fish list

Question
Hi. I haven't been able to find a fish list for a freshwater 20 gal. aquarium on the internet. Just bought new and would like it to be a community tank eventually, know I'll have to start slow. I'm concerned about the compatibilty of the fish and the kind of water(ph,some salt...)they need. Can tetras and barbs be together? In the past, I've seen lists mixing livebearers with nonbrackish fish and wondered if the livebearers would live without some salt, didn't make sense to me. Hope you've got some ideas. Thank you for your input and have a Merry Christmas, Suz

Answer
Hello Suz!

If this is your very first aquarium setup you must know about establishing your aquarium. Which means, allowing it time to settle and the gravel and water to mature. Beneficial bacteria must get established and grow to a large population in order to keep the water healthy. You seem really smart as it is and I assume you aleady know about establishing but if you need instructions, just email me again and I will gladly tell you a simple, easy way! ;)

A community tank is a great idea, the most common suggestions for fish lists consist of keeping a top-dwelling fish, a mid-dweller, and a bottom dweller, so there is almost always a good amount of activity and variety to the aquarium. I really don't want to write out a strict fish list since that is entirely your decision.
Say you were going to have a community tank of top, mid, and bottom dwelling fish...Well, to start at the top there are many options, a wonderful fish that is active, hardy, and has unusual pattern is the Zebra Danio. I have a school of ten of these wonderful striped fish and they live a very long time and are great for cycling your tank. Zebras are also considered top-dwellers but are not limited to the top, they often swim at all levels too. A group of 6 of these little feisty fish would be great in your tank.
Now say you want a mid-dweller, tetras, barbs, platies, a few come to mind. Cherry barbs are a really nice, small fish and the males when old enough turn a brilliant flaming red, the females are beautiful in my opinion too! Lemon tetras are a really nice fish too. Hardy and long-lived, don't be fooled by their dull washed look in the store, they are simply stressed and feel insecure and as soon as you get them in your established aquarium they turn a lovely lemon yellow. Not as active as the danios, preferring to swim about calmly. To answer your question, I would say yes, most barbs and tetras can be kept together. Just remember no extremes with either, no mixing of aggressive tiger barbs with little neons. Or fish that are going to grow insanely large, (Tinfoil barbs) :)

The best bottom dwellers are corydoras Catfish. Or simply known also as Cories or cory cats. A small little cute catfish that should get along with everybody. Avoid the more exotic species. Better luck with the ever so cute Juli cories which are hardier than say Panda cories. My list could go on but I have spoken of the easiest and perhaps simpler way to keep a community tank. There are so many possibilities though and it's your choice of whatever tetra or barb you like best.

My best advice is to throughly research the fish species you have in mind most. Read about their water requirements, feeding, and compatability and anything else about their care. I wanted to note about PH, this may sound weird but I don't worry about pH in my dozen or so aquariums. Now this may not work out in your case because your water supply may be different to where the fish were originally. But anyway, I don't worry about it at all and I make no adjustments. My fish adapt and I even have Angelfish that spawn several times a month. But pH is still important and you should still know how high it is or low and you should get it tested by the fishstore if they will or do it yourself.
I have found that most fish do fine in a pH range from about 7-8 ppm. I think if it's below 6 or 7 or higher than 8 you should be worried.

About Livebearers in salt, you shouldn't have to worry. I have kept swordtails, platies, guppies, and mollies in simply freshwater with no addition of salt, they do fine.I sort of think it's like this "they like it but don't really need it" :)

Wow, this is one long letter but I love to give out as much info as I can to help. With careful planning and much research, a tank of tetras, barbs and maybe platies would be wonderful. Remember to stock slowly and know the temperments of the species of fish you are buying.
Buy the healthiest and add the hardiest species first.

Well, there is so much more to say but such a long letter!  I hope my answer made at least some sense...if you have anymore questions or need more info, just email me again, I don't mind at all, I am more than happy to help, Suz!

~Remember, do research on the fish species you plan to get and if you need info on cycling, just email me. ;)
The very Best of luck to you and your tank!! ~~~~~~~~

~Have a wonderful, jolly, happy Christmas!~
Happy fishkeeping!
Karen~
Ps:If you don't mind, visit "www.aqualandpetsplus.com" look under the fish section for some info and great photos!