20 g high tank

[despreauxb]

So I have a 20G high tank and I think I want some gouramins or ram. I want fun active fish and looking for stocking advice. I do have hard water with a ph Around 7.6. I also have a single dalmatian Molly I plan on moving into the tank as well.

Side note: I have a 10G long with 4 Cory catfish (I think) and plan on getting a beta, would that be okay?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

So I have a 20G high tank and I think I want some gouramins or ram. I want fun active fish and looking for stocking advice. I do have hard water with a ph Around 7.6. I also have a single dalmatian Molly I plan on moving into the tank as well.

Side note: I have a 10G long with 4 Cory catfish (I think) and plan on getting a beta, would that be okay?

A 20 gallon ‘high’ tank doesn’t leave you with that many stocking options, as the tank is taller, rather than longer.

Gourami’s usually do better in softer water, so I wouldn’t get those.

Livebearers might be a good option, as you have hard water. Guppies are colorful and active, which is what you’e wanting.

Side note: I have a 10G long with 4 Cory catfish (I think) and plan on getting a beta, would that be okay?

As far as this goes, my answer would be no.

Bettes are solitary creatures by nature, and should not be kept with other fish.

Most Corydoras species (unless it is a Pygmy variation) need a 15g tank as a minimum.

 

[despreauxb]

A 20 gallon ‘high’ tank doesn’t leave you with that many stocking options, as the tank is taller, rather than longer.

Gourami’s usually do better in softer water, so I wouldn’t get those.

Livebearers might be a good option, as you have hard water. Guppies are colorful and active, which is what you’e wanting.

As far as this goes, my answer would be no.

Bettes are solitary creatures by nature, and should not be kept with other fish.

Most Corydoras species (unless it is a Pygmy variation) need a 15g tank as a minimum.

I think they're otto fish and everything i saw said 10 gallon would be fine? When I get home I will try to get a picture

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I think they're otto fish and everything i saw said 10 gallon would be fine? When I get home I will try to get a picture

Ottos also need a bigger tank. But pictures would definitely help with an ID.

 

[Byron]

Bettas (male) are certainly so0litary fish, and putting them in with anything is risking either the Bettas or the other fish. Sometimes it may work (or so some say) but it is foreign to the inherent nature of the Betta and it is always best to assume the norm and not risk the fish. Otos (if that is the fish) would be up in the Betta's space, which makes the risk even greater.

If you want "active" fish as mentioned in post #1, gourami and rams are not that, they are quiet and sedate. Livebearers like the molly are active swimmers. It would be worth pinning down the actual hardness (GH) number, just to be certain. The pH is OK for livebearers, but there is also the GH which is critical to how the fish's physiology functions.

 

[despreauxb]

Ottos also need a bigger tank. But pictures would definitely help with an ID.

 

[despreauxb]

Bettas (male) are certainly so0litary fish, and putting them in with anything is risking either the Bettas or the other fish. Sometimes it may work (or so some say) but it is foreign to the inherent nature of the Betta and it is always best to assume the norm and not risk the fish. Otos (if that is the fish) would be up in the Betta's space, which makes the risk even greater.

If you want "active" fish as mentioned in post #1, gourami and rams are not that, they are quiet and sedate. Livebearers like the molly are active swimmers. It would be worth pinning down the actual hardness (GH) number, just to be certain. The pH is OK for livebearers, but there is also the GH which is critical to how the fish's physiology

Bettas (male) are certainly so0litary fish, and putting them in with anything is risking either the Bettas or the other fish. Sometimes it may work (or so some say) but it is foreign to the inherent nature of the Betta and it is always best to assume the norm and not risk the fish. Otos (if that is the fish) would be up in the Betta's space, which makes the risk even greater.

If you want "active" fish as mentioned in post #1, gourami and rams are not that, they are quiet and sedate. Livebearers like the molly are active swimmers. It would be worth pinning down the actual hardness (GH) number, just to be certain. The pH is OK for livebearers, but there is also the GH which is critical to how the fish's physiology functions.

What about the butterfly liverbearer? Is my 20g big enough? Its heavily planted and I read they get along with my Molly. I'm still looking into livebearing fish. Or could I get a single ram and a small group of small live bearing fish?

 

[Essjay]

Rams are soft water fish; the common livebearers are hard water fish.
Rams need a temperature higher than most livebearers can cope with.


The first thing to do is pin down the hardness of your tap water. If you are on mains water, look on your water provider's website for hardness. You need a number and the unit of measurement as there are several they could use. Once you know whether you have soft or hard water, you will then be able to decide which fish to keep.

 

[despreauxb]

Rams are soft water fish; the common livebearers are hard water fish.
Rams need a temperature higher than most livebearers can cope with.


The first thing to do is pin down the hardness of your tap water. If you are on mains water, look on your water provider's website for hardness. You need a number and the unit of measurement as there are several they could use. Once you know whether you have soft or hard water, you will then be able to decide which fish to keep.

I've called my boro and they said they don't test for hardness since its not a requirement but its hard to very hard. I was looking at breeders online and almost every fish I've looked at they said have been raised in hard water with a pH of 7.8 and that most US water is hard but the fish would be okay and not to mess with water chemistry

 

[Essjay]

In that case I would avoid rams, gouramis and tetras and look at hard water fish. The molly will be quite happy in hard water, though mollies are big fish which need big tanks. Other livebearers are also suitable, although if you have females they do bring the problem of what to do with the inevitable fry (and a tank of just females will still have fry as they can store sperm for many months).
Some of the smaller rainbowfish would be OK in a 20 gallon high - some of the species in the genus Pseudomugil as most other rainbowfish are too large for this tank.

Search Results pseudomugil — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[Byron]

Yes, those fish pictured (Post #6) are a species of Otocinclus.

 

[Byron]

I've called my boro and they said they don't test for hardness since its not a requirement but its hard to very hard. I was looking at breeders online and almost every fish I've looked at they said have been raised in hard water with a pH of 7.8 and that most US water is hard but the fish would be okay and not to mess with water chemistry

A couple of observations here. First, I certainly agree not to mess with the water chemistry, that is an extremely involved and complex issue and usually not necessary. Finding fish suited to the source water GH/pH means a much easier life as an aquarist.

I don't know about "most" US water being hard, I suspect the majority of areas have moderately hard water (some have very soft, some very hard) but these are subjective terms and without actual numbers difficult to be specific. There are many aquarium fish that would be fine in moderately hard water; it depends upon the actual GH, KH, and pH, and of course the species. But if the water you have turns out to be "very hard," your options are much more limited. Perhaps you could have your local fish store test the water; many will do this if they know you.