Can someone help me with a stocking plan??

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 01:26 PM

Hi everyone i need someone to help me plan out a stocking plan for a 20 gallon community tank.
Im a begginner so i need fish that are reletivitely easy to take care of.
I would like color and action.
some one help me please??

Chazwick · 10-03-2005, 01:36 PM

Hey there! If i was you i'd for some lovely schooling fish! - maybe tetras? They are easy to look after and great to watch! You cannot get less than 6 of each type though...

these are Neon tetras they are great little fish and cheap/hardy i would recommend.

There's other varieties as well! You could get two schools of different tetras, some neons black and plain neons, or something, and a betta, which looks like this:

though they come in a variety of colours, pink, purple, blue, black, yellow, white, you name it

and maybe an apple snail (just one for breeding reasons)

Perhaps even 1 or 2 African Dwarf Frogs:

That'd be MY perfect tank

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 01:36 PM

Hi everyone i need someone to help me plan out a stocking plan for a 20 gallon community tank.
Im a begginner so i need fish that are reletivitely easy to take care of.
I would like color and action.
some one help me please??

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 01:44 PM

i was think of two ideas
there a tiny bit more advanced but i think i can handle it.
#1

6 neons

6 black phantoms

4 bronze corys

4 otos

1 male dwarf gourmai

#2

6 cherry barbs

6 pearl danios

6 zebra danios

4 otos

2 bronze corys

1 male dwarf gourmai

WHat do you think??

Chazwick · 10-03-2005, 01:53 PM

Both of those would be a little too overstocked.

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chazwick

Both of those would be a little too overstocked.

so what do you suggest removing from the plan??

Chazwick · 10-03-2005, 02:00 PM

Well... depends which plan you'd rather go for

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 02:11 PM

# 2 because those fish are much more active

Chazwick · 10-03-2005, 02:14 PM

Yes, well the thing about danios (zebras in mind) is that they're a LITTLE TOO active and end up... putting it lightly, annoying other fish, plus they're fin nippers, so if you go for them, get less fish so they'll be more room, plus some more hidey holes.

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 02:15 PM

hows this:
4 otos or bronze corys

6 cherry barbs

6 lemon tetras

1 dwarf gourmai

6 pearl danios

**Cichlid Man** · 10-03-2005, 02:18 PM

That'll be fine, I won't add all the fish at once though, maybe 3-6 at a time to prevent ammonia spikes.

Chazwick · 10-03-2005, 02:20 PM

Yes, Cichlid is right, just put a few in at a time, once a week say, put a few in.

cucci67 · 10-03-2005, 02:22 PM

Its better to get more of one species of schooling fish tank less and a bigger variety. I would say not to get the pearl danios, and choose between 8 cherry barbs or 8 lemon tetras as your schooling fish.

Here's what I would do with thoses fish.

8 cherry barbs
2 dwarf gouramis
3 otos
4 cories

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 02:22 PM

ok thanks

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 02:25 PM

i dthink ill stick with the dainios and the lemons because that fills out the upper lever more. and danios are just plain fun to watch

Chazwick · 10-03-2005, 02:29 PM

They are pretty amusing.

Good luck with the tank.

cucci67 · 10-03-2005, 02:30 PM

Please only post your topic once, you have it here and in the general section twice.

fishygurl · 10-03-2005, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishygurl

hows this:
4 otos or bronze corys

6 cherry barbs

6 lemon tetras

1 dwarf gourmai

6 pearl danios

Do you think this is over stocking??

(with live plants and areators and introduced gradually)

Jonno · 10-03-2005, 02:35 PM

okay like cucci you only need to post it once would some of the mods please delete toe other tow exact same posts and dnt spam the forum so much

MyraVan · 10-03-2005, 02:41 PM

Even cucci's suggestion:

8 cherry barbs
2 dwarf gouramis
3 otos
4 cories

is alot of fish for a 20 gallon tank, especially for a beginner. There's an old rule about how much fish you should put in your tank, the "inch of fish for fallon of tank water". It's not applicable in all situations, and experienced fishkeepers often exceed this without trouble, but it's a good goal for a beginner not to go over it. Your fish add up as follows (if I have remembered the adult sizes of these fish right):

cherry barbs 8 * 1.5" = 12"
gouramis 2 * 2 = 4"
otos 3 * 1.5" = 4.5
cories 4 * 3" = 12"
-------
total = 32.5

Here's a more restrained list:
cherry barbs 6 * 1.5" = 9"
otos 2 * 1.5" = 3"
cories 3 * 3" = 9"
-------
total = 21"

When you're more experienced, and have had the tank running for about 6 months without any fish deaths, then you could slowly bring up the levels to what cucci is recommending.

And Chazwick's suggestion of adding a few fish every week is WAYYYY too frequently. It takes some time to build up the bacteria populations to handle the new fish load. I'd suggest either getting a test kit and doing the proper testing, or at the very least wait 3-4 weeks between adding new batches of fish. I'd add them in this order:

3 cherry barbs
3 more cherry barbs
3 cories
2 otos

Then just let it run for a few months as is, to make sure you've got this fishkeeping stuff under control, then you can think about adding more.

10-03-2005, 01:36 PM	#3
fishygurl Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 34	Can someone help me witha stocking plan? Hi everyone i need someone to help me plan out a stocking plan for a 20 gallon community tank. Im a begginner so i need fish that are reletivitely easy to take care of. I would like color and action. some one help me please??

10-03-2005, 02:18 PM	#11
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	That'll be fine, I won't add all the fish at once though, maybe 3-6 at a time to prevent ammonia spikes. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

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10-03-2005, 01:26 PM	#1
fishygurl Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 34	Can someone help me with a stocking plan?? Hi everyone i need someone to help me plan out a stocking plan for a 20 gallon community tank. Im a begginner so i need fish that are reletivitely easy to take care of. I would like color and action. some one help me please??

10-03-2005, 01:36 PM	#2
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404	Hey there! If i was you i'd for some lovely schooling fish! - maybe tetras? They are easy to look after and great to watch! You cannot get less than 6 of each type though... these are Neon tetras they are great little fish and cheap/hardy i would recommend. There's other varieties as well! You could get two schools of different tetras, some neons black and plain neons, or something, and a betta, which looks like this: though they come in a variety of colours, pink, purple, blue, black, yellow, white, you name it and maybe an apple snail (just one for breeding reasons) Perhaps even 1 or 2 African Dwarf Frogs: That'd be MY perfect tank

10-03-2005, 01:44 PM	#4
fishygurl Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 34	i was think of two ideas there a tiny bit more advanced but i think i can handle it. #1 6 neons 6 black phantoms 4 bronze corys 4 otos 1 male dwarf gourmai #2 6 cherry barbs 6 pearl danios 6 zebra danios 4 otos 2 bronze corys 1 male dwarf gourmai WHat do you think??

10-03-2005, 01:53 PM	#5
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404	Both of those would be a little too overstocked.

10-03-2005, 02:00 PM	#7
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404	Well... depends which plan you'd rather go for

10-03-2005, 02:11 PM	#8
fishygurl Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 34	# 2 because those fish are much more active

10-03-2005, 02:14 PM	#9
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404	Yes, well the thing about danios (zebras in mind) is that they're a LITTLE TOO active and end up... putting it lightly, annoying other fish, plus they're fin nippers, so if you go for them, get less fish so they'll be more room, plus some more hidey holes.

10-03-2005, 02:15 PM	#10
fishygurl Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 34	hows this: 4 otos or bronze corys 6 cherry barbs 6 lemon tetras 1 dwarf gourmai 6 pearl danios

10-03-2005, 02:20 PM	#12
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404	Yes, Cichlid is right, just put a few in at a time, once a week say, put a few in.

10-03-2005, 02:22 PM	#13
cucci67 No Longer Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 481	Its better to get more of one species of schooling fish tank less and a bigger variety. I would say not to get the pearl danios, and choose between 8 cherry barbs or 8 lemon tetras as your schooling fish. Here's what I would do with thoses fish. 8 cherry barbs 2 dwarf gouramis 3 otos 4 cories

10-03-2005, 02:25 PM	#15
fishygurl Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 34	i dthink ill stick with the dainios and the lemons because that fills out the upper lever more. and danios are just plain fun to watch

10-03-2005, 02:29 PM	#16
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404	They are pretty amusing. Good luck with the tank.

10-03-2005, 02:30 PM	#17
cucci67 No Longer Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 481	Please only post your topic once, you have it here and in the general section twice.

10-03-2005, 02:35 PM	#19
Jonno Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Devon, UK Age: 20 Posts: 512	okay like cucci you only need to post it once would some of the mods please delete toe other tow exact same posts and dnt spam the forum so much

10-03-2005, 02:41 PM	#20
MyraVan Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 864	Even cucci's suggestion: 8 cherry barbs 2 dwarf gouramis 3 otos 4 cories is alot of fish for a 20 gallon tank, especially for a beginner. There's an old rule about how much fish you should put in your tank, the "inch of fish for fallon of tank water". It's not applicable in all situations, and experienced fishkeepers often exceed this without trouble, but it's a good goal for a beginner not to go over it. Your fish add up as follows (if I have remembered the adult sizes of these fish right): cherry barbs 8 * 1.5" = 12" gouramis 2 * 2 = 4" otos 3 * 1.5" = 4.5 cories 4 * 3" = 12" ------- total = 32.5 Here's a more restrained list: cherry barbs 6 * 1.5" = 9" otos 2 * 1.5" = 3" cories 3 * 3" = 9" ------- total = 21" When you're more experienced, and have had the tank running for about 6 months without any fish deaths, then you could slowly bring up the levels to what cucci is recommending. And Chazwick's suggestion of adding a few fish every week is WAYYYY too frequently. It takes some time to build up the bacteria populations to handle the new fish load. I'd suggest either getting a test kit and doing the proper testing, or at the very least wait 3-4 weeks between adding new batches of fish. I'd add them in this order: 3 cherry barbs 3 more cherry barbs 3 cories 2 otos Then just let it run for a few months as is, to make sure you've got this fishkeeping stuff under control, then you can think about adding more.

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