Tackle the task of stocking your freshwater tank with this list of the best fish for a 20 gallon tank. We’ll discuss how to choose and care for these different species, as well as provide some tips on their compatibility with other types of fish. It’s important to do research before adding any new animals into your tank so that you can avoid introducing incompatible species or over-stocking your aquarium. The following are our top picks for freshwater fish in a 20 gallon tank:
Stocking Your Freshwater Aquarium
A 20-gallon aquarium can be a great way to show off your creativity. From live plants and beautiful freshwater fish, it’s up to you which critters or other attributes will fill out the tank. Having just enough space for these creatures is crucial though if any of them are going swimming with their fins in water!
The best fish for your tank is about more than just size. It’s important to consider temperament and needs of any fish you stock, as well as make sure they’re compatible with each other.
Choosing the right type of freshwater aquarium can be a tough choice, but it doesn’t have to be that way! There are plenty of options out there for 20-gallon tanks; so choosing one should not take all day long or require an advanced degree in marine biology!
So many fish, so little time! It can be overwhelming to decide which types of fish are best for your aquarium. The first step is research and understanding the needs of each type you’re considering as well as how they might interact with or eat other inhabitants in the tank. To get started I’ll highlight some great choices that will work well a 10 gallon tanks like yours:
How Many Fish for a 20-Gallon Tank?
I prefer to discuss stocking recommendations based on fish behavior rather than on numbers. If you choose peaceful freshwater tropicals, your tank will be able to hold more fish per gallon than if you add aggressive cichlids or catfish from temperate waters. For example, in my book The Careful Aquarist: A Comprehensive Guide to the Selection & Husbandry of Livebearers , Guppies and Mollies , I recommend that a 20-gallon community tank be stocked with at most four adult size fish – that’s four total, regardless of their type. In contrast, my book Freshwater Aquarium Fish for Dummies recommends a maximum of eight adult silver tetras in the same 20-gallon tank. The difference is due to mullet and other species’ territorial behavior; they will not accept others in their space and will fight them off mercilessly.
1. Temperature:
Most North American fish native to temperate waters will not thrive at tropical temperatures. They need more oxygen and are adapted to cooler water, hence the rush of coldwater tropicals entering the pet hobby. I’ve used Discus in 20-gallon tanks, but they were housed indoors near a window with supplemental lighting so that their tank temperature was maintained between 77–82 degrees Fahrenheit (25–28 °C).
2. pH requirements:
Many types of freshwater tropical fish prefer a pH around neutral (7), while others do best above or below this range. Many South American cichlids like acidic water, from about 5.5 down to as low as 4 – by comparison, ocean water ranges from 7.8 up to 8.4. If you want to keep South American cichlids, do not add freshwater fish from North America (goldfish and others) or the pH of your tank will be below 6 within a few hours!
3. Temperament:
There are many different personalities among species. Some are peaceful with their own kind and other fish; others are rather aggressive, even to their own kind. Some species have no problems at all mixing with those in the same genus; a general rule is if they’re closely related, they can share water without problems – for example, tiger barbs and rosy barbs stay together just fine in an aquarium (although like any pair of juvenile fish, a power struggle may occur). Other species will fight to the death, from tetras and livebearers down through discus.
4. Types of fish:
As I said above, most North American freshwater fish from temperate climates are not suitable for a tropical aquarium because they require cooler water temperatures. If you plan on keeping them, provide your tank with an aquarium heater and keep the temperature consistently around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 °C). Even then, some species may perish within a few months or even weeks due to stress resulting from the sudden change in water conditions; if so, I recommend that you choose another type of tropical or at least add another adult size fish to your already stocked 20-gallon tank. On the other hand, there are many different species native to tropical climates and accustomed to warm waters that are suitable for your 20-gallon tank.
5. Size:
How many fish you can stock also depends on the size of your individual fish. If you’ve read other articles on this blog or my books, you know that it’s not a good idea to keep young juvenile fish together because they will fight like cats and dogs while establishing their place in the social hierarchy – which is usually established with lethal force in saltwater species! You must buy them at the same time (within a few weeks) so they’re more likely to share similar personalities; otherwise, one may be bullied mercilessly by another unless the bullying fish is removed from its brutish behavior…or if you’re feeling especially bold, you can use a fishnet to separate the two and let them get used to each other’s company again. The same general rule applies for adult fish; if your tank is small, they may fight until one of them dies or you remove the offender from the tank.
6. Social behavior:
In some species, like goldfish and barbs, males stay around the female all day while she deposits her eggs – it’s not quite monogamous in that he still tries to mate with any new female entering his domain! Other species do pair off; Discus are an example of this social behavior as both male and female work as a team to protect their territory. In contrast, many types of cichlids are highly territorial and will attack anything that is foreign to their territory. My advice is if you want something social (like discus), choose a peaceful fish like gouramis as your bottom-dweller; otherwise, choose a species more similar to its temperament (a territorial cichlid will do well with another territorial type).
Top 10 Fish for a 20-Gallon Aquarium:
1. Platy:
The platy is such a great fish to start off with because they’re colorful, small, hardy and very inexpensive. You can add at least three of them to your tank right away; if you want one for yourself, get two or more so they have company! For information on how to care for this species in an aquarium setting, please refer to my book “Aquarium Care Made Easy” – it contains detailed information about the various kinds of livebearers as well as a chapter devoted specifically towards them.
2. Swordtail:
Swordtails are perfect for breeding (the females deposit their spherical eggs on top of the males’ fencing-like tails) and also make great additions to your twenty-gallon aquarium. You can keep at least three of them together, but if you want one for yourself, purchase two or more to avoid a love triangle…I’m serious!
3. Molly Fish:
Mollies are another popular first fish or addition to your 20-gallon tank. They’re colorful and have the added benefit of being livebearers – they reproduce easily in home aquariums and like platies, they’re small and inexpensive. Again, please refer to my book “Aquarium Care Made Easy” for information on how to care for this species in an aquarium setting.
4. Cory Catfish:
There are many different kinds of cory catfish (hence their name), so I won’t go into specific types, but they’re all very easy to care for in almost any size tank. I personally love the look of these fish: they’re small and hardy (like most catfish species) plus have a cool feel to them. The best part is cory cats are bottom dwellers so you won’t have to worry about their fins getting clipped by your other more boisterous fish!
5. Dwarf Gourami:
Dwarf gouramis are another inexpensive, hardy livebearer that make great additions to your 20-gallon aquarium as long as you can provide ample food – they will eat anything including flakes and freeze-dried bloodworms! They grow relatively large so you won’t want to keep more than two of them (unless you’re very patient) or they’ll outgrow your aquarium in about four years.
6. Neon Tetra:
If I hadn’t put this fish on the list, my wife would have wrung my neck! She absolutely adores these tiny little guys and there’s no better way to add color as well as activity right from the start with a school of neon tetras. They should be one of the first species that you add to your 20-gallon tank – if you do so, follow up with hardier fish like cory cats and gouramis . For information on how to care for this species in an aquarium setting, please refer to my book “Aquarium Care Made Easy” – it contains detailed information about the various kinds of tetras as well as a chapter devoted specifically towards them.
7. Zebra Danio:
I like to call zebra danios the ‘ninjas’ of the fish world because they’re sleek, quick and very colorful (not to mention really hardy). You can keep at least three or four of them in your twenty-gallon tank but if you want one for yourself, purchase more since they’re schooling fish that require companionship. The best food is live brine shrimp hatched from your own breeding colony! For information on how to care for this species in an aquarium setting, please refer to my book “Aquarium Care Made Easy” – it contains detailed information about the various kinds of danios as well as a chapter devoted specifically towards them.
8. Fancy Guppy:
While fancy guppies are considered livebearers, they’re actually more accurately called fruit-bearers because instead of depositing their eggs in their tank’s substrate, females display her swollen belly which looks like she swallowed a large grape! A school of at least ten is perfect for your twenty-gallon tank but if you want one for yourself, get two or three because they also school and appreciate companionship. They’re inexpensive and very hardy so why not?
9. Otocinclus:
Otocinclus are also known as ‘otos’ and have been a staple of the aquarium hobby for years because they’re great little algae eaters that will not only help clean your tank but will stay small and inexpensive. They’re relatively easy to care for (see my book “Aquarium Care Made Easy”) but because they prefer cool water, you won’t want to keep them in warmer climates or with other tropical species. They’re very active fish so once again, I recommend keeping a school of at least three .
10. Harlequin Rasbora:
Harlequin rasboras deserve special mention since they can be kept singly if necessary (i.e. for a lone aquarist) or in small groups. This hardy species is ideal for your 20-gallon tank because they’re not only beautiful (they have striking black and white markings); they are also very peaceful and can easily be kept with other fish including tetras, danios and cories .
FAQ:
What fish do good in a 20 gallon tank?
The best fish for a 20-gallon tank is the Tetra or Guppy. This small, typically silver freshwater fish is perfect because it’s not too big but doesn’t require much space either. They’ll do great in your aquarium with other community members like Scarlet Badis and Glowlight Tetras to keep them company!
How many fish can you put in a 20 gallon fish tank?
You can keep dozens of small fish in a tank or you could make your tanks large enough for only the fewest number of big fish. Whether stocking as many tiny fish or just one huge moray eel, it all depends on what kind of aquarium you want to create!
What is the biggest fish you can put in a 20 gallon tank?
The answer to this question is quite easy. The largest fish that can be housed in a 20-gallon tank are gouramis, as they have the ability to live alone and do not require much space or water volume for their survival. Gourami come in many varieties including dwarf (which will thrive with 10 gallons), honey (who needs at least 15) – there’s an option for everyone!
Is a 20 gallon tank big enough for fish?
An aquarium is the perfect starter home for a beginner, but it may not be as easy as you think to maintain. The 20-gallon tank size offers plenty of room and an excellent starting point from which to grow in your hobby!
Aquariums make great starter homes due to their small space requirements and versatility. A twenty gallon fish tank can provide ample space while also being manageable by one person -perfect if you’re just beginning!
How to Choose Best Fish for a 20 Gallon Tank
In fact, most people when choosing to buy aquarium fish only pay attention to the appearance of the fish to see if it is suitable for the aquarium or their hobby? Although this may help you to decorate your aquarium in the best way. However, choosing a fish that is not suitable for the environment in the tank may cause the ecological circle to be broken or harm the health of the fish. Therefore, some notes when buying aquarium fish that you need to pay attention to are as follows:
Understand the behavior of the fish you raise
Want to make sure the aquarium fish in my tank thrive, have beautiful colors and live a long life. You need to provide them with the best living conditions in terms of: water environmental factors such as temperature, water hardness (dH), pH … Food sources, habitats and swimming … Therefore, based on the environmental condition of the aquarium, conditions and ability to take care of yourself to choose for yourself the most suitable aquarium fish for your aquarium.
Avoid choosing fighting fish
If your aquarium is keeping gentle aquarium fish, you should choose fish with similar properties to keep the same tank. On the contrary, if you are a lover of the courage of the fighting fish, you should choose to keep in an aquarium fish that can adapt to aggressive fish. This will help you avoid fighting fish and killing each other, affecting the number of fish in the tank.
In addition, if you have aquatic plants in your aquarium, be careful when buying aquarium fish that you should not choose plant-eating fish, as they will ruin the landscape in your aquarium.
The right amount of fish in the tank
There are fish that can live independently in the tank. However, there are also types of fish that need to be lived in pairs or groups. Therefore, you should also carefully study this behavior to choose the right amount of fish.
Besides, depending on the size of the tank, you have to decide how many fish to keep in the tank. Avoid keeping too many fish, as this will make the water environment unable to accommodate the large number of fish in the tank. At the same time, many fish also confuse the landscape of the tank.
Also, note that when buying aquarium fish, before you intend to buy fish, you should fully prepare the best elements in the tank so that the fish can soon adapt to the new environment and not die.
Above is the share of Memfish.net about what to note when buying aquarium fish? Hope that our sharing has helped you choose the right aquarium fish for your aquarium. If you still have questions, please contact us for advice.
source https://memfish.net/best-fish-for-a-20-gallon-tank/
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