# center piece fish?



## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

i am looking for a center piece fish for my 20 gallon tank that is HEAVILY planted in fact i had to move the plants several times just so the fish could swim i had tall plants in the front and the back.now i go by the rule tall in back short in the back.here is my stock AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor my temp is 74 degrees.i think that 3 platies would work what do you think.


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## parkiller (Feb 4, 2014)

hello brian for some reason your link won't show me your stockbut you can but almost any fish in a 29 gallon tank as long as it is small enough. if I had a free 29 gallon tank right now I would get albino cthey only get about 4 to 5 inches long and you could have a few and are very active I have also had yo yo loach. they only get about 4 to 5 inches long and you coulddo just about anything brian let me know what your stock is:goldfish:


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## Dolphielov (Dec 18, 2013)

Ummm.... The page I saw said that your stocking level was 100%. Unless you are purposely overstocking, your tank is/would be full.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

@Dolphielov i only use that site for things like size and other stuff in that area.but yes the tank is over stocked but i have a bunch of plants and i do MORE than enough water changes a week 2 10 gallon w/c a week.and that site is not reliable it was human made so it WILL and CAN contain wrong things.i dont use it that much anyway. 
@parkiller it is a 20 gallon tank not a 29 gallon tank.the only stock in there right now is 5 red eye tetras and to many to count mts its a snail that grows to half an inch for anybody who dont know what that means.


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## Dolphielov (Dec 18, 2013)

Whoa.... Calm down.


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## DLFL (Oct 26, 2012)

OK,
Stocking a tank actually depends on the persons knowledge, research, and husbandry. If the water quality is great and gravel keep spotless then more fish could be kept. (could be) The smaller the tank the more attention to detail it takes to be successful. 

A twenty gallon is a petite canvas. Petite canvases will be so busy with more than a few fish, one's attention will be all over and not where you want it. Think about nature and how that tank would look set in a stream, lake, or ocean. If that picture is what you are going for, it probably will work.

You want a kick-*** tank and I am there with you! Be dramatic in your statement (tank arrangement and fish selection) Remember that less is best.

I like how you are always looking and thinking about your tanks. You are very interested and enthusiastic about our hobby. Keep looking, thinking, and asking questions.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I've always wanted to use negative space when designing a tank, and I can't think of anyone who does it better than Takashi Amano. He has barely any plants and barely any fish in his tanks, and yet they are world-reknowned as the pinnacle of aquascaping.

If you go by Aquadvisor, I have enough critters for a 55 gallon tank. It's a tool, nothing more. As others have stated, maintaining your tank and taking care of your critters is paramount. You can buy small and then, when they grow up, sell them and buy more little ones, or you could stagger the tank between top- mid- and bottom-dwellers. It's the people who don't do the research and try and cram 20 tetras into a 10 gallon tank that are asking for problems.

And, as stated, small tanks are harder to keep stable. I know for people like me, a small-tanker all the way, a 55 gallon tank is HUGE and seems like a huge hassle. However, for others with 100-200 gallon tanks, a 10 gallon wouldn't even hold one of their monster-fish. Again, with big, small, what have you, it boils down to how well you take care of the tank.

As it stands, I would urge you to be more on the side of minimalist rather than cram as many living things into your tank as you can. As stated, focus on quality rather than quantity.


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