20 gallon instead

My daughter and I will be starting a fish tank soon. I already have a ten-gallon tank, and will go ahead and stick with that size to keep my start-up costs down for now. For her sake, the fish need to be colorful and fun to watch, for my sake easy to take care of and hardy! We'd like to have as many fish (hopefully more than one species) in this small tank as we can (which I know will require smaller fish) or if less fish something interesting enough to make up for the lack of numbers. Does anyone have any good specific suggestions of easy-to-find fish and combinations of fish that I can put in this tank and suggestions on what I will need to best care for them? Thanks so much!!

So I haven't even started my 10 gallon tank and I'm already thinking about upgrading!! How much more of a choice will going up to a 20 gallon give me? What would be some good fish combinations for a 20 gallon? I was in the pet store yesterday and some gouramis caught my eye...what other fish can those be kept with, and would they be a bad/good idea for a beginner? As specific of suggestions as possible would be greatly appreciated!

 

I will do a little research for you...

However, I have 1 male gouarmI and mollies and guppies. Nigel leaves them alone for the most part. I think they are a great tank mate.

I'll do some reasearch and get back to you...

Once you know who is compatible, I would look under the species section of Fishlore and they'll tell you all the info, how big they get, the amount they should be kept in, etc...

https://www.fishlore.com/TropicalFishProfiles.htm

 

What do you think about:

2 dwarf gouramis
3 mollies
5 cherry barbs
2 otos
ghost shrimp?

Is that too much for a 20 gallon? Forgive me if that's a silly question....

Thanks again!

 

2 dwarf gourami = 4inches
3 mollies - round 12 inches?
5 cherry barb = 10 inches
2 otos = 3 inches
ghost shrimp = I have no idea...

This would be my choice for 20 Gallon with your selection (max amount of fish) 5 cherry barb
2 dwarf gourami
2 otos

and maybe one ghost shrimp I don't know

 

2 dwarf gouarmI ~ 2" x 2 = 4"
3 mollies ~ 3" x 3 = 9" (however, you could get 3 balloon mollies like I have ~ 2" x 3 = 6" and they're ADORABLE!)
5 cherry barbs ~ 2" x 5 = 10"
2 otos ~ 1" x 2 = 2"
ghost shrimp ~ 1-2" ... I do know that they need smaller gravel, sand maybe because they borrow, and if you have to treat your fish with medicine, you'd have to take them out while the medicine is in there.

My suggestion for your tank is!!..
1 male dwarf gourami
3 balloon mollies (2 female 1 male)
5 cherry barbs
2 otos

I have one male gourami and he is perfectly happy by himself. I say male because they are more colorful.
I have 3 balloon mollies, 2 female and 1 male. You should keep 2 females to 1 male so the females don't get stressed by the frisky male!
I also have 3 otos. I think 2 should be fine, but make sure you keep at least 2 because they'll feel better.

Good luck!

 

I think you should definitely get at least a 20 g if not 29g. I heard from many sources that a 20g+ is actually a little easier to maintain there is a little more room for error when it comes to water chemistry.

I am just cycling my first 33gallon tank and I am already eyeing the 55 gallon ones, I guess tank envy never stops.

I went through several draft of my "tank composition". I really liked the gouramis but have given up on them due to space and the fact that they are semi-aggressive.

This is what I figured for myself, maybe it'll help:

SCHOOLING FISH
6 tetras (I wanted schooling fish, thought it would be fun to watch) - I have the red-eyed tetras that my 4-year old pick out. I am cycling the tank with 4 of them. They do get a little bigger - 2.75" - than other tetras but they do look pretty (silver with black back fin and red above their eyes) and did I mention my 4 year old son REALLY wanted them??? Need I say more I was also looking into Serpae tetras - a little smaller and nice looking.

SOMETHING WITH LONGER FINS
6 danios I decided for danios because they have pretty long fins, are active and should swim towards to top of the tank. plus they have zebra and leopard danios at the LFS (how cool for the kids) and the blue/pearl danios. I will get 2 of each. I'll have to wait for nice blue ones, LFS guy said that every once in a while they'll get some that are actually blue, not grey. I really wanted guppies but heard they tend to be overbred and I wanted hardy fish, which the danios are.

BOTTOM FEEDERS
3 cories - I just like them and read so many nice things about them, how they play and are fun to watch. I was deciding between cories and otos, but the otos are not as cute. They do eat algae though, on the other hand I don't have any yet.

CLEAN UP GUYS
5 ghost shrimp - read great things about them, should help with clean up upto 5 don't really count against your bio load...

this plan puts me at 36 inches at maturity, which is my absolute limit, using the square inches or surface method (36x12= 432 square inches 1 inch of fish per 12 square inches ... 432/12=36 inches of fish). Plus the fish I mentioned above are not high waste fish.

If you figure out how to get the gourami in, I might change my mind!

I just found this profile on dwarf gourami and it looks like they may be compatible with the above after all, I'll have to se where I could find the 4 inches for a couple of them...

Hope this helps.
Dasha

 

Manda, you could certainly have 2 Dwarf Gouramis in a 20 gallon tank (male and female would be nice). Just make sure whatever the other fish you get are peaceful and not large, as well as not too many of them as to overstock your tank. What other fish besides Dwarf Gouramis do you like? Plus, if you want any algae-eating creatures in your tank too, make sure you have the space for them.

I know you're worried that a larger tank will give you too much work ... but in reality, in a larger tank, water chemistry is more stable. And of course, fish are much happier with more space. Not to mention that a bigger tank looks even better! And if you add some live plants to your tank ... that makes it totally cool LOL ... have I convinced you enough to get that 30 gallon tank? Haha Just kidding of course, it's up to you and your budget.

 

I started out with a 29 gal. a month ago, I am cycling it with fish, see the fish in my sig, I really like paradise fish...they are beautiful

I wouls definently recommend the biggest tank possible, it is true that there is a bigger margin for error

good luck to you and your daughter

 

Thanks so much guys! I can't see going over 20, because then I'd need a bigger house too!! and that's definitely not in my budget, lol.

Oook, how about...

2 balloon mollies ~2" x 2 =4
2 dwarf gouramis ~2" x 2 =4
5 cherry barbs ~ 2" x 5 =10
and maybe an oto or two
Might go ahead and get a few ghost shrimp, because like Dasha said I've read places that they clean up more than their fair share of the bio load, so don't really count against you size-wise....

Sooo, am I getting closer to my limit? lol

Would the mollies be happy with only two of them? Should I scrap the mollies for something else or maybe just one more barb? And Dasha, you also made me think, talking about getting different kinds of danios to school together...Will fish like danios, barbs, tetras, etc, school with any other of their type, or just their exact species. In other words, will cherry barbs school with gold barbs, neon tetras with glowlight tetras, etc...That may be a silly question. Thanks for your patience! I also have some questions about the initial cycling of the tank, but I guess I better post a new topic for that? Hope I don't get annoying! lol

 

the tank sounds good.. just keep an eye on the Gourami for mating or aggressive behavior.. I think you have room enough to get a couple of otos even if it slightly overstocks the tank.

 

I think that sounds perfect.
The mollies will be happy just two of them, just make sure you don't get 1 male 1 female or the female will be really stressed. I would recommend 2 males or 2 females. (I know most of the time you try and not put just two males together, however, I've had a few balloon mollies and I've had just two guys.. one will definitely be the dominant male, but they'll get along. I'd still go with two females though.)
And yes, I'd add 2-3 otos. You'll be slightly overstocked but you should be fine. Just keep on top of your weekly water changes!!

 

From my research it sounds that most fish of different kind won't school together. With tetra, I heard that if you have like 4 of each of 2 types, the two shoals might swim next to each other but still keep together with their own.

I decided to get a mixture of danios because they are not schooling fish but group fish, I quess what that means is that they need at least 6 to feel comrotable but they want "swI'm together as one" (that's how I see schooling) like the tetras will do. In turn, it is recommended to have at least 5 or 6 of the same tetra species (depending on the species, most of them are 6). I also read that the more you have the more schooling behavior you'd see, I saw a recommendations for having 12 for better schooling behavior. So that's why I decided to concentrate on one type of tetra due to my space limitations. I'd rather have 6 red-eyed schooling together then 2 sets of 4 that don't really school, if that makes sense.

I have 4 red-eyed tetras in the tank right now and they don't really school. It could be that they are not used to the new environment (been there for a week) or that there is not enough of them or that they are the only fish in the tank and don't need to "huddle". Anybody knows?

Also make sure you have a type of fish for each strata of the tank - my tetras are supposed to be mid to bottom but really hang out about an inch of the gravel most of the time. That's why I keep going back to the danios, because they swim towards the top of the tank. They are also supposed to be good at making the other more shy fish (my tetras) more relaxed and comfortable - they swim around all the time so the other fish figure it must be safe (they call this "to dither")

And for the bottom, I'd like to get the cories. I'll wait with those for a while since they are sensitive and can't be kept during the cycling process.

I a really reconsidering the dwarf gourami since your post. I read more about them and it sounds like I might be able to just have 1 male. I always read that a pair is best, but then sometimes the male gets too aggressive. Then I read it's better to have 1 male and 2 female, which I don't have room for.

I'm hoping the qhost shrimp will take care of any algae so I don't have to get otos and can get the cories. Anybody?

Sorry for rambling, but you're in pretty much the same situation as me!!!

Good luck and let me know what you're thinking.
Dasha

 

Btw, I read it's best to keep livebearers in groups of 3 - 2 female one male.

 

Btw, I read it's best to keep livebearers in groups of 3 - 2 female one male.

That is true if you have the room, if not, 2 female to 1 male is okay.

And for the bottom, I'd like to get the cories. I'll wait with those for a while since they are sensitive and can't be kept during the cycling process.

Good thinking!

I a really reconsidering the dwarf gourami since your post. I read more about them and it sounds like I might be able to just have 1 male. I always read that a pair is best, but then sometimes the male gets too aggressive. Then I read it's better to have 1 male and 2 female, which I don't have room for.

I would get him. He'll be a great show fish.. and they have funny personalities. Mine plays in my bubble wand for like a half an hour at a time..

I'm hoping the qhost shrimp will take care of any algae so I don't have to get otos and can get the cories. Anybody?

Ghost shrimp aren't really a good reliable algae crew unfortunately.

Sorry for rambling, but you're in pretty much the same situation as me!!!

Don't worry about it!! That's what I'm here for!

 

Try even 3 - 4 females. 2 females is already a stretch on each female. The males are **** little buggers.

Btw, I read it's best to keep livebearers in groups of 3 - 2 female one male.

 

Try even 3 - 4 females. 2 females is already a stretch on each female. The males are **** little buggers.

they're making sure you get your money's worth when you buy them. And our little male platy is a happy fellow with 3 females.