Stocking ideas for a 20 gallon (High)

[WillM]

Hey there,

looking for stocking ideas for a 20g preferably something relatively rare/out of the ordinary that can be bred in the aquarium. quite interested in Calvus, but any idea is a good one.

thanks,

Will

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Before any credible stocking suggestions can be made, we'd need to know about the water the fish would be living in;
pH
Hardness

Also, the actual dimensions of the tank, other than just 20 gallon.

 

[WillM]

Before any credible stocking suggestions can be made, we'd need to know about the water the fish would be living in;
pH
Hardness

Also, the actual dimensions of the tank, other than just 20 gallon.

24" x 12" x 16"

Have water on the softer side and a ph of around 7.3

however am willing to buffer water as I've done for shell dwellers

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

24" x 12" x 16"

Have water on the softer side and a ph of around 7.3

however am willing to buffer water as I've done for shell dwellers

Fish are generally happier in waters that haven't been artificially tinkered with.
A pH of 7.3 is alkaline and would be good for most live bearers, barbs, gourami, kuhli loach, sharks and Betta. Rainbows and half-beaks might meet your 'something different' criteria.

Discount Betta and Sharks, as these are generally poor community fish.

 

[Wills]

24" x 12" x 16"

Have water on the softer side and a ph of around 7.3

however am willing to buffer water as I've done for shell dwellers

I like the idea of more Tangs but I think your tank is a bit small for Calvus, I'd want somthing more like 3 foot long or a bigger base than 24x12. Which shell dwellers have you got already? How about a different kind of shell dweller like an Ocelatus Gold?

Wills

 

[WillM]

I like the idea of more Tangs but I think your tank is a bit small for Calvus, I'd want somthing more like 3 foot long or a bigger base than 24x12. Which shell dwellers have you got already? How about a different kind of shell dweller like an Ocelatus Gold?

Wills

have multis, have had my eye on ocelatus but heard can be quite aggressive. But i suppose in a 20g have enough room. I do have a 3 foot tank that i was thinking i could use for calvus and synodontis (if you have thoughts on anything else i could add please tell). Ocelatus are rather hard to come by around me, seem to only be males available but definitely something i'd look into

 

[Wills]

have multis, have had my eye on ocelatus but heard can be quite aggressive. But i suppose in a 20g have enough room. I do have a 3 foot tank that i was thinking i could use for calvus and synodontis (if you have thoughts on anything else i could add please tell). Ocelatus are rather hard to come by around me, seem to only be males available but definitely something i'd look into

If the three foot is a good foot print it opens up a couple of other species Caudopunks are really cool, you could try Calvus or similar species (Blacks are awesome) with them. A couple of the rock dweller species could work in a 3 foot like Julidichromis or some of the Neolamprologus.

If you went with any Synos the best choices would be Lucipinis or Polli 'sp. white' but you could have issues with them sharing the bottom of the tank with things like the Caudopunctatus or some of the Neolamprologus.

Wills

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

24" x 12" x 16"

Have water on the softer side and a ph of around 7.3

however am willing to buffer water as I've done for shell dwellers

soft water ain't no good for calvus and as @Bruce Leyland-Jones said, most fish don't like artificially buffed water. Also, calvus need at least 30 gallons so you are 10 gallons short.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

maybe you could do some rare apistogrammas, tetras, and corydoras, there are a lot of rare species of those 3 fish out there that can breed in the aquarium and live in 20 gallons, also those 3 fish are compatible with each other and like softer water

 

[hobby5]

How about pygmy gourami?