# help with small tank



## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

i am going to try to find a cheap 20 gallon fish tank. i want to know about cycling with fish.
are mollies good to cycle with?
in my fish tank i am wanting either a beta, goupies, and an apple snail
OR
dwarf gourims, apple snail, black widow tetras, and neon tetras... maybe something else.
can i put these together?
i have had a pair of gourims before but they would always fight!! are they spose to be the only gourmi in the tank?
what does the tempature in the tank need to be, and what all do i need besides the tank to get started.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

I think the best thing to do is to cycle your tank without fish (which will take about 3-4 weeks) and in the meantime do some research to decide what fish you will have. It will be better in the long run - in my opinion anyhow. Any time you just throw fish in a tank NOT knowing anything about who goes with who and who eats who and so forth, you are asking for a disaster.


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

after doing some research just now on the temp, ph and kh balance i know i want a male betta, some goupies, a few zebra danio and my apple snail.
just out of curiousity why is it better to do a fishless cycle rather than a cycle with fish?
oh those fish i mention were in the same range with the ph, kh balance and water temp.
its untrue that bettas need to be house alone, isnt it?


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

Im not a betta person so I cant answer that for you. 

I just personally beleive a fishless cycle is better because most of the time people choose fish that they dont want in the first place to cycle with - its very stressful on the fish and alot of them die due to the cycle. I beleive it takes about the same amount of time with or without fish..

I look at it this way - I wouldnt want someone cooking a meal for the first time, feeding it to me and not knowing whether or not Im gonna live to see the next meal.. LOL


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

lol, yeah thats true.
and you are right, the fish i read are good for cycling i dont really want.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

manda said:


> after doing some research just now on the temp, ph and kh balance i know i want a male betta, some goupies, a few zebra danio and my apple snail.
> just out of curiousity why is it better to do a fishless cycle rather than a cycle with fish?
> oh those fish i mention were in the same range with the ph, kh balance and water temp.
> its untrue that bettas need to be house alone, isnt it?


The betta may eat the guppies, not so sure about the danios, and you should add the snail first incase the betta is very territorial


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## Zildjian-Man (Jan 26, 2006)

hey manda, just one thing, a 20 gal isn't really a "small tank".


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

If you get fancy tailed guppies the betta will most likely tear up the guppie's fins. I'm not sure on the short finned ones.

Same goes with long finned dainos and bettas, most bettas will nip at long fins period.



The second situation seems better to me. I have always heard not to have two groumies together. I have:
Neon's 
Long/Short finned zebra dainos
Dwarf Groumie
Male Fancy Guppies
Ghost Shrimp 

all in one tank, they seem pretty happy.


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

i am thinking about maybe just getting a betta and a snail. if thats possible. i am trying to do some research on it.


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## sambi7878 (Dec 23, 2005)

If that would be your choice of fish, the 20 gal tank will be big. a betta and a snail can do well in a 5 gal tank.

As what Zildjianman said, 20 gal is not really a small tank. if you still want this size, what type of fish do you really like? community or single-specie tank? aggressive or peaceful? fish colors?

About cycling a tank...The reason i know why we do fishless cycle (besides from what is said above) is that the cycling time is short and once youve cycled enough, you could put the fish you want at the same time.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

a betta and a snail in a 20 gallon? That's like giving a guppy its own pond! You have so much a room with a 20 gallon, don't let it go to waste. Add 2 schools of small tetras(~2" each) at least to add some color to the tank


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

yes, i was wanting tetras and dwarf gourmis, but now i am pretty set on a 5 gal tank with a betta and maybe a snail.


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## sambi7878 (Dec 23, 2005)

Good choice!


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

manda here is a couple great articals on fishless cycling, 
I personally think its the only way to go, mainly because
I dont like putting any fish under stress.
Have fun, SueM

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article14.html
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm

these are very helpful also..........
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/beginner.htm
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

thanks sue


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