I just had some questions about stocking my twenty gallon hex. First off, what to do about aquascaping. There is not much space for substrate should I go with dense fake plants and rocks, caves, etc. Also, what to do about stocking. I really want two dwarf gouramis. Other than that I have several different scenarios as to what I would like. I really want a nice smaller schooling tetra but not sure as to which kind. I am leaning towards the x ray tetra as it would really bring out the color in my gouramis, but still unsure. Any help would be appreciated and thanks for your time. Also any other fish you think would go well with these.
Stocking a 20 gallon hex?
- Thread starter jondub
- Start date
I just want to suggest being careful about which fish you add and their usual swimming area of the tank. Because hex tanks are tall and lack width, having too many fish that usually swim in the same area of the tank may run you into problems. Have you thought about maybe getting two Cories for the bottom (or will the aquascaping limit the space too much on the tank floor?)
Dwarf Gouramis will probably hang more about the top-middleish, while Tetras will hang in the middle, just to give you an idea
What about a few Danio that could zip around the top of the tank?
Dwarf Gouramis will probably hang more about the top-middleish, while Tetras will hang in the middle, just to give you an idea
What about a few Danio that could zip around the top of the tank?
Along with limited swimming room, you also need to be aware that since there's less surface area on a hex tank...it needs to be more heavily filtered (with more surface agitation) and more lightly stocked. ie it would NOT be a good tank for goldfish. If you definitely want the gouramis...I'm afraid I would suggest ONLY the gouramis and some type of cleanup crew/algae eater. I had a friend put two small angelfish and a pleco in hers and they seemed to do pretty well since angels do well with the vertical swimming space...I'd think it would be kind of akin to the gouramis.
guppies usually hang out around the top You could get a couple of males for some color. I had two julii cories in the bottom of my 15 hex and they just seemed so....cramped. You could always start with the gouramis and an apple snail (help with cleanup and some algae) and see how it goes? I took my hex down because it was always the hardest one to clean, always getting cloudy, difficult to stock blah blah. If I get a hair to set it back up I think I will go with something VERY simple and overfilter it because it was never a 'fun' tank to deal with.
You could get a couple of males for some color. I had two julii cories in the bottom of my 15 hex and they just seemed so....cramped. You could always start with the gouramis and an apple snail (help with cleanup and some algae) and see how it goes? I took my hex down because it was always the hardest one to clean, always getting cloudy, difficult to stock blah blah. If I get a hair to set it back up I think I will go with something VERY simple and overfilter it because it was never a 'fun' tank to deal with.
My first tank was a 20 gallon hex, which we had up until I was 10 and had to give it away. Now that I know there are rules to stocking, I feel horrid about the kind of fish we had in there (2 Common Plecs, Cories, Neons, Sarpaes, Kissing Gouramis... who know what else!).
So to add to what Froggy said, I remember us having to constantly try new filters because the one before wasn't working properly. Not only that, but none of our fish lasted too too long (wonder why?), minus the Plecs and Gouramis.
I think it'd be nice to start with the Gouramis and Apple Snail, then see how they react to the tank before adding on. I bet a well colored Dwarf Gourami and a couple of Male Guppies would look beautiful together
So to add to what Froggy said, I remember us having to constantly try new filters because the one before wasn't working properly. Not only that, but none of our fish lasted too too long (wonder why?), minus the Plecs and Gouramis.
I think it'd be nice to start with the Gouramis and Apple Snail, then see how they react to the tank before adding on. I bet a well colored Dwarf Gourami and a couple of Male Guppies would look beautiful together
The 20 gallon hex was not my intial choice but my girlfriends parents got it for me for ten dollars at a garage sale. I think I am goin to start with a group of 7 or so tetras to see how they do and go from there. I am planning on getting a filtration system that is for 40 to 60 gallons due to the hex. I am also, not going to aquascape to heavily I was just asking if my tank would look bare if I didn't. Thanks for all of your help. This tank is going to be a huge challenge but I think I will be a fun one. I have a five gallon hex that has been set up for almost 6 months now and I am very happy with it. I started with four black neon tetras and a betta. I only just recently lost one tetra and the rest of the fish are extremely happy. So everyone wish me luck on this endeavor and keep coming with the advice. Thanks.
Oh yeah definitely good luck Not meaning to sound overly negative, I apologize. I just know how frustrated I was. I actually got mine with a cute little stand at a garage sale for $18 so yeah I am familiar
I think some plants would look great and help fill some of that vertical space, but again you have issues because its a tall tank with a small area to get light down into it, so you'll have to see what kind of plants you can make work with low light. I think mine came with an 8w bulb in the hood...which pretty much wasn't enough for anything.
Not meaning to sound overly negative, I apologize. I just know how frustrated I was. I actually got mine with a cute little stand at a garage sale for $18 so yeah I am familiar I think some plants would look great and help fill some of that vertical space, but again you have issues because its a tall tank with a small area to get light down into it, so you'll have to see what kind of plants you can make work with low light. I think mine came with an 8w bulb in the hood...which pretty much wasn't enough for anything.
I don't think I am going to do a planted yet. I think I am going to do just fake plants for now. Eventually I want to try and plant my 5 gallon and put a pair of blue rams in it. I am in no way ready for a planted tank and don't have the time. College, work, and lsat classes take to much of my time. I am ready to get started on this but first I have to cut off the top of the tank because it is fit to run with the old equipment so I am just going to remove it and build my own for it. I also, have to get a stand. So much to do and so little time.
With the fake plants and a few decorations do you think the kuhli loaches would be ok? I really like them and they seem to be very playful when around other kuhli loaches. Thanks alot for all your help. OH and a new development, my girlfriend really likes cichilid, so I we may go with those instead of the gouramis. I am not very familiar with the cichilids but as long as they are the same size they generally will coexist right?
Uhh no. Cichlids are their own special little group. First most of them wont work in a normal 20...let alone a hex. The only ones you could really get in that tank would be shell dwellers, maybe some dwarfs,apistos etc. They are overall pretty aggressive fish and need to be chosen carefully which ones go with which ones.
Kuhli loaches get to be 4-5 inches long and do best when in groups...so IMO a 20G hex is not big enough to have any fish that get that big...let alone a group of them.
Kuhli loaches get to be 4-5 inches long and do best when in groups...so IMO a 20G hex is not big enough to have any fish that get that big...let alone a group of them.
Thanks man and I was looking at some of the dwarf cichlids and would go with an all cichlid tank. I hate hex tanks, well don't hate they are just really hard to deal with, I wish I had the money to buy a new tank but I will go with what I got. So if the loaches aren't going to work onthe bottom what would be a good different fish to go on the bottom. I was hoping on going with a little different fish set up from what others do. That is why I was looking at the dwarf gouramis, kuhli loaches and even the x ray tetras.
Well sometimes what other people have...they have because it works you dont HAVE to have any fish in the bottom...thus the suggestion of an apple snail. Most corys stay small enough, if you were to find pygmy cories I'm sure they'd love the tank...but they dont do anything for algae, just eat whatever is on the bottom (and you need to feed them) An apple snail might SEEM boring, but they're actually pretty cool. They will take care of cleaning things up, including some algae. You might just add one fish (or one type) and then when you start getting algae issues you might add some ottos?
Have you looked into cycling the tank yet? Doing a fishless cycle would allow you some more time to decide on your stocking...
Maybe get some fish in the 20 and plan your next tank with cichlids
btw... I'm a WOman
you dont HAVE to have any fish in the bottom...thus the suggestion of an apple snail. Most corys stay small enough, if you were to find pygmy cories I'm sure they'd love the tank...but they dont do anything for algae, just eat whatever is on the bottom (and you need to feed them) An apple snail might SEEM boring, but they're actually pretty cool. They will take care of cleaning things up, including some algae. You might just add one fish (or one type) and then when you start getting algae issues you might add some ottos?Have you looked into cycling the tank yet? Doing a fishless cycle would allow you some more time to decide on your stocking...
Maybe get some fish in the 20 and plan your next tank with cichlids
btw... I'm a WOman
Sorry I say man to everyone. I didn't mean any disrespect. I haven't even gotten my tank up yet and yes I plan on doing a fishless cylce. I am just looking into options before I start buying all the things needed to do my tank. I still have some minor adjustments to the tank before I can even put water in it. Thanks so much for your help and keep the ideas flowin.