Best fish for a 20 gallon tank
A 20 gallon tank holds 76 litres and is about 24 inches (61 cm) wide. 64 of the 100 species on this site fit it.
Three stockings that work
Classic community
- 8 × Neon tetras
- 6 × Bronze corydoras
- 3 × Amano shrimp
Gourami centrepiece
- 6 × Harlequin rasboras
- 1 × Dwarf gourami
- 5 × Kuhli loaches
Platies and cherry barbs
- 4 × Platies
- 6 × Cherry barbs
- 2 × Nerite snails
Fish that fit
Neon tetra
10 gal+70–81°FpH 6.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Cardinal tetra
20 gal+73–84°FpH 5.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Ember tetra
10 gal+73–84°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 6+
Harlequin rasbora
10 gal+72–80°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Chili rasbora
5 gal+68–82°FpH 4.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Zebra danio
10 gal+64–77°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 6+
White cloud minnow
10 gal+60–72°FpH 6.0–8.0Groups of 6+
Guppy
5 gal+72–82°FpH 6.8–7.8Groups of 3+
Platy
10 gal+70–80°FpH 7.0–8.2Groups of 3+
Molly
20 gal+72–82°FpH 7.5–8.5Groups of 3+
Betta (male)
5 gal+76–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
Dwarf gourami
10 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Bronze corydoras
20 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Pygmy corydoras
10 gal+72–79°FpH 6.4–7.4Groups of 6+
Otocinclus
10 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 4+
Kuhli loach
20 gal+75–86°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 5+
Tiger barb
20 gal+68–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Cherry barb
20 gal+73–81°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Fancy goldfish
20 gal+65–72°FpH 7.0–8.0
Cherry shrimp
5 gal+65–80°FpH 6.5–8.0Groups of 6+
Amano shrimp
10 gal+70–80°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 3+
Nerite snail
5 gal+72–78°FpH 7.0–8.5
Black skirt tetra
20 gal+70–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Glowlight tetra
10 gal+72–80°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Rummynose tetra
20 gal+75–84°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 8+
Black neon tetra
20 gal+72–80°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Lemon tetra
20 gal+72–82°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Serpae tetra
20 gal+72–79°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 8+
Diamond tetra
20 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
X-ray tetra
10 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–8.0Groups of 6+
Green neon tetra
10 gal+75–84°FpH 5.0–6.5Groups of 8+
Marbled hatchetfish
20 gal+73–81°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 6+
Lambchop rasbora
10 gal+73–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Celestial pearl danio
10 gal+68–78°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Gold barb
20 gal+64–75°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Hillstream loach
20 gal+68–75°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 3+
Endler's livebearer
5 gal+72–82°FpH 7.0–8.5Groups of 3+
Honey gourami
10 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Sparkling gourami
10 gal+72–81°FpH 6.0–7.5
Paradise fish
20 gal+61–79°FpH 6.0–8.0
Female betta
5 gal+76–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
German blue ram
20 gal+78–85°FpH 5.5–7.0
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
20 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Kribensis
20 gal+75–81°FpH 6.0–7.5
Shell dweller
10 gal+75–81°FpH 7.5–9.0Groups of 4+
Panda corydoras
20 gal+68–77°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Peppered corydoras
20 gal+64–77°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Sterbai corydoras
20 gal+75–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Dwarf chain loach
20 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Clown pleco
20 gal+73–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
Dwarf neon rainbowfish
20 gal+72–79°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Threadfin rainbowfish
20 gal+73–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Golden wonder killifish
20 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5
Clown killifish
5 gal+73–79°FpH 6.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Pea puffer
5 gal+74–82°FpH 6.8–7.8
Japanese rice fish
10 gal+64–75°FpH 7.0–8.0Groups of 6+
Mystery snail
5 gal+68–82°FpH 7.0–8.0
Ramshorn snail
5 gal+64–82°FpH 7.0–8.0
Assassin snail
10 gal+70–82°FpH 6.5–8.0
Ghost shrimp
5 gal+65–82°FpH 7.0–8.0Groups of 3+
Bamboo shrimp
20 gal+73–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
Crystal red shrimp
10 gal+68–76°FpH 5.8–6.8Groups of 6+
Dwarf orange crayfish
10 gal+65–78°FpH 6.5–8.0
African dwarf frog
10 gal+72–78°FpH 6.5–7.8Groups of 2+Wait for a bigger tank
- Bristlenose plecoNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- AngelfishNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Bleeding heart tetraNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Congo tetraNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- Scissortail rasboraNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Giant danioNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Rosy barbNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Denison barbNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Rainbow sharkNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Red-tailed black sharkNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Siamese algae eaterNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- SwordtailNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Sailfin mollyNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Pearl gouramiNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Three-spot blue gouramiNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- Bolivian ramNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Firemouth cichlidNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- Convict cichlidNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- OscarNeeds at least 75 gallons (284 L)
- Jack DempseyNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- SeverumNeeds at least 75 gallons (284 L)
- DiscusNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Electric yellow labNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- Peacock cichlidNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Electric blue acaraNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- Clown loachNeeds at least 125 gallons (473 L)
- Yoyo loachNeeds at least 40 gallons (151 L)
- Common plecoNeeds at least 125 gallons (473 L)
- Rubber lip plecoNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Pictus catfishNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Glass catfishNeeds at least 29 gallons (110 L)
- Chinese algae eaterNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Boeseman's rainbowfishNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Bala sharkNeeds at least 125 gallons (473 L)
- Common goldfishNeeds at least 75 gallons (284 L)
- Dojo loachNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)