Rough start...Need help PLEASE

[t_chelle16]

I've never heard of metallic blue zebras. Are they a danio? Got a scientific name?

Basically, with the fish that fit in a 20 gallon, you can go by the 1" rule.

3 dwarf gouramis = 2" x 3 = 6 gallons
3 hatchet fish = 2 1/2" x 3 = 7 1/2 gallons

So far that leaves you with about 6" of fish to work with.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

yes they are danios.
I never saw them before either.
there are like a zebra danios just wavier tails.

[t_chelle16]

Assuming they only get about 2" like zebra danios, you could fit 3 maybe 4 in there.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

i dont really want 3 gouramis but i also dont want the male to pick on the female. that why im getting 3
the only reason i want gouramis is becvasue of the males colours

[tyler_medeiros]

could i get a single male

[tyler_medeiros]

i called the lfs ad he said it was a danios just a long finned variety.

[t_chelle16]

Yes, you can get a single male.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

I was talking to a guy at the lfs and he said he had a single male but it always hide. He then said when he bought a female it came out and swam very calmly with her.

[t_chelle16]

I have a single male in my 10 gallon and he's perfectly happy and active.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

In that case, we'll get:

-1 Male Dwarf Gourami
-3 Hatchet Fish
-4 Metallic Blue Zebra danios

Should we add snails to help with algea? If yes, how many and what kind?

[t_chelle16]

That sounds good. Algae can actually be controlled by just making sure you don't over feed, cleaning the tank regularaly, and not leaving the light on for excessively long periods of time (8 hrs/day is good). Snails really aren't necessary.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

ok thanks

[tyler_medeiros]

Okay, change of plan.

-1 Male Dwarf Gourami
-1 Hatchet
-4 Metallic Blue Zebra Danios
-2 White Clouds

Sounds okay?

[tski22]

The white clouds would actually probably prefer a group of 4-5. Im not sure about the exact bioload but i might be able to squeeze them in because they stay so small but that would be it. -tl

[t_chelle16]

Your previous list was a lot better. Minnows, aside from preferring cooler water, should be kept in groups. And I believe the hatchet would also prefer a group.

-Chelle

[tski22]

Chelle is right. Scratch what i said before i wouldnt get the monnows and i would get the hatchets in a group of 2 at least or 3. They will be alot less skittish in a larger group. I had a pair of hatchets and one passed away and the other was extremely skittish and eventually died. -tl

[tyler_medeiros]

Thanks for all of the help guys.
We are going to go buy the danios and set up the tank on sunday.
Than next weekend we are going to buy the gourami and the hatchet fish. Once again thanks very much for all of the insight.
I'll keep you guys updated on how everything is going.

[tyler_medeiros]

ok so we were looking at tanks and amanda (my girlfriend) decided she was interested in a 30 gallon.
if we got that instead could we add the white clouds.

[t_chelle16]

Yes. Minnows prefer cooler temps but I think the will be okay with the tropicals.

You could go with 1 dwarf gourami, 4 hatchets, 4 zebras, and4 minnows.

-Chelle

[BeatrixMom]

Mollies are okay, they prerfer brackish water. I never had much luck with them for the most part. I did okay with some sailfin mollies for a while. My tank has danios (short finned), couple of dwarf african frogs and panda cories. All nice low stress, forgiving of mistakes, species.