Please Help Me Stock!

[fishwish34]

Hi everybody! I know I posted about stocking a few weeks ago, but now I have some more concrete ideas and need help with decision making. I have a 20 gallon high tank with 4 zebra danios, and I need help stocking. There will definitely be 2 more zebra danios added for a school of 6, and then here are my ideas for what to go with them:
Idea 1:
X cherry barbs (not sure how many...some sources say only a pair, others a school)
4 cories (not sure what species yet)/1 dwarf gourami

Idea 2:
5-6 tetras (maybe neons?)
1 dwarf gourami/2 honey gouramis/4 cories/3 mollies/3 platies

Idea 3:
1 molly (unless it would be lonely)
5-6 tetras

Idea 4:
3 mollies/3 platies
4 cories

Idea 5:
1 dwarf gourami
4 cories

As you can probably tell, these are just different arrangements of the same few species of fish. The / indicates "or", meaning that fish would be instead of the others with it. Pretty much, I like: tetras (I'm not sure what species I would get yet), dwarf gouramis & honey gouramis, mollies, platies, corydoras, and cherry barbs. One concern I have is that my pH is a little high at 7.8, so the tetras may not work. Also, the tank does heat up a bit in the summer because there's no air conditioning in my house, and is cooler during the winter. Oh, and the tank is cycled and has been set up for 1.5 years. Sorry this is kind of confusing, but I want so many fish! I realize they won't all fit, of course.
Other suggestions are welcome as well. I would like this to be a community tank, though.
Thank you in advance for all advice!

 

[lauraf]

Mollies can get quite large, and often prefer a bit of salt (which cories don't appreciate). I'd go with platies instead. Then if you want to go for cories, or even small loaches at a later point, you don't have to worry about salt.

 

[waterguy1]

I think Idea five would do great, and you might have enough room to stuff another dwarf gourami in for a pair. I dont know that you should get neons or barbs, though, like in your other ideas. not that they wouldnt do well, but in a tank that size, I, personally, would add to the danio school instead of getting another group of schooling fish.

ps, lauraf is right about the mollie. If it's livebearers you want, go with some platies, guppies, or swordtails.

 

[fishwish34]

Thank you, Laura and waterguy! I was wondering about mollies and salt--I don't really want to have to add anything to my water, and platies are cute! Would swordtails fit in my tank? I've read that they get a little bigger, but I'm not sure...I might do 2 honey gouramis instead of a dwarf gourami as well.

 

[Dan Steveo]

we are talking about a 20g tank though, if that's 20g (uk) then i had in mine:

1 siamese fighter
6 neon tetra
1 5" bristlenose pleco
2 2" bristlenose pleco
1 clown pleco
2 cherry barbs
2 clown loach
and 4 corydoras catfish,

Now that is clearly overstocked, but because of how i maintained it and the hardy nature of the fish and the vast number of plants, it somehow worked without causing an issue, of course i'm not recommending a stocking option like that but as long as you acclimatise slowly and you learn your limits in time you'll do fine, we all learn, more-so from our mistakes.

I think the dwarf gourami are great, the honey ones are ok but i preferred colisa lalila (i think that't the name) Had blue and red stripes and a beautiful colour on them. They can be a bit aggressive though.

 

[lauraf]

Do not get two dwarf gouramis - if they are at your lfs, and pretty, chances are 99% they are all males. Two male dwarf gouramis in a 20g is a bad idea. One is fine, or honeys are fine in pairs or groups.
Swords are cooll as an alternative to platies. They can get a bit larger than platies. As with most livebearers, a higher number of females to males is best.

 

[fishwish34]

What about a South American Bumblebee catfish instead of cories? My only worry is if it will eat the zebra danios, but I don't think it will be a problem--I've read that it'll eat small fish. Or 6 zebra danios and a pair of kribs?