Stocking ideas for new 20 gal... help!!

[hongtat69]

Hey dudes, I got a new 20 gal, very well (plastic) planted, been fishless cycling it and it's nearly done, hopefully (did a water change on the 10th day, waiting for nitrites to drop for good...) I need y'all's opinion on something. Here's my stocking plan:

2 neon blue dwarf gouramis
4 bloodfin tetras (from my old tank)
2 panda corys
either 4 harlequin rasboras or 6 cardinal tetras

My tank has a nice piece of driftwood in it and that's why I'm choosing mostly blackwater/acidic pH fish. Color's a top priority for me, and currently I'm leaning towards the cardinals since they're so damn colorful (and I hear they look even better in blackwater ) The harlies at my LFS look quite washed-out color wise, but I also heard that they're positively stunning in blackwater. What do you guys think? Any more suggestions?

thanks all.

 

[Flex26]

It sounds to me like you have already have a good stocking plan.

I don't think you'll be disappointed if you went one way or the other as far as the Harlequins/Cardinal Tetras go. But it sounds like you have the cardinals in mind. So why not go with them?

The only thing I would do is add 2-3 more Panda Cories.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Stocking looks great. Go for the Cardinals in my opinion. They will give off my color and even more when they are in a school. I persoanlly would even put in 8. But thats just me.

Post Pics when you get it all done!!! GL

 

[sugarbear001]

WELCOME to the TANK!!!

 

[hongtat69]

Picture of the tank

Here's my 20gal tank, just waiting for the nitrites to go down! What do you guys think... suggestions?

 

[Davy]

I think that it looks great! My only suggestion would be a different color gravel, but that is just me. I think that a school of cardinals would look awesome in there. Where did you get the wood in the middle?

 

[hongtat69]

Thanks! I got the wood from my LFS - cost me about $20. And yeah, I kind of have a blue thing going on in my room so that's why the gravel's partly blue

 

[Angelfish]

Yeah I agree that you already have a great stocking plan. I lean towards the harlequin rasboras, just because they are a different shape to the bloodfins. But if you like the cardinals go for it! Very pritty fish =)

 

[AmazonTankz]

Personally, I like Harlequins better then cardinals...easyer to take care of and they are a different shape like Angelfish mentioned.
You said the harlies at you lfs look washed out in color? In my experiance (I have worked at a lps), harlies almost always look washed out in color at the pet store, most of the time it is because they don't feed them very good food and at least at my lps they are never put in a very good tank style that would show of their colors if you know what I mean.

As fare as your tank goes, I think it looks real good, I personally would go for the natural colored gravel but since it is in a blue room I think it would look perfect there. For some reason the big plant behind the wood looks unusually fake...maybe it is the way the light shines on it???? I think I would just take that plant out and purchase a tall plant that is more formed to go behind the wood. Besides that I think you have great placement with the other plants.

 

[CoNMaN]

put one betta in there!

 

[CrazyGurly]

None really but maybe shrimp hehe haha BUT i love how it looks now **smile** **lots of luck** ~Crazy Gurly~

 

[dbacksrat]

You sound like you know what you are doing. Your plan for stocking sounds great, and your tank looks good!