New 20 Gallon Tank What Fish Can I Have?

[robert.sadler]

Hello there

I've just recently set up a new 20 gallon tank (see link) and was wondering what kind of fish I can put with which?

http/www.fishforums.net/content/Members-...ew-Tank-Setup-/


As you can see so far I have a red fin shark and three honey gouramis.

What I ideally want is an angel fish a siamese fighting fish and a shoal of some kind.

I'd like advice of whether I can have the angel fish in this size of tank first of all and also what kind of shoaling fish you would recommend?

At first I wanted tiger barbs but I'm told they'll nip at the Siamese and the angel.

What else could I get that looks cool (Very simple minded, colours make me happy!)


Cheers


Robert

 

[*Fishkies*]

Angel fish need at least a 30gallon tank. So I would consider the angelfish out of the question.

As for the tiger barbs they can be nippy if kept in a group of less then 8.

Your Red Fin Shark can get up to 6inches. And each Honey Goruami can get up to 2 inches. So technically you have up to 12inches of fish in your tank.

I say that you do not....get the siamese algae eater as this could cause territorial problems in your tank with you Red Fin Shark.

What about a Glowlight tetra? or another type of tetra?

 

[Luketendo]

The shark is too big.
The angel is too big.
The Betta shouldn't be bought.
Tiger barbs will kill bettas and angels.

 

[robert.sadler]

Jeez don't beat about the bush dude lol


Hows about some harlequin rasboras instead of the tiger barbs?

Also out of curiosity why can't I go for the Siamese fighter?

 

[danni79]

they dont beat about the bush on here and some people get quite aggressive Ive noticed....please ease up on us newbies... we dont have the same experience as you guys hence we are here asking your advice!

 

[bugsy66]

I would not do the angels either due to the tank size. Barbs are nippy fish and angels and bettas with barbs only spells disaster in a tank of this size.

What about some Dwarf Powerder Blue Gouramis, Dwarf Neon Blue Rainbowfish, the rasboras would be okay, tetras too. But I question that shark.....

I would do some more investigation to see how aggressive they could get, you might be fine with it though but checkfirst.

You could set up a very nice colorful tank.

 

[robert.sadler]

As far as I can read the Shark would be more prone to being agressive to fish of the same shape they're cool with other fish just not similar fish to themselves

they dont beat about the bush on here and some people get quite aggressive Ive noticed....please ease up on us newbies... we dont have the same experience as you guys hence we are here asking your advice!

High five, amen and right on!

 

[loachman]

Siamese fighting fish/bettas dont' do well in a community tank. They'll tend to attack anything with long fins (gouramis/angels included). On the other hand, they're slow and tend to get picked on by things like nippy tetras and barbs.

For good schooling fish for that size tank are most tetras & rasboras.

 

[Iron Man]

I think the shark will be fine with most anything accept other sharks. But in a tank of that size I would be very nervous about putting tiger barbs with an angel.

Rasboras are a VERY good idea and IMO are some of the most beautiful little tropical fish there is. An angel in a 20 gallon is pushing it as these fish do grow quite large but with the right setup and maintenance routine I think it would be fine. And angel and rasboras would make a beautiful tank, along with maybe some small cories??

Or you could maybe put one male betta in with say 6 female bettas and one angel and that's it??

I don't know how angels coexist with bettas. Just giving you some more ideas to twirl around with. haha

Honestly though, if it were my tank, I would go with some nicely colored gourami as my "centerpiece" fish and maybe 8 neons and 8 harlequins. If you keep up on good maintenance 4 small cories in with those would be awesome.

 

[Dunkal]

how about cilchids??

 

[Bauchingera]

I have a little albino red fin shark, named Oatis...be careful what u put in the tank with it... when they get older thaey can get very agressive... but i am hopping that a lifetime in a community tank will make my shark less agressive... and sofar its working.

maybe get a bristlenosed catfish...they are cool...

 

[ktricky]

I have five banded barbs and cherry barbs in my 50g tank and they are very active and schoal does look good

have you thought about rainbow fish at all like the dwarf

you could always try for a pleco of sort

Kribensis are a nice fish and tend to be a starter fish unsure what a pair would be like in a 20g tho

 

[Eric9647]

Dunkal, wouldn't most chiclhids grow to about 8-12 inches each? with a 20 gallon tank, I would think he/she would only be able to handle 3 or 4 max.

 

[robert.sadler]

I have five banded barbs and cherry barbs in my 50g tank and they are very active and schoal does look good

have you thought about rainbow fish at all like the dwarf

you could always try for a pleco of sort

Kribensis are a nice fish and tend to be a starter fish unsure what a pair would be like in a 20g tho

Went to my LFS yesterday to scope out the possibilities and I'm pretty settled on what I'll get now

1 angel fish
1 Siamese fighter
8-10 Harlequin Rasbora
1 Bristlenose plec

Already in there is the red fin and 3 honey gourami


That should see that at capacity then and I'll just need to watch and see how it goes with the red fin.

Dunkal, wouldn't most chiclhids grow to about 8-12 inches each? with a 20 gallon tank, I would think he/she would only be able to handle 3 or 4 max.

Less of the he/she I'm just slim built thats all! lol

 

[bugsy66]

Yikes, that is alot of fish for a 20 gal. But you can watch and see how things go I guess.

Another one you might have to watch is your Betta and your Gourmais, because they are from the same family they might fight, so watch out for this.

If this happens, remove the Betta and place it in a nice betta bowl, tank what ever you like. I have bettas and find they do alot better by themselves as they can be harder to feed in a mixed aquarium situation. Many of them will not eat flakes and will slowly starve to death in a tank.

I feed betta pellets and blood worms which your angel would snatch up faster than the slow swimming betta would have a chance to get. So you might want to think about that before you get the betta.

Your list sounds good but a bit overstocked in my opinion.

Good Luck......