# Stocking Ideas for 20 gallon long tank



## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

My 20 gallon long tank is planted with three amazon sword plants. I'm cycling it now. I went to the fish store and these fish caught my eye:
-Red wag platy
-dalmatian molly
-sunburst wag platy
-skirt tetra
-tiger barb
-zebra danio
-red minor tetra
-dwarf gourami
-black convict cichlid
-angelfish
-bumblebee african cichlid
-zebra aftrican cichlid
-clown loach

However, I don't want to spend more than $50 dollars in fish total....I know that all of these fish can't fit in a tank together. Is their a good combination that I could get without spending a lot of money? The fish are listed in order from less expensive to more expensive. ;-)


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Platties, mollies, zebra Danios, dwarf gourami and the skirt or Red minor tetras would be ok in that size tank but not all together of course. Keep in mind that the platties and mollies may have babies so you could get overstocked easily.

Tiger barbs, angelfish, Convicts, the African cichlids and clown loach require larger tanks.


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## Bilbo Baggins (Jan 27, 2016)

Yeah, your Platys Mollies Tetras Zebras and Dwarf Gouramis are the ones from your list you could put in your 20 gallon tank, the rest either grow too big, or are too aggressive /territorial. Also, sorry to be a party pooper and you probably know this already, but if you are just cycling your tank just now its wise to add fish gradually two or three at a time with at least a couple of weeks between any new additions, this allows your filter to mature gradually and naturally. Maybe somebody could be more specific, but theres an old fishkeepers adage, that you should only have one inch of fish in your tank for every gallon. I think I also read that this one inch is measured from the fishes nose to the start of its tail, How about, ( just a suggestion, its your call of course ) 3 mollies--2 female 1 male-----3 platys 2 female 1 male---4 Zebras-----------6 tetras shoaling - your choice----------and a pair of dwarf gouramis--this would work out roughly around 20 inches of fish which is enough for your tank I think. Good Luck.

PS good news the fish you have chosen are all reasonably priced in fish shops and you should be able to do it on 50 dollars no prob


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## henningc (May 20, 2013)

OK, it really depends on what you like and if you have a 20H-20L. The mollies need vegie food and therefore produce a ton of waste. Platies are only sightly better.

The tetras are all fin nippers and the shark / loach will grow too large but no before murdering everyone in the tank. The cichlids are out as they all will outgrow the tank. The danios may work with livebares. The cat is out-livebearers are yummy. Depending on stock the dwarf gourami should work but aia would go with pimys such as craokers or licorice.

Keep asking questions


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

Thank you all for your quick response! I'm thinking...

3 platies
5 zebra danios
2 dwarf gouramis

I decided that even though I like the skirt tetra and red minor tetra, they seem like they like to fin nip a lot....I'd prefer to replace them with another kind of fish. Any suggestions?

I've got a couple questions about the platies and gouramis though. I don't want any fry in my tank. Could I get all males or all females for the platies? I would prefer all males, if they can live together, because I heard that the female platies can be pregnant when you buy them from the store. Also, is it fine to keep two male gouramis together? I don't think my store sells female gouramis. I heard that female gouramis are hard to find.


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

Also, I was wondering if I could mix platies, such as getting two red wag platies and one sunburst wag platies or vice versa. EDIT: I realized I forgot to mention that my ph is 7.8. Will all of these fish work with that?


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## Bilbo Baggins (Jan 27, 2016)

You could buy all female platys of course but if its a fish store you are buying them from , chances are they will be already pregnant


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

So all males won't work? Since I don't want any babies to have to deal with...

5 zebra danios
2 dwarf gouramis

Any suggestions as to what else to add?


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

Actually, after more research, I think it would be fine to get 3 female platies....they eat their young, right? I know its sickening....but as long as I don't get a hundred platies after a couple days then I'm cool with the platies! Also, I really like the swordtails! Would that work? I know that the swordtail and platies can interbreed, but would it matter if all the fry are eaten anyway? 

So maybe....
3 platies (3 female)
5 zebra danios
1 male swordtail
2 male dwarf gouramis

Suggestions for any other fish I could get?


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Only do 1 dwarf gourami. They are rather territorial and one will pick on the other until it dies from stress.


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

I have three stocking plans I was thinking of. Tell me how they work:

Stocking 1:
2 female platys
6 corys
5 zebra danios/glofish danios

Stocking 2:
1 dwarf gourami
6 corys
5 zebra danios/glofish danios

Stocking 3: 
6 corys
5 glofish tetras 

Would these be overstocked?


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## Kornel351 (Mar 8, 2016)

African cichlids will destroy your planted tank and they will be too aggressive especially since a). They will out grow the tank and b.)they will be very territorial since they need alot to calm down the agression


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

I have definitely decided not to get cichlids. They are way to aggressive.


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

Just to make sure, all the fish in my three stocking alternatives will do fine in a ph of 7.8, right?


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## affenlab (Mar 5, 2016)

I had a question about the temperature the tank should be...I was thinking if I did Stocking 1 I would keep the tank 75 to 76 F, stocking 2 around 76 to 77, and stocking 3 being 77 

Would those temperature be fine?


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## Kornel351 (Mar 8, 2016)

Yea should be


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## paulthepleco (Mar 24, 2016)

for a community tank you need some bottom feeders like corey cats or shrimp to help clean up the excess fish food and a bristlenose pleco will help with algae and keep your glass clean


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

paulthepleco said:


> for a community tank you need some bottom feeders like corey cats or shrimp to help clean up the excess fish food and a bristlenose pleco will help with algae and keep your glass clean


Every time I heard this and got a dollar, I would of moved out had a nice home and fish room and my dream fish!
"bottom feeders" are not there to clean up after our messes. True they can help reduce food breaking down in hard to reach places, but they will "pay it back" by pooping! This equates to doing larger/more water changes due to an increased bio-load. 
Bottom feeders should be regarded as a fish to increase activity in all levels and help make make the tank look interesting. They not required and tanks can look amazing without them, but in most aquaria they can help polish the final product and it does look more natural.

Not to mention BN are poop machines, they will help your algae in a negative way! Not to mention BN don't eat all kinds of algae and coming from personal experience, they will only eat algae when they hungry. If feed a balanced/filling diet, they will not resort to algae.


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## paulthepleco (Mar 24, 2016)

aussieJJDude said:


> Every time I heard this and got a dollar, I would of moved out had a nice home and fish room and my dream fish!
> "bottom feeders" are not there to clean up after our messes. True they can help reduce food breaking down in hard to reach places, but they will "pay it back" by pooping! This equates to doing larger/more water changes due to an increased bio-load.
> Bottom feeders should be regarded as a fish to increase activity in all levels and help make make the tank look interesting. They not required and tanks can look amazing without them, but in most aquaria they can help polish the final product and it does look more natural.
> 
> Not to mention BN are poop machines, they will help your algae in a negative way! Not to mention BN don't eat all kinds of algae and coming from personal experience, they will only eat algae when they hungry. If feed a balanced/filling diet, they will not resort to algae.


 i understand that they poop what they eat but hey i didnt say they solved your algae or decaying food problem but its nicd having a fish that can reach around decorations so you dont have to move them constantly and yes i mainly have them to have more activy in the tank. but hey maybe i just love plecos since they tend to keep driftwood clean and the glass clear but i do strongly agree buying bottom feeders should not encourage you to get lazy on maintnence


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