Paired or Single Fish for 20L: What to choose?

Musing.Dog · 08/03/2011, 08:35 PM

So I am setting up a 20 long and still can't quite decide what I want as far as fish go. I am looking for something that won't chow down on macros, that I can preferably keep a pair of, has personality, and will live happily in a 20 gallon tank.

What are some fish with personality that I can keep paired in a 20 that isn't a clownfish?

I like the royal gramma and court jester goby but from what I am reading a pair of either in a 20 long is a bad idea. If I started with small fish and introduced them at the same time, could I keep a pair of either of these fish in a 20L?

MikeandNicole · 08/03/2011, 09:44 PM

Barnacle blennies are a great idea, stay small have an awesome personality and you can put a group in. Of the two fish you listed I would probably go with the court jester gobies. If it was a species specific tank and you only wanted the grammas in there, maybe you could get away with a pair. You could also look at doing a goby/pistol shrimp pair, there are plenty of gobies out there that would fit.

Musing.Dog · 08/03/2011, 09:54 PM

Barnacle blennies are sort of cute. I think I prefer something that spends its time in the water column though.
Whatever I choose will be the only fish species in the tank.

AlexS95 · 08/04/2011, 01:04 AM

I like my Angler:

It'll be going into a 20H in the next few days.

namxas · 08/04/2011, 08:47 AM

The thing is, with a 20L, the tank is more about footprint than space in the water column, so benthic/demersal fish are a better fit.

You could keep a trio of leaf scorps in a 20L quite nicely. They're quite entertaining to see them come hopping over to beg for food. The only drawback is that they can be tuff to wean, and some refuse to go off of live ghost shrimp and guppies. Fortunately, they only require feeding 3x a week, and can be trained to take the live food from a small net pretty easily.

Musing.Dog · 08/04/2011, 11:19 AM

The angler is cute. I am not so sure about scorpion fish though, cute but spiny. Can any of the anglers be kept in a pair or trio like the leaf scorpions?

AlexS95 · 08/04/2011, 11:38 AM

Not really, unless they are a pair, Anglers should have a tank by themselves. Here is a Scorp you might like, and it stays small.

Musing.Dog · 08/04/2011, 02:23 PM

The pygmy waspfish is very nice and appropriately sized. I think I'd prefer something not venomous though.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. The anglers are surprisingly cute and an option to think about.

08/03/2011, 08:35 PM	#1
Musing.Dog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona, US Posts: 231	Paired or Single Fish for 20L: What to choose? So I am setting up a 20 long and still can't quite decide what I want as far as fish go. I am looking for something that won't chow down on macros, that I can preferably keep a pair of, has personality, and will live happily in a 20 gallon tank. What are some fish with personality that I can keep paired in a 20 that isn't a clownfish? I like the royal gramma and court jester goby but from what I am reading a pair of either in a 20 long is a bad idea. If I started with small fish and introduced them at the same time, could I keep a pair of either of these fish in a 20L?

08/03/2011, 09:44 PM	#2
MikeandNicole Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Jersey shore Posts: 1,395	Barnacle blennies are a great idea, stay small have an awesome personality and you can put a group in. Of the two fish you listed I would probably go with the court jester gobies. If it was a species specific tank and you only wanted the grammas in there, maybe you could get away with a pair. You could also look at doing a goby/pistol shrimp pair, there are plenty of gobies out there that would fit. __________________ Joined the big boys, Elos 160XL display plumbed into the basement. ~400 of fun!

08/04/2011, 08:47 AM	#5
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	The thing is, with a 20L, the tank is more about footprint than space in the water column, so benthic/demersal fish are a better fit. You could keep a trio of leaf scorps in a 20L quite nicely. They're quite entertaining to see them come hopping over to beg for food. The only drawback is that they can be tuff to wean, and some refuse to go off of live ghost shrimp and guppies. Fortunately, they only require feeding 3x a week, and can be trained to take the live food from a small net pretty easily. __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

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08/03/2011, 09:54 PM	#3
Musing.Dog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona, US Posts: 231	Barnacle blennies are sort of cute. I think I prefer something that spends its time in the water column though. Whatever I choose will be the only fish species in the tank.

08/04/2011, 01:04 AM	#4
AlexS95 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Brandon, FL Posts: 1,065	I like my Angler: It'll be going into a 20H in the next few days.

08/04/2011, 11:19 AM	#6
Musing.Dog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona, US Posts: 231	The angler is cute. I am not so sure about scorpion fish though, cute but spiny. Can any of the anglers be kept in a pair or trio like the leaf scorpions?

08/04/2011, 11:38 AM	#7
AlexS95 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Brandon, FL Posts: 1,065	Not really, unless they are a pair, Anglers should have a tank by themselves. Here is a Scorp you might like, and it stays small.

08/04/2011, 02:23 PM	#8
Musing.Dog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona, US Posts: 231	The pygmy waspfish is very nice and appropriately sized. I think I'd prefer something not venomous though. Thanks for the suggestions so far. The anglers are surprisingly cute and an option to think about.