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You’re probably looking at between 15 and 20 gals.

Most heaters are adjustable to the needs of the fish. I use one that hangs on the back, which is fairly ancient, but amazingly reliable. Something of a wattage that works for 15-20 gals should be fairly easy to find.

A HOB would work well, as you say.

The pearls would be too large for a 20 gal, but a betta would enjoy it, along with neons, or better yet small rasboras, and cories. A betta is not hard to keep, so long as you don’t put another betta, fin-pullers, or other long-finned fish with him (assuming you’d like a male). If you’d like a betta, then it’s best to plan your tank around him.

A lot will depend on your water parameters, especially pH and water/carbonate hardness, of course, in choosing fish. It’s easier to choose fish to suit your water than to adjust your water to suit your fish, when you’re first starting out.


I vote! Do you?

Thanks. Now i have my tank in mind one male blue/purple betta with a large school of neons and cories in a 2ftlong tank that would make for a very colourful tank wouldnt it. I will plan the tank around the betta and the neons how many neons could i put in

They say fishes are dumb, because humans need to be smarter in keeping the fishes alive.

With a tank that size you have a lot of choices to make. First, please read the article in this section on starting an aquarium... lots of good info including the nitrogen cycle. That would help a lot. I like the idea of upping the cards and cories. For any algae conrol well, a bristlenose or even a rubbernose would help a lot. If there's no algae you should feed them cukes and veggies, and some algae wafers anyways. You could put a mess of ottos in there too. Nice little fellas, although you'll probably rarely see them. I only see mine when I move the rocks and stuff. They are not so un-hardy of a fish as most people think, but they do need good water quality, a long acclimatization period, and to be introduced only after the tank and it's cycle are fully established. Maybe a couple months or so.

Gypsy, with a tank that size, probably 15 or 20 gallons you could easily put the betta and probably 10-12 neons easily. Also may be room for a few ottos, or even some small loaches. (just a thought)

Awesome well now i am looking at rearranging my room my shoes my radio and then where i have one of the cabinet so i have somewhere already done for my tank. And what are ottos???

They say fishes are dumb, because humans need to be smarter in keeping the fishes alive.

[link=http://fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/615.htm][/link] Otocinclus are wonderful little aglae-eating fish, but they are very particular about water quality. One of my favourite fish.

I vote! Do you?

Actually, they are not as particular as you may think. They DO have a bad rep as an un-hardy species with a high die off, but if you don't try to cycle with them, introduce them into an already established and fully cycled tank with a very long acclimatization period (the time you take to get them used to the tank water...float the bag about 15 mn, put a handful of water and float the bag, repeat several times before finally netting them out and putting them in) then you should be fine. mine are doing quite well.

On this site when you click on what those fishes are compatible with how accurate are they?? why i ask i thought bettas cant go with gouramis and there is a few speices they can go with.

They say fishes are dumb, because humans need to be smarter in keeping the fishes alive.

The fish compatibility on this site only takes into account water parameters.
That means that fish with the same requirements will show up as compatible even if they end up chasing after or attacking fish that show up on the list. If I remember right, bettas and guppies show up as "compatible" however the betta will see a guppy as a threat and attack.

And along the lines of what divertran posted about ottos. Many of them are starved or stressed out in the stores. Be sure you watch them for a good long time before picking exactly the one you want. Have you seen it feeding? Does it seem thin? And like was already said, wait until you have plenty of hidey spots for them, and lots of algae. I'd recommend a tank that is at least one year old. Their natural environment is cooler water that has plenty of movement in it, which isn't the same as most tropical fish that we keep. The transport (styro box covered so it's dark) and acclimitization (4-8 hours using a bucket, don't put the store water in your home tank) are both very important with these fish.

^_^