20 Gallon Long Tank Ideas

[Az3rix]

Hello everyone!

I recently wanted to add a new tank to my room and I saw on FB marketplace that someone is giving a 20 gallon long tank for cheap, so I went ahead and picked it up. While I get all of the equipment and stuff sorted out, I was wondering if you guys can help me with some stocking ideas. I am thinking of making this a tank for a male betta. I always admired them and now I want to commit myself into taking care of one. After doing some research, it seems that they are much better in solo tanks because of how aggressive and territorial they can be. I know they can't be housed with any other bettas but it seems they can be housed with other non-aggressive tankmates granted that the betta has a good temperament. For this tank, I plan on making it heavily planted with plenty of hiding spots if I wanted to add tankmates or just leave it for the betta so they have more stuff to explore. If I plan on adding tankmates, I was thinking maybe 6 (possibly 10) Kuli loaches and some cherry or ghost shrimp. What do you think? I already have cories and wanted to try some other bottom dwellers. Is a 20 gallon long good for that much kuli loaches and a male betta? Should I just keep the betta by themselves or at least with a few shrimp? I know the shrimp have a possibility of being an expensive appetizer for the betta, but I do plan on making it heavily planted and providing lots of hiding spots. If it comes down to it, I am a-okay on having it be a solo betta tank, since that is my main goal after all, haha. Let me know what you guys think and if you have any ideas for live plants to add for it or decoration ideas too. I plan on using a nutrient based substrate (maybe fluval stratum) and adding root tabs in the years that come after once the resources of the substrate is depleted. Thanks again!

 

[CassCats]

I would leave it to just the betta, but can attempt shrimp. Just not good with fish tankmates.

And this input isn't due to aggression factor (this is always a possibility, but theres other issues).

---Bettas have a special organ called the labyrinth organ, it's the special "lung" that allows them to breathe air. Because of this organ, their body cavity is already cramped with little space. This is further compounded by their compressed body shape. Over eating, obesity, and digestion problems lead them to have more problems with their swim bladder which controls their buoyancy.

In a setting with other fish, they have more opportunities to snag too much food to eat, and often the wrong foods. They're obligate carnivores and should not have vegetation food, which many tropical mix foods contain spirulina and other vegetation which can cause digestion problems with bettas. (Constipation is best cured with daphnia instead of a pea like people usually suggest, peas shouldn't be fed to bettas). Constipation leads to bloating which compresses their swim bladder more. It can also lead to internal infection which causes dropsy. If dropsy occurs, there's often no easy cure for it and is usually fatal.

--- This is made worse as well due to their poor genetics with many of the domestic bettas these days, they're already more prone to problems as it is.



Therefore, it's safer for the betta to be housed alone where they can be given a monitored amount of food where they cannot over eat unless you yourself give too much a portion at once. You have better control over their environment and care.

Shrimp are easier that they can be fed foods that create biofilm such as Bacter AE, leaf litter, botanicals, and powdered foods that the betta cannot really eat, plus whatever natural algae and biofilm exists within the tank as well. They're the safest tankmates you can keep, so long as the betta does not eat them all on you. Test out with some cheap low grades and if all goes well, then you should be safe to add more. If it doesn't work out, then a few cheap low grades didn't break your wallet as an expensive snack

 

[Az3rix]

I would leave it to just the betta, but can attempt shrimp. Just not good with fish tankmates.

And this input isn't due to aggression factor (this is always a possibility, but theres other issues).

---Bettas have a special organ called the labyrinth organ, it's the special "lung" that allows them to breathe air. Because of this organ, their body cavity is already cramped with little space. This is further compounded by their compressed body shape. Over eating, obesity, and digestion problems lead them to have more problems with their swim bladder which controls their buoyancy.

In a setting with other fish, they have more opportunities to snag too much food to eat, and often the wrong foods. They're obligate carnivores and should not have vegetation food, which many tropical mix foods contain spirulina and other vegetation which can cause digestion problems with bettas. (Constipation is best cured with daphnia instead of a pea like people usually suggest, peas shouldn't be fed to bettas). Constipation leads to bloating which compresses their swim bladder more. It can also lead to internal infection which causes dropsy. If dropsy occurs, there's often no easy cure for it and is usually fatal.

--- This is made worse as well due to their poor genetics with many of the domestic bettas these days, they're already more prone to problems as it is.



Therefore, it's safer for the betta to be housed alone where they can be given a monitored amount of food where they cannot over eat unless you yourself give too much a portion at once. You have better control over their environment and care.

Shrimp are easier that they can be fed foods that create biofilm such as Bacter AE, leaf litter, botanicals, and powdered foods that the betta cannot really eat, plus whatever natural algae and biofilm exists within the tank as well. They're the safest tankmates you can keep, so long as the betta does not eat them all on you. Test out with some cheap low grades and if all goes well, then you should be safe to add more. If it doesn't work out, then a few cheap low grades didn't break your wallet as an expensive snack

Huh, thanks so much for the helpful insight! I was thinking of doing that too after reading more into it. Guess I'll be doing my original idea of having it be a solo betta tank with possibly shrimp added in. Again, thanks so much for the very helpful reply!