# New 20g with Gouramis & Rasboras, suggest the next addition



## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

I have a 20 gallon (24 x 12 x 17) that is cycled. I put in 2 Dwarf Gouramis and 5 Harlequin Rasboras on Sunday and so far so good. I'm going to get some more fish next weekend. I just wanted to get some suggestions. 


- I want a bottom fish for a cleanup crew and was thinking 3-4 cories. Would you recommend anything instead of cories? Can I do 3 or should I really do 4? (store says 3 is fine and aqadvisor says 4)


- Based on the aqadvisor stocking calculator I still have some room left and I wanted to do one more addition. Can you suggest something to add after the cories or whatever other bottom fish I go with? 
I was thinking of two options:
_option_ 1 - Another couple Harlequin Rasboras and another Dwarf Gourami should about round that tank out nicely. 
_option_ 2 - Another school of 3-5 fish (Tetras, Danios, Cherry Barbs, etc). I don't really want live breeders. Is there a good fish that will be fine in a group of 3 or are most of my options for this 5 or more? Will this tip the tank on the over stocked side?


- Also one last thing. Plants. Can these fish live with life plants with out tearing them apart? What kind of plants would you recommend with these fish in a 20 gallon? Right now I have a small one of those fake tree trunks with the bottom roots all open. One of the Gouramis loves hiding in there. And then I have 3 fake plants and a 3 large (2-3 inch) size lava rocks. I will replace the lava rocks with rounder rocks or something for the cories or whatever bottom fish I go with so they don't hurt them selves. But I think this tank would be nice with some live plants. 


I have a 55 gallon with gold fish and plecos. The gold fish will go in a pond either this summer or next so that will eventually become my tropical freshwater setup and these fish will wind up in a roomy 55 gallon down the road. For now I just don't want to overstock their current home and I want to do it right. 

Thanks for any suggestions. 




recap:
20g - 2 Dwarf Gouramis & 5 Harlequin Rasboras.
- add cories or something else?
- add something else after cories?
- plants?


----------



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

corys are great but i would do 4 atleast. you could aso try a botia striata they stay pretty small and are active bottom feeders. maybe to top your tank off a german blue ram or small school of black phantom tetras or rummy nose.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Plants, yes, Cories, yes, but pick smaller ones, not 4"ers. Enough gouramis for now, no more. Better to double the rasboras than to add a second not-quite school. 

You don't mention lighting, so unless you have something special you didn't mention, get "low-light" plants such as java fern, anubias,


----------



## DevinsFish (Oct 24, 2010)

Java Moss and Hornwort too. Guppy grass should be fine too. Although Banana Plants suggest bright light, I have kept them in Low-light for some time and they seem to do fine. Also, certain species of Cryptocoryne would do fine too as long as you don't add a Pleco. Wisteria also does well in low-tech. Very brittle though.


----------



## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks guys. I'm just going to go with another 4-5 harlequin rasboras and 4-5 cories or loaches and call it good as far as fish. I found some good looking peppered cories. But I do like the idea of botia striata (zebra loaches) if I can find them instead. 

As for the plants a mix of two different types would look nice. I like the look of the java fern. I also like the Java Moss, Hornwort and Guppy grass. Does one of those three not spread as quick as the others? I just don't want the plants to over tank the tank. 

thanks again.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

java fern is slow growing and easily divided if you get too much. Hornwort grows really fast and eats ammonia if you let it float, but can sometimes drop needles and be real annoying. I'd get that only if the others don't work out.


----------



## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks emc7. 
I think I'm just going to go with the Java Fern and Java Moss as far as plants. Along with the fish I'll have and in only a 20g tank I think that will look nice. I'll post some photos of the tank after everything is in place. 

Thanks for the help everyone. 




Have 20g:
2 Dwarf Gouramis.
5 Harlequin Rasboras.

Adding: 
4 more Harlequin Rasboras.
4-5 Peppered Cories or Botia Striata (Zebra Loaches) - which ever I can find first. 
plants to be added: Java Fern & Java Moss.


----------



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

i thought i posted something here about angelicus botias also known as burmese border loaches. they are also awesome but idk what happened to the post maybe i posted it on another thread by accident haha.


----------



## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

Rev1221, 
The angelicus botias look cool. They seem to maybe get too big for a 20g, especially 4 or 5 of them. Most sites say up to 4 inches. I'd like to keep it as close to 2 inches as possible... talking about fish here. But it all depends on what I can find in my local stores. I'd like to get them in there this weekend so we'll see what I can come up with. Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

i always thought they got around 3 inches like the striatas maybe im wrong but i dont think you need that many. 2-3 should be sufficient.


----------



## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

If I could get by with only 2-3 of them then I'll keep an eye out in the stores for them. Thanks.


----------

