# What kind of fish could go in a 20 gallon?



## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

I have a 75 with Malawi and would like to make more out of my 20 gallon then the sad guppy tank it is now(only have 3 guppies left LOL) I have someone who wants them.

I want something very colorful. It is okay if they will need a bigger tank because at some point, probably next year we are going to get a corner tank, more than likely a 55.

So what would be good choices in a 20 gallon for at least a year, and is pretty colorful??

30x12x12 is the dimensions of the tank....

I have posted this in the other forums(C. American, Tanganyika, and other lakes) to see what best fits.

Thanks for everyones help!


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You'll find people will rarely give advice for the 'larger tank that's coming next year'. Life gets in the way sometimes, and if the tank isn't bought, the fish are the ones who suffer.

This tank size is suitable for any of the SA dwarf cichilds, however, if it's alot of colour that you're wanting, you might not get that with SAs.

What you would get is some very interesting fish... :thumb:

For SA, I would probably turn this into a nice planted tank, and house a pair of Bolivian rams or a pair of Apistogramma in it. Then you could add a few smaller cories and some tetras for extra colour / movement.


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

I understand. My husband hates this tank though and really wants the Corner tank. So, it is most probable by next year, at worst case, I have a 55 that I was going to set up as a turtle tank but if we can't get the corner, we would set up the 55 long instead. So I do already have a backup, but I would prefer to try and get the corner tank before using the 55 long. I was just looking for something to put in the 20 that would look better and would work until next year. 
If I can't find anything, I will just put this tank away and wait for the corner.


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

The Bolivian Rams are very pretty... and the apisotgrammas look very variant. Like you never know what you would end up with.... But pretty nonetheless!


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

SA Keyholes are not very colorful, but have the "cute and playful" factor going for them.

CA Rainbow cichlids would work too.

My SA Australoheros Oblongum are real nice, but very hard to find except mail order.

As said rams or Apistogramma are nice. There is a newer Electric blue ram that is very bight.

And also as stated, all of these could be kept with cories, pleco, and a school of colorful tetras.

....Bill


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

Okay, think I am going to go with the Rams because when I upgrade I would like to get into Discus and I have read they are good tankmates.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

I thought Australoheros species got big.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

gage said:


> I thought Australoheros species got big.


The A. Oblongum are a dwarf Chanchito.

Males 4-5" 
females 3-4"

They are not very aggressive. Even when spawning.

Not sure anyone has fully grown out the Red Ceibal variety that are around lately. But from what I see, may be similar size and temperment.

....Bill


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *MCKP*,

I love blank stocking threads. They're sort of my speciality here. I am, by nature, conservative when it comes to stocking smaller SA cichlid tanks. Put simply, dwarf SA cichlids have attitude, and need room to express theselves.

Bolivian rams are a great beginner SA cichlid. Only thing is they are a social cichlid, so they do best in groups of 5 or more, which means a larger tank than a 20 gallon long.

For me, the classic colourful SA cichlid has got to be the line bred, German Blue Ram.








These dwarf cichlids do great in pairs, and a 20 gallon long would be perfect for them. The above photo is a male, while females usually have pick tummy. It is important when buying these SA dwarfs to find where they come from. Locally bred stock from German import bood lines would be the best, followed by actual German bred blue rams. Stay away from Asian bred or Czech republic stock. If the LFS can not tell you where they originally came from, or the quality of the fish looks poor, do not buy them. Great tank mates are green noen tetras and rummynose tetras.

My personal favourite dwarf SA cichlids are Laetacara dorsigera.








Again these are a pairing cichlid. There are many different regional variations of dorsigera, and thier colour varies greatly. The most prized are those from northern Argentina, like the pair pictured here. Good tankmates are green fire tetras and dwarf corydoras hastatus.

Another nice dwarf cichlid are the apistogrammas. There are many, many species within the genus Apistogramma, and quite a few have been line bred to produce some very nice specimens. One of my favourites are the line bred A. agassizii "red gold".








These are a harem cichlid, so one male and two females for a 20 gallon long. Females usually only grow to about half the size of the males and are yellow in colour. Tank mates can include marbled hatchetfish and redline, golden or dwarf pencilfish.

All dwarf SA cichlids prefer planted tanks with driftwood interspersed. Planted tanks don't have to be hard to setup or maintain. There are a number of "low light" plants, most notably Anubis, Amazon sword plants, valisnaria, crypts and java moss. Nor do you have to use CO2. All the plants mentioned will do well fith root tab fertilisers and flourish excel.

There are quite a few other dwarf SA cichlids as well, but I have gone with the more common and colourful. In a planted 55g corner tank, it would be possible to mix two different species of Dwarf SA cichlids. Some consideration does need to be taken when mixing species. Generally I try and stick to species found together the wild. Many people do commonly believe that all SA cichlids come from the same or similar water conditions, and that you can mix any combination. This is simply not true. You will find great variations from the Venezualan Llanos, to the Southern Amazon clear water river systems such as the Rio Tapajos, The Northern Amazon black water river systems such as the Rio *****, the western pacific highlands, or the temperate river systems of Uruguay and Argentina.


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks so much for that info!! Those are beautiful fish!!! We have not decided what we are going to do with the 20 at the moment but I am still wanting to do something with it, just not sure when.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

MonteSS said:


> gage said:
> 
> 
> > I thought Australoheros species got big.
> ...


The largest recorded wild Red Ceibal was 14-15cm... I did hear of one attaining 16-17cm in the aquarium, however was being kept at tropical (78F) temperatures.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

gage said:


> MonteSS said:
> 
> 
> > gage said:
> ...


So that's around 6" I guess. I also heard the Reds are alot more aggressive.

...Bill


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