20 Gallon Tank Stocking Ideas For Partially Stocked 20 High

[Merilial]

Hello everyone!

While I was gone at a conference, I lost the five remaining neon tetras I had to a fungal infection. My old blue guppy passed away (old age, I believe). All my other fish (5 bloodfin tetra and 5 albino cory cats) are fine, but I'll wait awhile before adding any new fish friends.

Any stocking ideas? The bloodfins were a little nippy with the neons, and tried to pick on my guppy, but he was mean and ruled the tank so they left him alone. They're my primary concern in terms of stocking.

I'm in no rush to add more fish, as I want time to do some research. One issue is that I only really have access to a Petco and PetSmart store, so if you could keep that in mind with suggestions that would be awesome!

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: My pH/water hardness is high (pH 8.0). I've also lost a dwarf gourami to dwarf
gourami disease in August or September (which I can't remember) and I'm worried about infecting a healthy DG or losing another one to it.

 

[Rick bose]

If I were you, I would just add a gourami and a centerpiece and nothing at all.
Honey gourami is my best choice as they are hardy,peaceful yet can handle themselves.
Pearl gourami will be a little big for your tank.
I would not suggest adding a dwarf gourami as your bloodfin tetras are a bit nippy and dwarf gouramis can't handle themselves well with aggressive fishes(I personally experienced this the hard way).
I am a huge fan of gouramis these days so I said so. Its just my personal choice.
There are plenty of options you can add in your tank especially a school of small fishes(say 5-6) that can handle themselves well like zebra danios, serpae tetras, gold barbs, etc.
A german ram or a electric blue ram will be a good addition too if there enough hiding places in your tank.

 

[imba]

I would increase the numbers of your cories and tetras, let's say 7 cories and 10 tetras all up. Add a nerite snail and call it a day.

 

[shellies]

I would say you could add one or two apistogramma to the tank they are beautiful little fish with great personality. Or you could add a dwarf gourami but only the female one as the male would be to agressive. ( I have kept dwarf gourami before with some tiger barbs and they were fine as long as there are hiding spaces.
If you want a centre piece fish you could add a single angelfish ( not a long fin though) they are a great fish and can hld their own.

 

[Merilial]

If I were you, I would just add a gourami and a centerpiece and nothing at all.
Honey gourami is my best choice as they are hardy,peaceful yet can handle themselves.
Pearl gourami will be a little big for your tank.
I would not suggest adding a dwarf gourami as your bloodfin tetras are a bit nippy and dwarf gouramis can't handle themselves well with aggressive fishes(I personally experienced this the hard way).
I am a huge fan of gouramis these days so I said so. Its just my personal choice.
There are plenty of options you can add in your tank especially a school of small fishes(say 5-6) that can handle themselves well like zebra danios, serpae tetras, gold barbs, etc.
A german ram or a electric blue ram will be a good addition too if there enough hiding places in your tank.

I'll check into honey gourami! I've never seen them in stores around me but maybe there'll be some out of town? I've been looking into some other tetras, and thought about barbs but I think most of them get too large. I actually looked into getting rams, but we have extremely hard water and pH so I don't think they'd be very happy.

I would increase the numbers of your cories and tetras, let's say 7 cories and 10 tetras all up. Add a nerite snail and call it a day.

I'm holding off on more cories, since the footprint of the 20 high is limited which gives them less space. I have thought about upping the tetras -- I used to have 10 neon tetras and they were beautiful to watch.

I would say you could add one or two apistogramma to the tank they are beautiful little fish with great personality. Or you could add a dwarf gourami but only the female one as the male would be to agressive. ( I have kept dwarf gourami before with some tiger barbs and they were fine as long as there are hiding spaces.
If you want a centre piece fish you could add a single angelfish ( not a long fin though) they are a great fish and can hld their own.

As with the rams, I'm a little worried about how hard my water is and how high the pH tends to be. I'll have to add that to original post, since it does limit things a little. I actually had a dwarf gourami previously but lost him to dwarf gourami disease. I'm a little worried about another fish being infected/getting infected. I really enjoyed George and would hate to lose another DG.

Will angelfish thrive alone?

 

[shellies]

I'll check into honey gourami! I've never seen them in stores around me but maybe there'll be some out of town? I've been looking into some other tetras, and thought about barbs but I think most of them get too large. I actually looked into getting rams, but we have extremely hard water and pH so I don't think they'd be very happy.


I'm holding off on more cories, since the footprint of the 20 high is limited which gives them less space. I have thought about upping the tetras -- I used to have 10 neon tetras and they were beautiful to watch.


As with the rams, I'm a little worried about how hard my water is and how high the pH tends to be. I'll have to add that to original post, since it does limit things a little. I actually had a dwarf gourami previously but lost him to dwarf gourami disease. I'm a little worried about another fish being infected/getting infected. I really enjoyed George and would hate to lose another DG.

Will angelfish thrive alone?

Yes the Angle fish will thrive alone and you won't get any of the aggression you would get if you had multiple so one would be fine.

I also had GBR's in very hard water they were fine even spawned once. But I would say you should go with the Angle fish.

 

[Rick bose]

I also had GBR's in very hard water they were fine even spawned once. But I would say you should go with the Angle fish.

German blue rams are great addition to any tank. l have an electric blue ram and I love this color more. Both are basically same species with same activities characteristics and requirements but with different colors.

 

[Merilial]

I'll look into GBRs! I'm finding some conflicting information online as to the temperature they need to be kept at. Some websites suggest 82 is required while others say 78-82, with 80+ for spawning. Any input?