Community Tanks 101
If you are starting a fishkeeping hobby, building a community tank may be one of the more fulfilling experiences. A community tank is simply an aquarium filled with various species of fish kept together in harmony. As you can guess, selecting the right fish for your community tank is important for the health and wellbeing of your pets. Let’s explore the best fish for community tanks, what type of compatibility, care, and tips for ensuring cohabitation in your aquarium.
What is a Community Tank?
A community tank basically an aquarium set up with all different kinds of fish swimming together in the same water. The purpose is to create a well-balanced ecosystem where fishes live together without aggression. Community tanks can be colorful environments and with multiple species of fish, fishkeepers are able to experience many colors, shapes, and behavior; however, not all fish will work for a community tank, hence the reason selection should not be take lightly.
Factors to Consider When Selecting Fish
Before we discuss what type fish for your setup, let’s first take a look at what factors will determine compatibility and survivability chances within the community setup:
- Size: Make sure the fish you choose are compatible with size; this prevents bigger fish from eating smaller ones.
- Temperament: Some fish can be territorial and aggressive while others may be passive; take time to research the behavior of each species.
- Water parameters: Each species will survive based on the water parameters (pH, temperature, hardness, etc.) will depend on the species selected. Ensure the selected fish have similar needs.
- Swimming level: Keep the swimming level of the fish in the tank (top, middle, bottom) in mind to use the space effectively and minimize competition.
- Diet: Make sure all fish have similar dietary needs in order to prevent one type of fish to be over-fed reducing the fish’s health or under-fed.
Best Fish for Community tanks
With that said a list on some of the best community fish:
- Tetras
- Tetras are small and colorful fish that are perfect for community tanks. They are social and peaceful fish and thrive with 5 or more. These are some common tetras:
- Neon Tetra: Their blue and red coloration makes them popular fish. They need to be in schools of 6 or more.
- Cardinal Tetra: Very similar to neon tetras, but have an extended red stripe. They live well with the same conditions and are equally peaceful.
- Rummy Nose Tetra: They are very peaceful but have a bright contrasting red nose too. They also prefer to be in schools of at least 6 and have bright striped bodies.
- Guppies are very colorful and a fun active fish to have in a community tank. Guppies are very hardy and can live in a variety of water. Guppies also breed fast because they are live bearers so keep an eye on the amount of guppies!
- Corydoras Catfish are a great species as scavenger fish that stay at the bottom of the aquarium to find leftover food. They do best in peaceful and social schools of fish and should have 3 or more of their kind in the aquarium. They are colorful and active, which makes them great for community tank fish.
- Danios are active, hardy swimmers that have a tolerance for a broad range of water parameters. They are schooling fish and peaceful, with the more the merrier. Danios such as the Zebra Danio are plentiful and hardy, and their stripes are very recognizable.
- Swordtails are colorful peaceful fish that are also very active. Swordtails are livebearers and can flourish in peaceful community tanks. Swordtails are colourful, peaceful, and provide much activity for the community tank.
- Mollies are hardy, adaptable fish and come in a variety of colors and patterns. Mollies are also livebearers and can be found in fresh water and brackish waters. Mollies are peaceful fish that are adaptable to the behaviors of the other peaceful species in the community tank.
- Betta Fish (with Precaution) can qualify as community tank fish with proper introduction and housing with the appropriate, peaceful species. I recommend not housing them in community tanks with male Betta or fin-nipping species.
- Cherry Barbs are small, peaceful and colorful fish that thrive in groups in community tanks. Cherry barbs are social fish, therefore keep in groups. Their bright ointments will have an aquarium shining bright!
Create Harmony in You Community Tank
Once you chose the fish for the community tank, your next step is to create harmony by:
- Provide Hiding Places: Offset stress levels and allow beard fish breed and territory. Provide hiding places with plants, rocks, and decorations to create hiding spots to provide shelters for nesting.
- Site Take Up Avoid: It is very tempting to see how many of every species of fish you can put in the tank, but the size of the tank is very critical. Tank size matted because if there is too many fish in the tank it can create aggression and stress.
- Healthy Water: Continuous monitor and filtering of the water parameters is critical to a healthy ecosystem of community fish.
- Feed Effectively: Provide a safe balance of each set fish species in your tank and do not overfeed.
- Observe Hostilities: Hostilities can occur hence be sure to check regularly for hostilities. Be prepared to separate fish as necessary.
Conclusion
Setting up a community tank can be a rewarding and beautiful endeavor in fish keeping. When you choose different compatible species you are going to witness fish imagine a symphony, a symphony in fish keeping. Conduct research before choosing fish and what the fish species need and behaviors to prosper. Happy Fish Keeping!
