20 tall stocking Qs
- Thread starter geoff
- Start date
is the tank a square or rectangle or is it one of those hexagon tanks? If it is a square or rectangle, give 5 gallons for the angel. You could probably get away with a small school of tetras or a group of 3 (two female one male) of another fish that is slightly bigger than tetras, that is if your tank has been set up for a while and has cycled. If it hasn't completely cycled, wait before you add anymore fish. If it's a hex, then your surface area for oxygen exchange is going to be the same as approx a 10 gallon tank because of the shape.
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in my opinion angels need 10 gallons cause they get huge and get territorial depending on how many you have and i dont know where everyone is getting the 5 gallon rule but just cause they get to like 6 inches max doesn't mean they only need 6 gallons...the inch per gallon rule is just a rule of thumb and doesn't fit all fish, its just like discus who need like 10gallons (or was it 20) and goldfish who need like 20 gallons then 10 for everyone after that, doesn't mean they are gonna get to 20 inches...unless its koi or something
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Since when is Geoff a she? 
In a tall tank, stocking is kinda hard just because most fish like to swim across, not up and down. With the angel and the cae and the barbs...I'm not sure. If the tank seems empty to you I think I might "beef it up", add an apple snail and some shrimp...maybe a couple more cherry barbs if you want more. Either that or you could figure out where your most empty spot is in the tank (very top?) and add a single fish that likes it there. If the very top stays pretty empty maybe get two male guppies?
In a tall tank, stocking is kinda hard just because most fish like to swim across, not up and down. With the angel and the cae and the barbs...I'm not sure. If the tank seems empty to you I think I might "beef it up", add an apple snail and some shrimp...maybe a couple more cherry barbs if you want more. Either that or you could figure out where your most empty spot is in the tank (very top?) and add a single fish that likes it there. If the very top stays pretty empty maybe get two male guppies?
I like all of the ideas a lot. This is making it tough.
When I look at my tank, it seems that the bottom is the most empty. The SAE is all over the place, and the Angel and cherry barbs tend to stay in the upper third. So that seems to somewhat eliminate the hatchet fish.
If I went with a trio (could I do four?) of corys, are there any particular corys I should avoid, or could I just pretty much pick any of the species that have the colors I like?
The rams will stay more to towards the bottom correct? My angel is somewhat territorial. It likes to chase, but never seems to catch the cherry barbs, and it never does damage to any of them. Would they get along with the angel, or at least be able to keep away?
I try so hard to keep snails out of my planted tank that I have really grown to dislike them. I couldn't bring myself to intentionally stock a snail.
And finally, yes, I am not a girl.
When I look at my tank, it seems that the bottom is the most empty. The SAE is all over the place, and the Angel and cherry barbs tend to stay in the upper third. So that seems to somewhat eliminate the hatchet fish.
If I went with a trio (could I do four?) of corys, are there any particular corys I should avoid, or could I just pretty much pick any of the species that have the colors I like?
The rams will stay more to towards the bottom correct? My angel is somewhat territorial. It likes to chase, but never seems to catch the cherry barbs, and it never does damage to any of them. Would they get along with the angel, or at least be able to keep away?
I try so hard to keep snails out of my planted tank that I have really grown to dislike them. I couldn't bring myself to intentionally stock a snail.
And finally, yes, I am not a girl.
All the cories are pretty much the same, just pick ones with markings that you like. Well, obviously dwarfs are different, but all the others are about the same.
The angel shouldn't bother cories; they occupy different parts of the tank, so the angel won't feel they are intruding on it's territory. I just got cories small enough that my big angel could swallow, and the angel was curious at first, but now ignores them.
The angel shouldn't bother cories; they occupy different parts of the tank, so the angel won't feel they are intruding on it's territory. I just got cories small enough that my big angel could swallow, and the angel was curious at first, but now ignores them.
Well, it has a body about the size of a cue ball. These were really small cories that I just got... their heads were less than 1cm wide. Probably at the fins they were up to 1cm across, but I figure the fins would have flattened back if the angel really decided to eat them. And an angel's mouth is bigger than you'd think... have you ever seen one yawn?
cory's are a good match with angels. I have three peppered cory's. They keep the bottom active. I just think that four additional bottom dwellers with a SAE in a 20 is going to be too much. That SAE can get large. I have two that I've had for 2 months and the things are already like 4 inches big. You may consider getting one single more SAE to give yours a pal cause they do prefer company. To determine your correct bioload measure the length by the width (not height) multiply that together and divide by 27. The answer is the number of INCHES of fish that should go into that tank. So if your tank was 24 by 12 then you could get away with approx 11 inches of fish. If you do saltwater then you have to divide by 47.
Don't include the caudal fin in the inches of fish rule though. Forgot.... So if you say you have an angel he will prolly get 4-5 inches not including fins (they only get as big as their tank will allow) so he prolly won't get that big and a SAE that will get to be atleast 4 inches - You can pretty much see that if you use that calculation then your already there for bioload. So I guess it's just your preference. Just make sure the tank is cycled fully first.
BTW I got that calculation From the aquarium owners guide book.
BTW I got that calculation From the aquarium owners guide book.
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