small tank choices

[michelleraia]

Okay. I really wanted to get another larger aquarium but I just don't have the floor space right now for one. We are also likely moving in the next 12 months so just would be a pain to move so I have decided to get something for my countertop. I have been looking at shell dwellers because I think they are super cool after seeing Donovan Briant's. I also looked at dwarf puffers. I am open to changing my mind because I am a woman after all. Any opinions on super cool, interactive fish that would go into a 20 gallon long or smaller tank. I also want opinions on tanks because I want something that looks really cool, like maybe a rimless. I want this to be a spectacular tank because it has to make me happy for the next year. Help me!!!!!

[mnemenoi]

There are a few different Mr. Aqua rimless tanks and some other brands that Fish Gallery carries. I think ADG just started carrying an alternative to ADA tanks and Green Leaf Aquariums does very decent work. City Pets also used to have some rimless tanks.

[crowelor]

My daughter loves fish so I wanted to set something up for her. My wife was very skeptical about having an aquarium in the house because she has seen so many funky ones. She gave me some freedom to have a little counter space last fall to set one up and get it cycled for my daughter's Christmas.

A major wife requirement was that it had to be somewhat stylish, so I got an Innovative Marine Nuvo 8 because I my space was limited(wish I had room for the 16 which would probably work better for you). I added a media basket from InTank and suspended a Current USA Freshwater LED+ light above it. It's awesome. Occasionally she'll still mention how surprised she is that it turned out so nice. Granted, setting it up wasn't cheap, but I really like it. It has a glass lid, but there's nothing stopping you from keeping it rimless. With the filtration built in, there's nothing else sitting around it or that needs to be hidden.

I think fish are such a personal choice, it's hard to make recommendations. I like your choices though.

[cm12setx]

My 2cents is if you could if a 20 gal long in the space you have set up for your new tank it would work great. I have a 5 gal and 20 gal long. The five i change water in every week to keep good. But i fight alge in it too from too much light. The 20 is a little more forgiving and dose not have agle growth due to less light imo.

[black_knight]

Moving fish is not always an easy proposition. If you want low maintenance fish that make very little mess and are very hardy. Try a colony of betta albimarginata or channoides. A ten gallon rimless can house 3-4 pairs. Lots of personality. They will even breed in our hard Houston water. If you have lots of floating plants and enough light all you need is a small air stone for water movement, water changes 20-30% once a week. You could try one of those fluval spec v. I love that tank looks sharp price is good. You could keep a reverse trio of albis or channoides ( they do better like that)

You could try 6 juvie altos in the 20 gallon. They take a long long long long time to grow out, gonna need good filtration.

Though they are common dwarf gouramis, low light set up, planted tank can look stunning in a 10 or 15 gallon long

[Lannie]

Great ideas from black_night. Another idea is to look at fully stocking a 2-foot tank with one or two shoals of small but active fish where males display at each other alot, as many of these will display at humans also which is somewhat interactive. Pseudomugil gertrudae males definitely track on and display at humans. Or trigonostigma espei are fun even though they don't display but are very active, playing in the current and swimming around the whole tank. If a lush, beautifully planted jungly 20-gallon long appeals to you there are probably several small species that would be interesting to watch; just stay away from the really shy ones like Danio erythromicron.

[black_knight]

You could get a fluval spec 5 and try a shoal of 10 CPDs (celestial pearl danios), very hardy fish or any of the dwarf rasboras (rasbora brigettae).

Synodotis petrocoli grow slowly and look like little sharks you could try 3 small ones in a Fluval Spec V, with rock work and white sand.

Fluval Spec V is about $99.00-$80.00- looks nice, LED lights makes ripples with the current.

You could also try doing a shrimp tank- lots of color