# My Ideas for Stocking 20 & 55 Gallon Tanks: Feedback Appreciated



## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

I have been using AqAdvisor to check size and filtration requirements and I came up with these two stocking scenarios for my tanks:

55 Gallon Community Tank

20 Gallon Community Tank

Of course it will take months to add all those fish and who knows how often I'll change my mind between now and then. 

Finding compatible fish is fun and I imagine once these two tanks are completely stocked we'll get another aquarium. I would love a 125 Gallon for my basement, but realistically I have a better chance of my wife letting me try a 20 gallon salt water setup so I can get a clownfish for my 3 year old (yes, we're walking stereotypes, lol)

Here are pics of my two tanks:




























You can't tell from my shoddy photography, but my water is actually really clear. 

The videos are a lot clearer.

55 Gallon Aquarium Video

20 Gallon Aquarium Video


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

In both cases, I would do larger groups of fewer species. In the 55, get 12 of the rainbows and skip the platies. In the 20, get either platies or guppies and skip the tetra. The "ideal" water for these fish is quite different and the livebearers will breed to fill any excess capacity you have. 

You've managed to avoid the common beginner's mistake of one of this one of that. But where 6 is good, 12 is better. Expect half of chain store tetra not to survive a month.


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. Is this better? It's 4 species instead of 6. 

55 Gallon Community Tank

I thought since Rainbowfish were mostly mid to top swimmers, and Red Tailed Sharks are mainly bottom dwellers, that maybe this could work. 


emc7 said:


> In both cases, I would do larger groups of fewer species. In the 55, get 12 of the rainbows and skip the platies. In the 20, get either platies or guppies and skip the tetra. The "ideal" water for these fish is quite different and the livebearers will breed to fill any excess capacity you have.
> 
> You've managed to avoid the common beginner's mistake of one of this one of that. But where 6 is good, 12 is better. Expect half of chain store tetra not to survive a month.


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