# Best tropical fish for beginners?



## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

In a few weeks I plan to get this 20 gallon tank kit
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3804446&lmdn=Fish+Aquariums+&amp;+Bowls

I haven't had any other fish besides goldfish and bettas, so I need help stocking a 20 gal tank.


Any ideas?


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Guppies are good starting with males only is good. Cory catfish are nice. I keep three just remember albinos are practicaly blind. An emperor tetra would look nice but PH affects everything. Do you want top dwellers middle region bottom region. A female Betta on average will work nice.


----------



## MsGita (Apr 24, 2012)

I can't answer your question but I just had to tell you how gorgeous your profile picture is!!! I love it!


----------



## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

@MsGita Thanks. I found the picture online so I can't claim credit for it. ^-^''


----------



## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Hardy tetra are a good first tropical fish. Some like the x-ray tetra and the von rio fire tetra are good for most water types (pH and hardness). If you know you have very hard water, then livebearers will be the way to go. Avoid guppies unless you can find them from another hobbyist. Due to tons of inbreeding ones from the petstore are very fragile. 

If you can give us your tap water hardness and pH we can make some more suggestions for you. There are fish that are easy to care for if you have the right water for them.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> Hardy tetra are a good first tropical fish. Some like the x-ray tetra and the von rio fire tetra are good for most water types (pH and hardness). If you know you have very hard water, then livebearers will be the way to go. Avoid guppies unless you can find them from another hobbyist. Due to tons of inbreeding ones from the petstore are very fragile.
> 
> If you can give us your tap water hardness and pH we can make some more suggestions for you. There are fish that are easy to care for if you have the right water for them.


It depends on were you get them.


----------



## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

rasborsas, cherry barbs, hatchet fish, neon tetras, otos, black neons, black skirted tetra, and bleeding heart tetras are all very manageable community fish.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

lvandert said:


> rasborsas, cherry barbs, hatchet fish, neon tetras, otos, black neons, black skirted tetra, and bleeding heart tetras are all very manageable community fish.


I would not reccomend hatchets and barbs.Cory catfish or Otos great


----------



## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I meant the hatchet tetra* and why not the cherry barbs? They aren't like tiger barbs and mean, they are more shy and like to hide in plants.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

lvandert said:


> I meant the hatchet tetra* and why not the cherry barbs? They aren't like tiger barbs and mean, they are more shy and like to hide in plants.


They can be aggressive. But most fin nippers do not fin nip because of aggression.


----------



## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I beg to differ. Cherry barbs are not known to be aggressive. http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/barbs/cherrybarb.php

Not all barbs are like Tiger barbs... I would highly recommend these little guys for a peaceful community tank any day of the week (as long as its at least 20 gallons). The male's red color is very captivating to watch.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I never said they were aggressive. If not in a large enough school they are fin nippers but not always I guess it is a hit and miss. I think they might work.


----------



## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

mollies and platies do really well in tropical communities, and are bred in almost as many color and fin types as bettas.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

homegrown terror said:


> mollies and platies do really well in tropical communities, and are bred in almost as many color and fin types as bettas.


Good choices, except mollies do way better than brackish water. Mollies can be a bit aggressive.


----------



## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Cherry barbs do fine as long as they are kept in sufficient numbers. The difference between them and tiger barbs is these numbers are much smaller. Tiger barbs need like 12-15 but the cute little cherries only need 6-8. 

Really any of the small fish we are suggesting here can be labeled "fin-nippers." This is simply because people have kept them improperly and blamed the problem on the fish and not their husbandry.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Sorry, But I think Albino Cories.


----------



## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

ChoclateBetta said:


> Good choices, except mollies do way better than brackish water. Mollies can be a bit aggressive.


i've got two mollies in my community tank, and the only aggression i've seen is from Thor, and that's only if the other fish get too close to his baby-mama (she's pregnicated right now!)


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Mollies live much longer in brackish, and are bullies, Chocolate is right about the mollies.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> Mollies live much longer in brackish, and are bullies, Chocolate is right about the mollies.


Thank you. I have seen mollies in a fiddler crab brackish water tank at a zoo. Hershey park zoo only thing they did right.


----------



## Freyja (Jun 22, 2012)

I disagree regarding cory cats as being good beginner fish. They are pretty sensitive regarding water parameters.


----------



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Freyja said:


> I disagree regarding cory cats as being good beginner fish. They are pretty sensitive regarding water parameters.


Depends on species I mean bronze cories they are very hardy.


----------



## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Bronze cories can be good beginner fish. They shouldn't be used to cycle a tank (really very few fish should) but they are hardy enough to survive in a beginner's tank after it's been cycled for a few weeks. They are also adaptable to a wide variety of water parameters.


----------

