Please Help - New 21.6L Tank

[WoadCelt]

Heya!
I am new to fish-keeping and would appreciate any advice you might have.
I am keen to start keeping fish, and am trying to work out what sorts to look after. I have a 21.6L hexagonal tank (an AA Aquariums AA550HGC).

I want to ensure that whatever fish I keep are happy and healthy in their environment. :ssmile:

I like Neon Tetras and have read its good to keep at least 6-10 of them.

What sorts of other fish (and how many of them) would be ideal to keep in the tank also, without overcrowding or unhappiness occurring? :sconfused:

I also like the idea of Zebra Danios, but are they too active for this type of tank?
I also like the idea of some type of small corydoras catfish, but am very unsure about this as my tank may be too small for them.

Any ideas? :ssmile:

[Mvjnz]

I would not put tetras or danios or cories in that size tank.

It's so small that I would only put one species of fish in it, in addition to an apple snail to eat algae (if needed). The fish I would recommend are either 2-3 sparkling gouramis, OR a single male siamese fighter, OR a trio of a small killi species, such as nigerian or clown killies.

There are also several species of microrasboras that would prolly be fine in a small school, but I don't know how easy they are to come by.

Small tanks are not generally recommended for beginners as the small amount of water in them make them unstable and difficult. I would also recommend reading about fishless cycling.

[Neon]

Welcome to AC !!!!:22:

Is tha tank already cycled ? Please see LadyHobbs article in the beginner section of AC .

does L stands for liters ? if so please pay attention do not overstock, also some fish like to have plenty of opening swimming space , especially active Danios.

Neon Tetra would go very well with a Betta and few Otocinclus.

hope it helps

[WoadCelt]

Thank you both for your advice! :)
I have been reading a lot about cycling and have purchased the requisite testing kits (ie. ph, amonia, nitrate, and nitrite).

I have not cycled my tank yet as I want to plan what species to put in it first. Then I can set everything up, create a good environment suited to them, and then go and get them once its all properly ready. That way I can hopefully minimise problems.

I have also got some AquaSafe water conditioner and another type that adds nice bacteria to the water for the fish when setting up and cycling, so that stress is minimised.

Any other advice regarding what type of fish to keep in this size tank (by anyone) would be greatly appreciated. :ssmile:

[Girl Got Mojo]

You don't need to know which fish you're gonna have to cycle the tank, only
ammonia, test kits and aquasafe. You can still use the bacteria to speed the
cycle but with the fishless cycle there will be no fish to stress.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


You could do it as an invertebrate tank, with shrimp and snails. Or a single male betta.

I think you're off to a good startthumbs2:

[Padams]

Your tank is about equal to our 5gallon so no on the Danios and Tetras

A single Beta is probably the best option. Maybe a few shrimp but not many fish are suited for that small of a tank.

[WoadCelt]

Thanks for further suggestions - the more the merrier! :)

Why is it ill advised to keep neon tetras? They seem pretty small. Would they need more room to swim about in?

I am not a huge fan of bettas, as I had a friend who tried to keep them and had many, many of them die. :scry:

Would there be another small fish I could keep more than just one of in the tank? :sconfused:

[Girl Got Mojo]

It is ill advised to keep neons in such a small tank because it is simply not
enough room for them, especially since it is a hex. They are pretty active little
fish and like the room. Also in a smaller tank there will be more fluctuations with
the parameters and neons in the hobby are sensative. Like Mvjnz said you could
maybedo a school of microrasboras but they may be hard to find. Bettas
are pretty hardy fish when cared for right, make sure he has a filter and a
cycled, clean tank and they can live years.

[WoadCelt]

Thanks for clarifying that for me! Much appreciated! :shappy:
I will continue to investigate the various ones people are suggesting - including bettas. I really appreciate everyone's advice here. It can be quite confusing starting out and choosing a fish.
If anyone has any other ideas, they are most welcome! :)

[Girl Got Mojo]

While you're researching....[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

This is a list of nano fish by a Fishalicious, a member here. Just keep in mind the
shape of your tank, it is a hex so there is not alot of swimming room, not good
for the more active fish.

[WoadCelt]

Ooooohhhh!! That list looks amazing!!! I shall definitely go through it. Thanks heaps! :shappy:


A friend has also just suggested the following combo as long as I have a heater and additional aeration:
1x bristlenose catfish; 1x peppered catfish; and 6 neon tetras (though the tetras look doubtful) :sconfused:

[Neon]

...you may find this free book very useful : [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] thumbs2:

[Northernguy]

Corys get too big for a 5gal tank.Bristle nose definately cannot live in a tank that small.
Aside from fishalicious list a betta and some shrimp is about all you safely keep in that tank.If you had bought a 20gal. you would have a much larger list to choose from.Pepper corys and bristle nose plecos are great fish but a minimum 20 gal is needed.
Good luck and I hope you find the right fish soon.

[WoadCelt]

Thanks everyone for your help! The fish list and free e-book will definately be of great help. Looking at all the fish out there certainly makes me want a much, much bigger tank - unfortunately I'm a university student with little funding or space, and the tank was a gift. So I shall make the best I can with what I've got! Perhaps one day I can have a bigger tank with lots of awesome fish. I'll keep researching/reading and asking around and will shortly start cycling my little tank.
Thanks again! :ssmile: