There are many popular species of fish both commonly available at most pet stores that are good for beginners, but they are not all compatible with one another. Some types will hunt down smaller fish, some types have a habit of nipping on flowing fins, some are extremely hyper and disturb/outcompete slower moving types, and many fish have different pH and temperature requirements (just to name a few potential problems). When stocking up for a community tank (a setup with many different species of fairly peaceful fish that coexist with one another harmoniously), it is important for the beginner to get fish of roughly the same temperament—in many cases, this is best done by choosing unaggressive species. The problem with this is that some fish (bettas, angelfish, swordtails, tiger barbs and serpae tetras for example) can have a wide variation in temperament. You may therefore read in some textbook that fish X is an extremely peaceful fish (90% of the time, it is), but you may buy a “rogue” individual which likes to bully all your fish or nip at everyone’s fins. The best way of minimizing the chance this will happen is to talk to as many people as possible who have had experience with this fish AND read up on it before you buy. Below are a few suggestions for tank populations that will *probably* get along:
6 gallon (Temp 76-82 F)
1 male betta
2 or 3 kuhli loaches OR corydoras catfish
2 or 3 algae eating or ghost shrimp
10 gallon (Temp 76-84 F)
2 corydoras catfish
4 guppies
2 mollies
15-20 gallon (Temp 78-82F)
4 kuhli loaches
2 blue rams* OR kribensis (breeding pair)
*less hardy than other fish species listed, more challenging for beginners; should be the LAST fish added to a well-cycled and established aquarium
20 gallon (Temp 55-70 F)
2 fancy goldfish, 3-4 inches long
20 gallon (Temp 78-82 F)
3 kuhli loaches
1 dwarf gourami
6 small schooling tetras (neon tetras*, cardinal tetras*, glowlight tetras, rummy nose tetras*)
5 marble hatchetfish*
*less hardy than other fish species listed, more challenging for beginners; should be the LAST fish added to a well-cycled and established aquarium
20 gallon (Temp 78-82 F)
2 ottos
6 livebearers (platies, swordtails, mollies or guppies)
4 dwarf rainbowfish
2 small gouramis (dwarf, flame, honey, sunset, etc)* OR 3 danios
*sometimes individuals are aggressive
30 gallon (Temp 55-70 F)
2 large fancy goldfish, 5-8 inches
4 white cloud minnows
2 weather loaches OR hillstream loaches (coldwater species only)
60 gallon (Temp 78-82 F)
4 juvenile angelfish (dime to quarter size)
6 harlequin rasboras
5 bleeding heart tetras or lemon tetras
4 clown loaches
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