Bi-polar Buenos Aires Tetras?

[dorkfish]

buenos aires tetras are actually subtropical and can take water down to about 60 degrees, but it's better to keep them in tropical tanks.

a 20G would not be large enough for 5 BA tetras. you'd need a good 30Gs IMO once they get around 3", as they are quite active. you could keep some type of dwarf pleco (DO NOT get a common pleco!) like a bristlenose with them without issue, corydoras catfish would also work. blue/gold/opaline/threespot gourmais (all one speces FYI) would work too as they are pretty scrappy little buggers. I woulkd reccomend something like this:

30G commuity tank
5 BA tetras
1 B/G/O/T gourami
1 BN pleco OR 5 corys (make sure to get all the same species, albino cories are the same as bronze corys)

there are also various invertebrates that you could throw in this mix too, I might include amano shrimp for their algae eating abilities. olive nerite snails are also very good algae consumers, but are sadly hard to obtain.

I take it your speaking from expierience, yes? That might have worked for you, but IME, even though three-spots can usually take care of themselves, the pelvic fins will suffer greatly and the gourami will have difficulty feeding, you will also have trouble feeding the bottom feeders; BA tetras are just too fast, too agressive a feeder (also not a picky eater) and too nippy to be kept with most fish... ideally they should be in a species tank.

Some of the larger tetras will work out ok... however I noticed a few squables after a while (usually the other group of fish ganging up on a single BA). Out of all the fish I've tried danios seem to work the best.

Amazon swords are said to work with them... java moss, java fetns and maybe crinum's and crypts will work... however I personally don't keep plants with my BA tet's.