# 20 gallon long plans - tank mates?



## Larthan (Jul 30, 2013)

So Petco's doing their $1/gallon event, and I'm going to be getting a 20 gallon long tank. I plan on getting another betta, and would like to get some tank mates to introduce before I do (I'm still perusing the market on bettas).

I know I want to add shrimp, and possibly some glofish (the boyfriend loves them) - probably danios or tetras in a school of 6 or more (suggestions there?) - and probably a few snails and a dwarf pleco (or other small specie pleco).

All this is after I cycle the tank, of course, but in the meantime I'd like to plan out what I want to do with this tank.

What combination would you suggest?


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## 10asartin (Mar 28, 2013)

Keep in mind that some bettas do not do well with schooling fish as it stress them out. I would definitely suggest trying it out, but just be aware of this. 
I like zebra danios (they are super active swimmers and a 20g long is considered the minimum tank size for a group of 6)
The only tetra I would suggest are ember tetras. They are kind of uncommon, but are very tiny and cute. (you could put 15 of them in your tank easily)
The schooling species that I keep in my 20g long is the harlequin rasbora. They are very hardy yet fun and colorful. (I keep 12 of them, but you could do a few more than that)
You could do glofish (the danio species), but I am always very wary of anything that is "genetically modified". Plus, I think they look tacky haha.
As for a bottom feeder I don't know much about the dwarf plecos, but I do love cories. My favorite is the panda species, but they are a bit harder to find.


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## Larthan (Jul 30, 2013)

I was only thinking a pleco because I used to have one a long time ago. He got frozen solid in the middle of an ice storm though, when we lost power. Otherwise, he was the best fish ever. Would swim upside down on the surface so I could rub his belly whenever I'd start to walk by.

And I don't mind glofish - they can be pretty in the right environment, plus the GM doesn't bother me because it's been generations and I haven't heard of anything bad happening.

Now that I say that, watch me come home to some monster glofish destroying my apartment.


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## Larthan (Jul 30, 2013)

Well, we ended up just getting a 10 gallon for now, due to the whole living in an apartment and realizing that moving a 20 gallon tank would be a pain in the backside. So! Any suggestions for a 10? Probably will settle with just a few shrimp or snails.

I've just set it up on the stand and haven't started cycling yet. Just put the dechlorinator in, I bought some API Quick Start, and was going to add it in tomorrow when I'm sure the dechlorinator is thoroughly mixed in. Hopefully it'll actually work.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

You could also consider dividing the tank and getting another betta!


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## 10asartin (Mar 28, 2013)

+1 to Deanna01. I think a divided tank with some snails would be awesome


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## Larthan (Jul 30, 2013)

But then I'll have to choose two bettas instead of just one x_x I'm already being real picky about my next one (I don't want to order from out of the country, but I want a good quality fish)!


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## Rosencrantz32 (May 12, 2013)

I think you may be the first person I've heard complain about getting two bettas instead of one lol


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## Larthan (Jul 30, 2013)

Maybe it'll let me reply now. 

Firstly, I don't really care for the look of split tanks. But if I were to do it, I'd have to go through and find a second betta I like, and I'm already being very particular about this first one, and it's gotten me absolutely nowhere (I don't even like any of the US bettas on AB... :/ ).


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Clown pleocs will work in a 10G as they only get about 3 inches but you will hardly ever see them. They need driftwood in their tank fir their diet and caves or PVC tubes for hiding. They do poop alot though, I have 2 filters and do alot of gravel vaccuming in my tank. I also have alot of snails -so yeah - lots of poop. I have some cichlid rocks they like to hide in. They are not really algae eaters though. 

Bristlenose plecos should also work. They get a bit bigger though but they are supposed to be awsome with algae removal. 



> He got frozen solid in the middle of an ice storm though,


 I lost alot of my bettas in a similar way. They froze to death in the backseat while driving through the Yukon in winter. Aparently the back window was open a bit and the freezing air was blowing right onto my fish. 2 out of 20 survive the trip from Alaska to New York. One died recently from old age and the other is still alive (blue one in my siggy).


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## Larthan (Jul 30, 2013)

Well, with the ten gallon, I wasn't going to add in a pleco. That was for the 20. I know they poop a lot. xD I'll probably stick to a betta, a small school of danios (six), and some snails. If the danios and the betta don't get along I'll move the betta into his own tank.


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