Beginner's Guide to Freshwater Community Aquariums
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:
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