I was wondering about buying a 20g tropical tank, and was wondering what I could put in it that would be colorful and fun to watch, I also would like some fish that my betta can stay with. Tips are good too! 
Wondering about starting....
- Thread starter BLACKMOOR_3698
- Start date
If you're looking for 'community' fish and want to use your betta as a centerpiece you could try small tetras (neons, glowlights etc.), cory catfish, kuhli loaches, oto cats (Otocinclus affinis) - they're all very peaceful, fun to watch, and stay small. I'd try to avoid those that may nip at your bettas fins (most barbs) or compete with him for territory (gouramis, paradisefish, angelfish and other cichlids).
Id say:
1 betta
1 oto cat (keep down alge)
2-5 neons
Im not sure how many neons you can keep with a betta.
1 betta
1 oto cat (keep down alge)
2-5 neons
Im not sure how many neons you can keep with a betta.
In a 20g I'd keep a group of neons (6 or so) and a small group of otos (3 or 4) - both are best in groups. I agree that neons, a betta and some otos would make a nice tank. Have fun 
I have mine with a lot of different types of fish. Some say bettas can never be put in with anything, but mine are in with almost everything lol. I currently have mine with angels, barbs, guppies, another male, females, cories, rosbora, white cloud minnows, a lot of different fish lol. I've also had them with danio's and neons. In a 20 gallon you could have a bunch of small little fish. It all just depends on the temperament of your betta (and the nippy-ness of other fish).
My betta loves being in my smaller tank with guppies and also a very placid and shy platty, i've also had my albino cory in with him for a while too but he is now in the big tank.
I keep an adopted male betta in a 29g tank w/ 6 swordtails. It's a very colorful group of fish that get along rather well.
The neons seem so weak these days I'll suggest glowlights (peacefull and possibly boring), cory of some sort (more fun. always scooting around), honey gourami (colourful and interesting with their little feelers), guppies (if you want small small scale aggressive action), blood fin tetra (if you want a somewhat more 'agressive' and mobile tetra)...
thx for the tips....how does this sound:
my 1 betta
1 male guppy
2-3 female guppies
1 neon blue gourami
1 honey gourami
maybe 1-2 swordtales
1-2 loaches
1 catfish (not sure what kind yet)
maybe 1 algae eater
lemme know if I should add or change anything!
my 1 betta
1 male guppy
2-3 female guppies
1 neon blue gourami
1 honey gourami
maybe 1-2 swordtales
1-2 loaches
1 catfish (not sure what kind yet)
maybe 1 algae eater
lemme know if I should add or change anything!
I know I have mine with guppies, BUT just in case your betta doesn't like guppies, I'll warn you anyway. Because male guppies are colorful and do have 'large' tales, the betta may nip at him, or mistake him for another betta so I'd watch out. With that ratio of guppies they most likely will breed, but with the other fish in there you may not get a chance to see the fry. I don't own gouramis but I've heard they can be nippy, and some can be very mean. Probably not a big problem but just beware.