Mixing Lots Of Characidae In 20 Gallons.

[mysteryfish]

I have a 20 gallon tank and have had a fair amount of problems with previous fish mixes, probably since my girlfriend and I had a tendency to buy fish too big for the tank (cichlids, gourami, common pleco). But now we are thinking of starting over.

We like variety and color and I was thinking of filling the tank with 10 to 15 of the smaller characidae species. Something like, one each of:

black neon
neon tetra
Red phantom tetra
cardinal tetra
black tetra
glolight tetra
beacon fish
pretty tetra
bloodfin tetra
blood characin
flame tetra
Griem's tetra
Flag tetra
Lemon tetra
Blackline tetra

I know lots or all of these types of fish like to shoal, but is it really an issue if they are all singles in a tank full of Characidae? Are lonely fish, unhealthy fish?

 

[modernhamlet]

black neon
neon tetra
Red phantom tetra
cardinal tetra
black tetra
glolight tetra
beacon fish
pretty tetra
bloodfin tetra
blood characin
flame tetra
Griem's tetra
Flag tetra
Lemon tetra
Blackline tetra

I know lots or all of these types of fish like to shoal, but is it really an issue if they are all singles in a tank full of Characidae? Are lonely fish, unhealthy fish?

Yes.

I know it sounds like an interesting tank, but this plan is likely to lead to a bunch of colorless, skittish fish that hide or nip or otherwise act in an unnatural manner.

As my sig always says... Keep schooling fish in schools.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> is likely to lead to a bunch of colorless, skittish fish that hide or nip or otherwise act in an unnatural manner.

Spot on.

 

[mysteryfish]

hmmm. Well that's disapointing.

How about 4 groups of 3 per species then?

 

[modernhamlet]

hmmm. Well that's disapointing.

How about 4 groups of 3 per species then?

3 groups of 5-6 per species would be better. Stick to the smaller species.

I think 6 neon, 5 lemon, and 5 flame tetras would look stunning in a 20g and would give you a lot of different colors and activity.

 

[lljdma06]

hmmm. Well that's disapointing.

How about 4 groups of 3 per species then?

3 groups of 5-6 per species would be better. Stick to the smaller species.

I think 6 neon, 5 lemon, and 5 flame tetras would look stunning in a 20g and would give you a lot of different colors and activity.

Even better, one species for the 20 gallon, then you'll get some serious schooling action. It would look sooooo cool. But that's just my opinion.

 

[emma12321]

It would look rubbish and the fish would act unnatural, my cousin had a noahs ark tank with 2 of everything and it was horrible. In a 20 i would get a trio of corydoras, a trio of otocinclus and pick your 2 favourite tetras and keep 5 of each.

Emma

 

[mysteryfish]

Thank you for the good advice and suggestions. I particularly like the last one by emma.