stocking 20g or 29g community? and good dithers for betta sorority?

[moonstream]

long story short(er), I have a 29g up now and am planning to setup a 20H soon. in one tank, I will have a betta sorority, and the other will be a mixed community which will include my current 5 guppies (1m/4f) that are in my 29g now (at least, that is what I had before I left for Germany on the 17th. not sure what will be left after Irene hits- I live in Brooklyn, and while flooding isnt expected in my area, power outages are apparently likely). anyways- I'm pretty sure the 29g will be the sorority and the 20g will be the community.

the 29g has eco-complete substrate, DIY CO2, 24 watts T5HO lighting, and will be densely planted with various hardy plants (currently, has some sort of round-leaved rotala spp., wisteria, various java ferns, some anubias nana, camboba, some vals, and some crypt wendtii) in order to make hiding easier for the planned betta girls. it will have an aquaclear 70 and possibly a penguin biowheel 350 as well.

the 20g will have about an .5-1" of soil capped with 2" of pool filter sand. 2 20", 15watt florescent lights. for filtration, It will have a whisper 60, and I have a whisper 20 I may put on there as well.

for the sorority, I would like to have a school of dither fish to distract the girls from one another and for something else to look at in the tank, but I'm not sure what would be a good species to use? I like cherry barbs, and would love a group of them. or harlequin rasboras. think either of them would be okay?

in the 20g community, I'd like to have, at the very least
my 5 guppies
pair of honey gouramis (or would a trio be better?)
one or two male platies

I'm wondering if there may be room for a school of something as well; either panda cories, or some kind of tetra, or the like?

 

[futurevet]

I personally would go with the cories. You've got a lot of activity in your top & middle levels, so the cories will add some action to the bottom. I don't think you could get a big school, but I'd get at least 3.
Good Luck

 

[jpappy789]

I've done cherry barbs with a betta sorority. Harlies would work just as well.

 

[moonstream]

yeah, I think the cories would be the better choice in the community too. I'm thinking I'll start with 3, and then may add two more (one at a time) if I feel like there is room.

also- do you think I should go pair of trio of honey gouramis? it'll be one male with 2-3 females. there will be places for her/them to get away from him, but even so I'm worried there may be too much stress if all his attention is focused on one girl.

for the sorority- I'll probably get the cherry barbs, just because IME they're more entertaining than rasboras (they frolic more- the rasboras just kinda hang out). start with 5 or 6 of whatever I choose, add the bettas, and then if I see fit, I may up the school of dithers slowly two fish at a time.
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