20-gallon Long Tank Setup

HI all, I am thinking about setting up a 20-gallon long aquarium this year or maybe next year, and I was just wanting to see if I got everything right and it'll work okay. I think I posted a thread a little bit like this before- did I?
I am going to use Eco Complete planted tank substrate, and yes, it's going to be a planted tank- a have a LONG list of plants but I don't think that anybody wants to sit here and read it.
So anyway I am thinking about getting:

• 5 SterbaI cories
• 6 emerald Rasboras
• 10 zebra Danios
• 8 Cardinal tetras
• Colony of dwarf cherry shrimp (starting out with less)
• Colony of tiger shrimp (starting out with less)
• 4-6 assorted nerite snails
• 5 black devil snails
• 5 rabbit snails

I also have some questions:

1. Since the rasboras, tetras, and danios are all fish that take the upper region of the tank, will they have enough room? A 29-gallon might be an option if it's available in long form.
2. What are some good fishes for the middle region of the tank, that would be compatible with the other fishes, and preferably be easy to breed?
3. It's a lot of snails- would they be too much?
4. I know that the emerald rasboras, danios, and maybe the tetras will eat baby shrimp, so I'm going to add them after my shrimp colony gets established. Do these fish eat adult shrimp? If so, that's a whole different story.
5. What lighting should I go with? I don't have room for a hanging fixture. Would a clip-on "tuna sun" light be good? Or should I use florescent tubes?
6. I have looked all over for truly unique plants. Any suggestions on aquarium plants that are not very common and make a real showstopper-centerpiece?
7. What would be the most reliable, easy, low-maintenance (preferably) filter?
8. I would really like to have a bubble wall. How should I do this, and what airstone will I need?

Thank you so much!

 

1. I think that you would be very overstocked for a 20 long and maybe even for a 29. You should useto check your stocking levels; you are at 114% without calculating in any of the inverts. In my opinion I would remove the zebra danios, but its really your preference.
2. The cardinal tetras, as with most tetras, are mid-level swimmers imo, so any tetra would work. I personally like rummynose because they school very tightly.
3. All of the snails might look unsightly, but they only real problem could be the uprooting of plants and if you don't feed them enough they could eat your plants.
4. They will only eat adult shrimp when very hungry and if you provide enough hiding for the shrimp the colonies could still grow.
5. I am not very familiar with lighting so I will leave this for somebody else.
6. A really cool plant that I have seen is the ludwigia sedoides, nicknamed the mosaic plant.

Good luck with your tank it seems like it will be a lot of fun.

 

Yeah- I think I might look into rummy nose tetras. Are they easy to breed? Would they take up less space then cardinal tetras?
I understand if that's too many fish. If all tetras were excluded, and it was just nerite snails, do you think that would work good? Thanks!

 

I have never tried breeding rummynose, but I'm sure somebody on here has some information about breeding. They are actually a little bit bigger than cardinals, but it won't make much of a difference. tetras and other snails excluded you should be fine, depending on the size of your shrimp colonies.

 

The 29 is the same footprint as the 20L, just higher.

You are definitely overstocked for a 20, at max for the 29 IMO.

My experience is unless you feed the snails, neither of these tanks produce enough biofilm nor algae to keep this many snails in feed and they will starve.

My best experiences have been with one nerite and one other snail, I prefer mystery’s.

You have temperature compatibility issues. I’m no expert but know zebras need low 70s, Cardinals need high 70s and the sterbias 77-82.

There are others on here way more familiar with temperature compatibility then me. But you could/should google search each species and write it down. That’s what I do although my original fish-in cycle fish were zebras and I have them in a community at 77 although I know that is too high for them.

 

So, if I excluded the tetras , rabbit snails, devil snails, and just kept the nerite snails, and then added some kuhlI loaches (breeding pair, trio?), should I go with a 35-gallon? If so, how much space would I have left for baby fishes?
Thank you.

The 29 is the same footprint as the 20L, just higher.

You are definitely overstocked for a 20, at max for the 29 IMO.

My experience is unless you feed the snails, neither of these tanks produce enough biofilm nor algae to keep this many snails in feed and they will starve.

My best experiences have been with one nerite and one other snail, I prefer mystery’s.

You have temperature compatibility issues. I’m no expert but know zebras need low 70s, Cardinals need high 70s and the sterbias 77-82.

There are others on here way more familiar with temperature compatibility then me. But you could/should google search each species and write it down. That’s what I do although my original fish-in cycle fish were zebras and I have them in a community at 77 although I know that is too high for them.

What do you mean by "google"? Just search it on google on the computer?

 

Way too many fish and snails. Lots of temperature incompatibilities too.

Tiger shrimp like soft acidic water and won't do well in hard alkaline water while cherries are the opposite, they are not compatible. How hard is your water? What pH is your Water?

Emerald rasboras are very shy and I don't think they'd do well with the boisterous zebra danios.

You could do this at 80f
6-8 SterbaI cories
8-10 Cardinal tetras or rummy nose tetras
Tiger shrimp or red cherry shrimp
2 nerite snails
2 rabbit snails (will need to be fed vegetables)

Or this at 72f
8 panda cories
8 emerald Rasboras
8 celestial pearl Danios
Tiger shrimp or red cherry shrimp
2 nerite snails
1 mystery snail (would need to be fed)

 

Okay- I'll go with seven SterbaI cories, red cherry shrimp, and some nerite snails- I am going to look at shrimp-safe fishes and maybe I'll have another tank for the kuhlI loaches, or danios.

 

So I just checked, and I read that the kuhlI loaches can do that temperature. How many can the tank support, and how many will I need for them to feel comfortable and/or breed? Thanks.

 

So I just checked, and I read that the kuhlI loaches can do that temperature. How many can the tank support, and how many will I need for them to feel comfortable and/or breed? Thanks.

What temperature are you planning?
What is your planned stocking?

Kuhlis are schooling and must be kept in groups of 6+ but they do much better in larger groups.

 

So, if I excluded the tetras , rabbit snails, devil snails, and just kept the nerite snails, and then added some kuhlI loaches (breeding pair, trio?), should I go with a 35-gallon? If so, how much space would I have left for baby fishes?
Thank you.


What do you mean by "google"? Just search it on google on the computer?

Yes