Stocking a 22/25L aquarium

Raminahobbin

I know an 80 litre tank is recommended as the smallest beginner tank, but I'm being given a 22/25L tank for free. It is the perfect size for my flat, and I'd really like to make use of it until I can upgrade. Obviously I'll need to cycle it first, but I'm struggling with the stocking aspect so I'd love some help!!

I think the tank is this one but I'm measuring it at 40W x 36H (incl hood) x 26D (at widest part of the curve)

I don't really mind what I put in it, as the happiness of the fish is paramount. IDEALLY I'd love a couple of dwarf gouramis and a small shoal of some sort of tetra, but I'm finding very conflicting reports about this tank being too small.

Also, I'll probably need something reasonably hardy as this is my first tank and there's likely to be some learning curves! Plants would be nice too...

Any/all advice would be appreciated... What would YOU put in it?

buzz

what kind of filter do you have?

Firstly have a read of the sticky (cycling your tank) for great info on how to make the water conditions safe before you add fish.

Personally Id go with either neon or pristella tetra's.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/CharaciformPIX/Pristella%20maxillaris%20CT.jpg

They do best in groups, and min 5 recommended.

Plants, do it.

There is a serious amount of info on this forum to keep you busy reading and learning. I certainly learned a lot from it..

buzz

Just to add, dont go with gold fish, the tank is too small.

the reason I suggested the golden pristella is because it is hardy, very easily adapted to new water conditions and lovely fish in general. I have 10 of them in my 125L community tank. I would go for 5 of them in a smaller tank but thats prob the stock list as they need 5L per fish.

kylith

Raminahobbin wrote: »

I know an 80 litre tank is recommended as the smallest beginner tank, but I'm being given a 22/25L tank for free. It is the perfect size for my flat, and I'd really like to make use of it until I can upgrade. Obviously I'll need to cycle it first, but I'm struggling with the stocking aspect so I'd love some help!!

I think the tank is this one but I'm measuring it at 40W x 36H (incl hood) x 26D (at widest part of the curve)

I don't really mind what I put in it, as the happiness of the fish is paramount. IDEALLY I'd love a couple of dwarf gouramis and a small shoal of some sort of tetra, but I'm finding very conflicting reports about this tank being too small.

Also, I'll probably need something reasonably hardy as this is my first tank and there's likely to be some learning curves! Plants would be nice too...

Any/all advice would be appreciated... What would YOU put in it?

Much too small for what you want, I'd say. I'd go with either a betta, a couple of African Dwarf Frogs, shrimp, or nano fish.

Denise90

Galaxy rasbora are pretty small, and maybe if you could get your hands on some pygmy corydoras?

Raminahobbin

Drat. I was hoping there might have been some way around it, but no, you're all right... There's not really anything interesting I can do with the tank. It's just too small. I'll hold off until I can get an 80L. It'll be easier to maintain a bigger one anyway!

fred funk }{

Why don't you put some Multis in it. They are one of the smallest cichlids out there and need very little space. The live inside shells in the tank and if you look after them well they'll breed like crazy too. They're one if the best fish I've ever kept.

I keep them myself and they don't stray far from their shells at all.

Check them out http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/keeping_neo_multi.php

Raminahobbin

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Why don't you put some Multis in it. They are one of the smallest cichlids out there and need very little space. The live inside shells in the tank and if you look after them well they'll breed like crazy too. They're one if the best fish I've ever kept.

I keep them myself and they don't stray far from their shells at all.

Check them out http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/keeping_neo_multi.php

I've never even heard of them!! They look amazing, thank you I'll do a bit of research on them and see what the story is. In relation to the breeding though- what do I do with all the fry? I don't particularly want a tank crowded with too many fish! Will the parents *ahem* take care of the fry?

fred funk }{

Raminahobbin wrote: »

I've never even heard of them!! They look amazing, thank you I'll do a bit of research on them and see what the story is. In relation to the breeding though- what do I do with all the fry? I don't particularly want a tank crowded with too many fish! Will the parents *ahem* take care of the fry?

They are excellent parents and don't eat their own. They build up a colony and they all watch out for each other. You can get escargot shells cheap on eBay and they are the perfect size for Multis. I started with seven and have aprox 100 now but a few have been eaten as my Brichardi have developed a taste for them.

If you want to make the trip you can have a few for free or else Seahorsre Aquariums in Ballymount sell them for about €10 each.

Mr Whirly

Artane Aquatics also have them for about the same price, I think. They're great because they buy fish from local breeders so you can sell them back the babies.

muckyhands

What about some White cloud mountain minnows?

I would use rocks and plants and a small shoal of them would really set it off I think. Fantastic little fish.

Shell dwellers from Lake Tanganyika, like Multis, are amazing, I have Lamprologus occelatus myself, but they may not tolerate learning curves ( I mean that in the best possible way- as per the OP.) They have very definite water requirements.

White cloud mountain minnows would be more forgiving.

TooManyDogs

What about having a dedicated shrimp tank? I gave some rilli shrimp in my tropical tank and I'm only dying for them to breed!

Silverfish

TooManyDogs wrote: »

What about having a dedicated shrimp tank? I gave some rilli shrimp in my tropical tank and I'm only dying for them to breed!

Yeah I've two dedicated shrimp tanks, all nicely planted with mosses, they're the tanks that get the most attention from visitors.
I've a Fluval Edge with rocks and mosses, cherry shrimp, and some chili rasboras, and a Fluval Chi with wood, moss, cherry shrimp and nerite snails.
They can really look amazing.

TooManyDogs

I'd love to have a shrimp only tank in the bedroom, hubby thinks 2 tanks is plenty though

CruelCoin

Raminahobbin wrote: »

I know an 80 litre tank is recommended as the smallest beginner tank, but I'm being given a 22/25L tank for free. It is the perfect size for my flat, and I'd really like to make use of it until I can upgrade. Obviously I'll need to cycle it first, but I'm struggling with the stocking aspect so I'd love some help!!

I think the tank is this one but I'm measuring it at 40W x 36H (incl hood) x 26D (at widest part of the curve)

I don't really mind what I put in it, as the happiness of the fish is paramount. IDEALLY I'd love a couple of dwarf gouramis and a small shoal of some sort of tetra, but I'm finding very conflicting reports about this tank being too small.

Also, I'll probably need something reasonably hardy as this is my first tank and there's likely to be some learning curves! Plants would be nice too...

Any/all advice would be appreciated... What would YOU put in it?

Fish taht shoal will not shoal in that size tank, so you're best off forgetting that.

Also, territorial fish will tear each other to shreds over the lack of space.

Best bet is to go for peacefull fish, small in size.

I have a 15lt tank at home which is just finishing cycling. I'm going to put some Endlers Livebearers into it. Stunning little things.

One other thing to bear in mind; a small tank is harder to access (for my gorilla hands anyway) so some shrimp for bottom cleaning are usefull for small tank.