Beginner 20g Community tank stocking ideas

[TinaPax-Peeks]

Hello again,

While we wait for our tank to cycle, I wanted to see what y'all would suggest for a 20g community tank.

When my husband first mentioned he wanted a fish tank, he said he wanted gold fish. Well, then, we stopped at PetSmart and he saw the community fish. So much for fancy goldfish! Hubby wants color. And, coolness.

His feature fish of choice is: Male Betta

He would like a community of fish that are a mix of Red, White, and Blue. (Retired Army soldier, can you tell?) (Example: red Betta, blue and platinum guppies, etc.) 

He would also like an aquatic frog if fits.

From videos it seems these make acceptable companions to Bettas:

Blue Guppy, Blue Swordtail guppy, Platinum Guppy, Cory catfish, Gold Ring Danio, Celestial Pearl Danio, clown pleco, guppies, snails, amano shrimp, kuhli loach

Since we are both newbie aquarists, we want a drama-free tank.

Oh, and *I* like plants so I am aiming for a planted tank. I am also including pothos and peace lily as filter plants.

[Yoshi]

I'd be careful pairing male bettas with guppies.  They don't call them the Siamese Fighting Fish for nothing.  The bright coloration and bigger fins on the guppy would likely trigger a lot of aggression.

That being said, every betta is different so anything is possible.  And your 20 gallon tank would certainly be better than say a 5 or a 10.  If you try it I'd be sure to monitor things very closely and have a backup plan available if things get out of hand.

[Tlindsey]

On 6/10/2024 at 8:40 PM, TinaPax-Peeks said:

Hello again,

While we wait for our tank to cycle, I wanted to see what y'all would suggest for a 20g community tank.

When my husband first mentioned he wanted a fish tank, he said he wanted gold fish. Well, then, we stopped at PetSmart and he saw the community fish. So much for fancy goldfish! Hubby wants color. And, coolness.

His feature fish of choice is: Male Betta

He would like a community of fish that are a mix of Red, White, and Blue. (Retired Army soldier, can you tell?) (Example: red Betta, blue and platinum guppies, etc.) 

He would also like an aquatic frog if fits.

From videos it seems these make acceptable companions to Bettas:

Blue Guppy, Blue Swordtail guppy, Platinum Guppy, Cory catfish, Gold Ring Danio, Celestial Pearl Danio, clown pleco, guppies, snails, amano shrimp, kuhli loach

Since we are both newbie aquarists, we want a drama-free tank.

Oh, and *I* like plants so I am aiming for a planted tank. I am also including pothos and peace lily as filter plants.

Welcome to the forum 

Served in the military myself. Thank your husband for his service. Most of your stock list is compatible. What type of filter on the aquarium? Betta don't like strong current. I suggest java fern and anubias both good plants for beginners like myself. Also prior to purchasing your fish do a thorough observation of the tank the fish are in. If any  are dead go to another store.  @TinaPax-Peeks

Edited June 11 by Tlindsey

[TinaPax-Peeks]

On 6/10/2024 at 9:06 PM, Tlindsey said:

Welcome to the forum 

Served in the military myself. Thank your husband for his service. Most of your stock list is compatible. What type of filter on the aquarium? Betta don't like strong current. I suggest java fern and anubias both good plants for beginners like myself. Also prior to purchasing your fish do a thorough observation of the tank the fish are in. If any  are dead go to another store.  @TinaPax-Peeks

Thanks for your service, too!  It is an adjustable HOB filter. I was thinking of creating a floating "island" of filter plants at the output to slow down the current even more. Thanks for the suggestions!  

[Tony s]

On 6/10/2024 at 8:40 PM, TinaPax-Peeks said:

From videos it seems these make acceptable companions to Bettas

From my bettas, platys will work and harlequin rasboras do great. Several other types of rasbora should do equally as well. Snails will work fine. Although keep an eye out when starting, bettas can go after antennae. Don’t know about the gold ring danios, but regular danios (rerio) can be too fast and fin nippy. Guppies can also be fin nippy. 

Word of caution on big box pet store bettas. Unfortunately they are starting to become a bit weak. They usually don’t last as long as they should and develop tumors, which they shouldn’t. Doesn’t stop me from buying them just to give them a better life for a bit. For long term bettas, buy higher end. Either online or lfs. 

[JE47]

I would also say be cautious in keeping keeping other fish with bettas they can have unpredictable temperaments. I find that for fancier bettas with longer fins like Rosetails, Double tails, Halfmoons, and the like a smaller tank is actually much better for them. However plakats or crowntails which are bettas with shorter fin types I have found are better for larger tanks they also move much quicker. If you are going to have tank mates I suggest to add the other fish you are going to have first and then add the betta last. Tetras could add some of the that red and blue to your tank.

[TinaPax-Peeks]

On 6/11/2024 at 3:11 AM, JE47 said:

I would also say be cautious in keeping keeping other fish with bettas they can have unpredictable temperaments. I find that for fancier bettas with longer fins like Rosetails, Double tails, Halfmoons, and the like a smaller tank is actually much better for them. However plakats or crowntails which are bettas with shorter fin types I have found are better for larger tanks they also move much quicker. If you are going to have tank mates I suggest to add the other fish you are going to have first and then add the betta last. Tetras could add some of the that red and blue to your tank.

I am a bit nervous about trying to mix a Betta with tank mates for the reasons you mentioned.  Is there a "centerpiece fish" that would have the flash but be easier to mix in a community tank?  I might convince husband to go that route until we can set up a five gallon in his room for a Betta.  Husband is dealing with a lot of discouragement so I am trying to distract him.

[johnnyxxl]

Kribs great center piece , also for tetra's go for cardinals beautiful and healthy.

Edited June 11 by johnnyxxl
Brain lapse

[TinaPax-Peeks]

On 6/11/2024 at 7:32 AM, johnnyxxl said:

Kribs great center piece , also for tetra's go for cardinals beautiful and healthy.

Kribs are GORGEOUS but we have been told to avoid cichlids.  Would a Krib work in a planted community tank? 

[johnnyxxl]

https://youtube.com/@mdfishtanks?si=kBH15LMfYHMIbIqT I don't remember which video but he has kribs in planted tanks.  I personally have a Barb tank.  Heavy tannins and heavily planted.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 6/11/2024 at 7:22 AM, TinaPax-Peeks said:

I am a bit nervous about trying to mix a Betta with tank mates for the reasons you mentioned.  Is there a "centerpiece fish" that would have the flash but be easier to mix in a community tank?  I might convince husband to go that route until we can set up a five gallon in his room for a Betta.  Husband is dealing with a lot of discouragement so I am trying to distract him.

Gouramis can be a great choice, and they are also anabantoids, like bettas. In a 20 gallon, a trio of honey gourami or maybe a shoal of five sparkling gourami could work very nicely. I think pearl gourami would probably be too big, but I've never kept them. Dwarf gourami have some of that beautiful betta coloration, but are sometimes vulnerable to iridovirus, and can also have aggression issues.

I can personally vouch for honey gourami, but you can see if any of those species catch your or your husband's eye.

[TinaPax-Peeks]

On 6/11/2024 at 12:34 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Gouramis can be a great choice, and they are also anabantoids, like bettas. In a 20 gallon, a trio of honey gourami or maybe a shoal of five sparkling gourami could work very nicely. I think pearl gourami would probably be too big, but I've never kept them. Dwarf gourami have some of that beautiful betta coloration, but are sometimes vulnerable to iridovirus, and can also have aggression issues.

I can personally vouch for honey gourami, but you can see if any of those species catch your or your husband's eye.

I had picked the honey Gourami but they didn't excite the husband. 😞 I will look at the others you mentioned to see if any appeal to the man-child. 😉

[sumplkrum]

I'd stay away from frogs. They can gulp down guppies and anything else that will fit in their mouth.
Fish stores sell them when they're small, but they will get larger.

I second Platys. They're colorful and drama-free. 

The main issue is the Beta. They have character, but are also about as temperamental as you can get for a small fish.

Everything else you had on your list should be relatively fine.

Edited June 11 by sumplkrum

[EricksonAquatics]

If you can find one, a female powder blue dwarf gourami can be peaceful centerpiece fish and still comes with that awesome blue color. The females are near impossible to find, though. The males can work but sometimes can be bullies - you can set yourself up for success by adding them to the tank very last. 
Red teacup platys are a really fun fish that would work for your tank and they come in a small, fiery red package that your husband might like 🙂

[aminowrimo]

You can generally evaluate a betta in-store for aggression. I have an alien betta in the tank with a school of neon/cardinal tetras (combined school). He didn't flare nearly as hard at us in the store as any other betta, and that's why I chose him; the outcross to wild-type betta also reduces aggression. 

[Tony s]

I mostly find bettas relatively peaceful with non bettas. I keep them in community tanks all the time as I have no dedicated betta tanks. And have kept 6 at one time in different tanks. Corys and kuhli’s are not an issue. Neons tetras, harlequin and espei rasboras, platys, otos have all been no problem. Problem with fin nipping the betta from danios, lemon tetras, skirt tetras. try these videos for more good and bad combinations 

 

[Whitecloud09]

Reading this topic, i guess i will chime in here! If you are wanting a betta, slow flow and good tankmates (not to mention, a more peaceful betta, a female could work) can make it happen. For centerpiece fish i was going to say honey gorumai but then i read your husband is not a fan lol. Dwarf or sparkling gourimai i say. Sorry for the mistypes it is messing up my writing for no reason LOL. Oh guppies would be great, not reccomended with a betta though.

Plant reccommendations. Why is my typing horrible!! lol.

Anubias. The most indestructible beginner friendly plant out there, java fern as well. 

Good carpeting plants for something like a grass like look. 

Micro sword.

Pearlweed.

Dwarf Hairgrass. 

Floater plants.

Hornwort, monte carlo even though it is a stem plant, i find it a great floating plant.

Stem plants. 

Amazon sword.

Money wort.

So on. Sorry if that is to many, but i love me some plants, and planted tanks. But that is my suggestions.