild" that you're surely imagining. If not, maybe some Badis? or even smaller Gourami species, like Honey Gouramis, Thick Lipped Gouramis, or Licorice Gouramis?
 
I'd suggest you get either Neons OR Rasboras. A school of each would actually detract from the other school, making the tank look chaotic. Start with about 5 Cories--I'd not recommend dwarves in a 20 gallon tank--then work in the Neons (7 first, 7 later). That will give your plants time to catch up to the fish waste being produced, and it will give you time to decide what other fish you'd like to add. Personally, I'd go with a pair of Apistogramma species, even though you said you're not looking for Cichlids. Apistos are incredibly passive, unlike the "prototypical Cichild" that you're surely imagining. If not, maybe some Badis? or even smaller Gourami species, like Honey Gouramis, Thick Lipped Gouramis, or Licorice Gouramis?
 
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