A guide to creating a dynamic, peaceful aquarium with coexisting species What is a Community Aquarium? A community aquarium is a common practice by aquarists where you keep multiple species of fish and invertebrate within the same aquarium. By technicality, it is keeping at least one species of fish in an aquarium with compatible tank mates. Often times, a centerpiece fish is selected and is usually a solitary or a pair of fish that are meant to be the focal species of the aquarium. The centerpiece fish is usually accompanied by a group of peaceful shoaling fish, a bottom dwelling species, and one or more species dedicated to algae and waste consumption. For best results, a community is established within a community aquarium, and all fish can coexist peacefully. Community aquariums consisting of predominantly semi-aggressive and aggressive fish are not recommended for inexperienced aquarists. What are the Benefits of Having a Community Aquarium? For both the inhabitants and the aquarist there are many benefits to a community aquarium including the following below: 1) Interspecies & Environmental Enrichment for the Inhabitants 2) A more complex, ecosystem-like aquarium 3) Better breakdown of organic matter 4) Aquatic life occupying every water level in the aquarium 5) With the right set-up, aquarists will have more active, vibrant, and healthier fish that express natural behaviors constantly. Is it Easy to Have a Community Aquarium? Having a community aquarium requires as much preparation as setting up another aquarium, but with additional steps towards researching the right fish. You want each fish to fit a role within your aquarium without excessive food competition, aggression, or stress on your fish. A balanced community aquarium can be achieved with as little as 2 species, however with a proper aquarium footprint, hardscape, plants, etc., you can accommodate even more species. A community's success is also determined by what species you have in it as well. Species such as German Blue Rams require exceptional water quality and will require consistent aquarium maintenance to ensure this. What are Some Examples of Community Aquariums? Here are some examples of peaceful community aquariums by tank volume: 10 Gallon: Peaceful Shrimp Tank 20x Cherry Shrimp 8x Pygmy Corydoras 2x Nerite Snails 20 Gallon: Male Betta Community 1x Male Betta 6x Silvertip Tetra 1x Amano Shrimp 6x Panda Corydoras 2x Nerite Snails 29 Gallon: Dwarf Gourami Community 1x Dwarf Gourami 10x Harlequin Rasboras 1x Bristlenose Pleco 6x Kuhli Loaches Ramshorn Snails 40 Gallon: Dwarf Cichlid Pair Community 1x M/F Pair of Dwarf Flag Cichlids 15x Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnows 2x Bristlenose Plecos 2x Bamboo Shrimp 55 Gallon: Pearl Gourami Community 1x Pearl Gourami 14x Cardinal Tetras 8x Sterbai Corydoras 1x Siamese Algae Eater Ramshorn Snails 75 Gallon: Busy River Community 6x Boesemani Rainbowfish 8x Alestes Tetra 6x Corydoras agassizii 4x Bamboo Shrimp 5x Nerite Snails Conclusions: Thank you for reading this article on peaceful community aquariums. If you have any questions, please contact us at our email address: scholarlyexotics@gmail.com; we will respond back as soon as possible! Shop for Freshwater Community Aquarium Fish
