# Stocking Ideas for my 20 Gallon high



## kestik (Jul 5, 2011)

Hey guys!

I want to have a good idea for stocking my 20 gallon when the fishless cycle is completed. It is a non planted tank (sadly).. Here are my ideas so far:

- 2 Black angelfish, 10 neon tetras, 5 ghost shrimp, Maybe a snail
- 4 small angels, 5 ghost shrimps, maybe a snail
- 10 neons, 10 harlequin rasboras, inverts (as above) (with this setup, would I introduce the entire school at once or do 5 at a time, etc?)
- 6 mollies, 6 platys, inverts

I'm not dead set on any species or fish types. I just want a main 1 or 2 centerpiece fish with some other species to balance it all out. I'm leaning more toward the first option.

My LFS mainly carries more common types of fish but they do have many subspecies of them (Such as different guppies and rasboras, etc.) as well as a few less common types. Chances are, I can find what you will recommend. 

Any ideas would be appreciated! :fish-in-bowl:


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## dvanbramer88 (Jul 23, 2011)

i like molly's and platy's.


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## kestik (Jul 5, 2011)

dvanbramer88 said:


> i like molly's and platy's.


added an idea of 6 mollys and 6 platys. How does that sound?


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## dvanbramer88 (Jul 23, 2011)

sounds good, there is many color variations of each so you can mix and match and get good color combinations.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I think the angels will get too big to be happy in there.I would go no more than the two,but be prepared for when they are older and more aggressive to each other.

Also if you add angels,I would get a single amazon sword plant,just because angels and amazons look so good together!

If you go with mollies and platies,remember they are livebearers and breed like cockroaches,lol.


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## kestik (Jul 5, 2011)

majerah1 said:


> I think the angels will get too big to be happy in there.I would go no more than the two,but be prepared for when they are older and more aggressive to each other.
> 
> Also if you add angels,I would get a single amazon sword plant,just because angels and amazons look so good together!
> 
> If you go with mollies and platies,remember they are livebearers and breed like cockroaches,lol.


Thanks for the reply. 
If I add an sword, do I have to do anything differently? Do I need to change my substrate to something like a beazlbob, or can I leave it as river pebbles? Also, will I need fetrillizer, food, or co2 for the plant? I don't quite want to have to go through that as when I leave, my family will be looking after them (I will visit once in a while and be able to check up on everything) and lastly, can I use an air stone if I have the plant? I have a really cool dragon ornament that breaths fire!!! Or...bubbles I mean.... 

Oh, also, if I keep all male platy/mollies, will I be ok or will I run into problems?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I look at my 20g(quarantine tank) and my 29g and just cannot imagine an Angel in either one of them, let alone more than 1 Angel. I would not even consider one unless my tank was a 40B or bigger, but that is just my opinion. A fully grown Angel is a pretty good size fish. Just seems a little on the cruel side to me.

You can't refer to "small" on anything unless the fish stays that way. Most fish tend to grow from the size you buy them from.

I think peaceful fish is the way to go for small tanks. Angels are fairly peaceful, but they are cichlids and considered semi-aggressive. All of your options list too many fish, IMO. Push your tank to the edge of what it can handle and you will end up killing fish. Much more enjoyable to have 6-8 moderately sized fish and them be happy and healthy, then having to deal with one issue or the other every time you turn around - take my word for it.


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## kestik (Jul 5, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> I look at my 20g(quarantine tank) and my 29g and just cannot imagine an Angel in either one of them, let alone more than 1 Angel. I would not even consider one unless my tank was a 40B or bigger, but that is just my opinion. A fully grown Angel is a pretty good size fish. Just seems a little on the cruel side to me.
> 
> You can't refer to "small" on anything unless the fish stays that way. Most fish tend to grow from the size you buy them from.
> 
> I think peaceful fish is the way to go for small tanks. Angels are fairly peaceful, but they are cichlids and considered semi-aggressive. All of your options list too many fish, IMO. Push your tank to the edge of what it can handle and you will end up killing fish. Much more enjoyable to have 6-8 moderately sized fish and them be happy and healthy, then having to deal with one issue or the other every time you turn around - take my word for it.


Will absolutely keep these words of advice in mind! 

Thanks for your help


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## Sweetgreenleaf1369 (Jun 24, 2011)

majerah1 said:


> I think the angels will get too big to be happy in there.I would go no more than the two,but be prepared for when they are older and more aggressive to each other.
> 
> Also if you add angels,I would get a single amazon sword plant,just because angels and amazons look so good together!
> 
> If you go with mollies and platies,remember they are livebearers and breed like cockroaches,lol.


I have both Mollies and Platies in my 29 gallon tank and the platies are having fry like crazy overwhelming my tank I need to take some to LFS for .25 cents each.*cool-dude


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