advice on small tank-My updates in my first post

[FishyNewbie]

Look here for updates!


I'm thinking 20 gal. community tank.

3 guppies
1 bristlenose
3 cories
3 tetras
3 Zebra Danio
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Could I fit more in here for a 20 gallon tank?

Also, what would be a good filtration,heating and light system?

Live plants as of now.

Any advice on what fish to put in here would be greatly appreciated.

 

[i_eat_kangaroos]

have real plants! the fish like them better and they look better.

 

[Phantom Thief]

I think you would be overstocked!

Bala sharks get big, about 13 inches. Common plecos get to about 1 foot.

P.T.

 

[Pleco-Heaven]

Get a bristlenose instead of a plec, Instead of balas maybe add to the school of danios.

 

[nirvanarama]

balas?? sorry to say this, but i dont think they'll be small enough for your tank

but...zebra/leopard danios look nice in a school of about about 6-7!

 

[yhbae]

Yup, drop bala from your list, and add either more danio or some tetras. Also, if you can going to get some bottom swelling catfish, get some cories as they are very light on the bioload. Get at least 3 though more the better.

Given your tank size, I wouldn't get a common pleco, and even bristlenose pleco is little on the large size. (grows up to 4-5 inches). How about some ottos? (again, 2 or 3 since they are schoaling species).

EDIT: Oops, I thought you were getting a 10g. If you decide to get 20g long (that's 2.5ft) then bristlenoses are fine. Balas & common plecos are still not good in those tanks. Try to get the longest possible tank, as oppose to tall ones - more water surface meets the air, more fish you can have in your tank...

 

[RYO]

Go for the biggest tank you can get for starters. Then pick your substrate materials-sand or gravel (both are fine )
decore(personal choice) some like to base a tank on a natural look, others on a psychedelic trip (look at the mebers pics to see what you like)
real plant will help with the tank as in oxygenating and removal of nitates and phosphates,but take a bit of looking after.
heaters and lighting will depend on size of tank and real or fake plants.
as for fish its the $64000 question most plecs and the balas are not sutable for a tank in that range.
corys and bristlenose cats should be fine(corys do better as a group)
ottos for algae (again in a group)
danios are a great beginers fish as they are lively colourful and hardy(again do better in a shoal and tend to occupy the uper and middle levels.
small tetras also make a nice colourful shoal
and small loaches are a lively set of fish that dont miss much in the way of food so will keep any snails you might get in check
i cant comment on guppies as ive never kept them but by all accounts are easy to keep but breed like rabbits
All i can suggest is sort your tank out first , let it cycle, test you water parameters, and find fish to suit.
Hope it helps and not confuse,let us know how you get on.

 

[FishyNewbie]

I will update what I want to do with my tank at the top of my post just to let you guys know.

Hopefully I'm going to look at tanks this weekend but it's the forth of july so they may not be open. Maybe they will be open monday.

I was thinking of adding one or two siamese algae eaters because I hear they keep your algae in check pretty well. Not sure if i should get two though. Any thoughts?