Stocking my 20G High Tank

[anabolina]

I have a 20 gallon high tank with a 30 gallon Aqueon filter and 150 watt heater that's been set up at home for the past few days. It's unplanted but has some plastic plants and a triceratops head and no light, only a glass cover because I'm reaching the limit for my fish budget for the month. The tank will eventually be planted after I can afford a lighting fixture. Water in my area tend to be a bit hard with a high ph of 8. I'd also like to keep the temp between 78 and 80 degrees. I also have an airpump with tubing and an airstone and a cure little ship that also connects to the airpump, but I haven't decided whether or not to use it yet.

I did use gravel from my small 5 gallon office aquarium to help get the cycle started last week, but I'm not sure how for along it is yet. I have a water sample I'm taking to the fish store today. (What would I do if they weren't right across the street from my work?)

Anyway, so my work aquarium is a little 5 gallon hex with either 3 mollies or 2 mollies and a platy. I bought 3 mollies and 1 platy, but one died a day after moving into the aquarium. The thing is that I can't tell the difference between mollies and platies. :shrugs: So I'm really looking forward to getting the office fish out of their cramped conditions so they can really swim around. Although as I look at them on my desk, they seem more interested in grazing on the gravel and sole plant. The 5 gallon is soon to be a home for a male betta and maybe some shrimp or something(haven't decided yet).

So I'm planning on moving the platies/mollies home in the next few days depending on my water parameters, although platies/mollies are hardy fish and they did fine cycling the 5 gallon tank I've heard that it can be good to bring home the filter of an established tank and squeeze it out into the water to get more of the good bacteria into the new tank. Has anyone here done that?

Still I want to start planning the rest of the tank so I'm not stocking willie nillie. Don't worry I have no intention of moving any additional fish into the tank for another month to ensure the conditions are as safe and reliable as possible.

I've heard it's good to try to pick fish that are happier in certain zones, like putting bottom dwellers with top dwellers so no one zone gets overloaded. Is this something to think about if the aquarium is only 20 gallons?

Okay, so this is the configuration I used the AqAdvisor to decide on:
-1 Male Betta (my brother is my roommate and really wants one at home)
-3 Male Mollies
-5 Black Neon Tetras
-2 African Dwarf Frogs
-5 Kuhli Loach

Is this practical? Way overstocked? Is AqAdvisor reasonably reliable? I know I'm going to have to definitely keep up with my water changes since this is a pretty heavy load, but the aquarium is literally within 3 feet of the kitchen sink and I've certainly gained a lot of experience with gravelvacumming from my office aquarium. Any other ideas?

I'll admit I'd prefer a more colorful configuration since the mollies and betta are colorful but the other 3 types of fish aren't so much.

Also since bettas get territorial, should he be the last fish acquired?

 

[Kitty_Kitsch]

Sounds pretty good to me! If you want more color why not get some dwarf platys instead? I had a tank with a betta and many types of platy and ghost shrimp (d'oh!) The only thing the betta went after were the shrimp and he became obese lol or is it that you are looking for a shoaling fish?
I love kuhlis btw they are awesome, tiny and adorable. (See my DP)
Another thing is do you want to mix the loaches with the frogs? Frogs are kind of slow and just chill on the bottom but the loaches can get pretty wiggly and might stress out the frogs. And I know they're dwarf frogs but I had one that got huge so maybe just 1?
I don't want to ruin what you've got going on though

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I have not kept the frogs so cannot comment on them. I have kept 20 gallon tanks with higher stocking densities than you are planning. I will add some comments from one of my previous posts that may help.

----------By reading two threads that appeared on this forum titled “Water change size” in the freshwater beginner information/questions section and “stocking density opinion” in the freshwater general discussion section, you may gain some insight.
As you will see, the range of opinions about how many fish can be stocked in a tank and how often and how much to change water is vast. With regard to the opinions favoring the ultra low stocking of fish. The working theory, as explained to me by at least one member, is that people new to the hobby do not know how to properly take care of a tank and therefore should be encouraged to stock very lightly. That makes sense and I do endorse the notion that there should be fewer problems if you start with low stocking. Also if you start with low numbers, there will be fewer fish to lose when a rookie mistake is made. I guess the biggest issue, for me, is that these recommendations do not seem to read as advice only for those new to the hobby. They read, to me, like an ongoing standard............

The only other comment that comes to mind is that a 150 watt heater seems strong for a 20 gallon tank. As long as the thermostat is in good working order it should not cause a problem. A strong heater in a smaller tank can run the temp up in a hurry. Sounds as though you are going to stabilize things for a few days before adding fish.

kuhli loaches are neat fish. I keep them. I also have some structure, stacked bits of slate in my case, for them to hide in. It seems that they will spend more time out and about if they have a secure spot to go to . Some folks use ceramic structure. My first tank with kuhlis had a ceramic castle. I called it the kuhli hut. They would hang out of the windows.

 

[Kitty_Kitsch]

That sounds adorable! Mine hangout under my driftwood pieces and they come out a lot during the day! I think they also like plants, they seem to go to the middle of my grasses and lay in them

 

[lauraf]

I'm not sure I would keep kuhlis and frogs in the same tank. I'd imagine those kuhlis might look fairly worm-like to a poor-visioned frog. Some people have had issues keeping bettas in community tanks - they can get stressed out by fast-moving fish like the tetras. You can try it, but be prepared to rehome the betta if he's looking unhappy.
If you moved gravel from an established tank to help the cycle, that's definitely the right idea, but if the tank has been unpopulated since then chances are the beneficial bacteria has died off. It needs a constant ammonia source (read: critter poop or uneaten fish food). Instead of just squeezing the good goop from an established filter into the water, you would be even better off to put the entire filter media in the new tank. Then add a couple fish right away. Anything else in your established 5g, like more gravel or decor, can be temporarily moved into the new tank at this time as well.
Cheers,
Laura

 

[anabolina]

Thanks for the replies

I've been putting some fish flakes in the water to keep the bacteria alive for since I put it in. That is a good idea to just put as much stuff from the little fish tank in the big one. Maybe then I'll just do so and put the filter media, rock, and more gravel in my bucket with water and the fish separated into a bag(saved the one they came in since I always knew this would be a temporary home) with more water and transport them home from work this afternoon.

I'd never have thought that the frogs and loaches would be a bad match, see, that's why I post here I think my brother would prefer the loaches so I suppose the frogs are out. I'm not sure about the tetras either, but they might be fun to watch. Hmm, I suppose I have time to make decisions so I'll change my mind at least a few times along the way.

Hey, how long will the fish be okay in a bag? As stated, last time they were in the bag less then 5 minutes between the shop and work. My home is 20 minutes away if I leave at 5:00 or 25 if I leave after 5:05, and my brother just asked me to bring home flour from the grocery store. hmmm. At least the weather is really cool today.

 

[skjl47]

I have transported fish in bags for hours without a problem. Don't lay them in the sun on a hot seat in warm weather or in the back of a pickup in the winter. I used to have a small insulated cooler for long trips from Indianapolis to Harlan Ky which was over six hours.

 

[lauraf]

Yeah, the fish should be fine in transport for the half hour or so. No problem.

 

[anabolina]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, I ended up staying at work late yesterday and had some unexpected errands come up, and today is looking the same way so the fish are going to have to wait until tomorrow. I guess they've put up with the little tank this long, a while longer will be okay. I did got to the LFS at lunch to look at bettas for the 5 gallon and am having trouble choosing between a large turquise one and a funny looking and smaller kinda pastel purple one. The weird thing was that its head is orange. Still I like how the store keeps their bettas in large jars rather then those tiny Petco containers.

Hey, what do you all think of glofish? The tank was beside the bettas and I was surprised by how bright and colorful they are. So tempting and since it's a genetic modification, they aren't dyed to get that color. Also they aren't supposed to breed easily so I should be able to buy males and females without having to worry about fish babies, right?

 

[Thyra]

You may already know this, but one way to tell if your betta is stressed is by its faded color and it will probably stay in one small corner of the tank. Many fish are like that at first, but you should start to see improvements in about 24 hours. I realize they are called "Siamese Fighting Fish" but in my experience they are not the aggressor in a community tank (except if there would be one of their own kind.)

 

[Denther]

I have 6 neon tetras in my 10g tank and they are really cool to watch. Darting around everywhere in a group all the time. Watching them feed is really interesting too. Great, colorful fish in a community tank.

You might also consider a snail. Much more interesting than you would think. My mystery snail moves all over the tank eating everything, so they're helpful to have as a cleanup crew.

Good luck stocking your new aquarium!