50 Gallon Community Tank Stocking Ideas

Creating a freshwater community tank is a great idea, and for sure, your 50-gallon community tank will look fantastic and very attractive when added the right fish.

A community tank is a tank with varieties of fish species, and when we keep different fish species together, we have to consider many things. Fishes we are adding should share similar water requirements and should be of the same temperaments. We have to make sure that the fish we are adding to our tank should live peacefully with each other. So, what fish can we add to a 50-gallon community tank? Let us find out.

When creating a community tank, it is necessary to ensure that all the fish have a similar temperament and water parameters requirement. Also, we have to ensure that they are compatible with each other. These are the best community fish for your 100-gallon community tank:

1. Molly
2. Platy
3. Neon tetras
4. Cardinal tetras
5. Dwarf Gouramis
6. Swordtails
7. Guppies
8. Zebra danios
9. Cory catfish
10. Bristlenose plecos

This article will also discuss how to set up a 50-gallon community tank. So, let us get into it.

How to decide what fish can go together in a 50-gallon community tank?

Planning to make a 50-gallon community tank is excellent, as your tank will look very attractive.

Adding varieties of fish will also make your tank very colorful, which will attract many eyes.

However, there are multiple things you have to consider when adding different types of fish to the same tank.

Whenever we plan to set up a community tank, we have to ensure that all the fishes we add are peaceful in nature and not territorial.

Adding non-aggressive fish to your community tank will eliminate aggression and territorial behavior in the tank, providing all your fish with comfortable living.

We have hundreds of options available when it comes to adding peaceful fish to a community tank.

Now, we have to consider all these things to decide what fish to keep together in a community tank:

1. Size of the fish
2. Water parameters requirement of the fish
3. Space requirement of the fish
4. The hardness of the fish
5. Dietary requirements of the fish

Size of the fish

The size of the fish matters a lot when adding different types of fish to a community tank.

It is a natural behavior in fish that big fish chase and try to eat the smaller fish.

We must consider adding different types of peaceful fish of similar sizes to prevent chasing and hunting.

Water parameters requirement of the fish

Any fish that is living in inadequate water parameters will become stressed and prone to various diseases and parasites.

When setting up a community tank by adding different species of fish, we can easily end up keeping fishes with inadequate water parameters as it is not necessary that all the fishes we are adding share similar water parameters.

So, it is wise to check for the water parameters requirement of all the fish before adding them to the tank and add only fish with similar requirements.

Space requirement of the fish

Providing your fish with ample space will ensure their comfortable living.

When we keep fish in captivity, we are responsible for providing them with ideal living conditions and ample space to live and swim comfortably.

If you keep them in a small-size tank, they will become stressed and prone to various issues.

When we talk about space requirements, we should follow the one-inch one-gallon rule, which means one inch of fish per gallon of water.

Following the one-inch one-gallon rule will help you provide your fish with enough space to live happily.

Also read: 100-Gallon Community Tank Stocking Ideas

The hardness of the fish

Fishes that can live between a wide range of water parameters and conditions are known to be hardy fish.

When we set up a community tank, we add different species of fish, which becomes challenging to provide all the fish with their ideal parameters.

Adding a hardy fish will help you by extending the range of water parameters, making it easy for you to house them in the same tank.

Also, a hardy fish will easily adapt to the water conditions and live comfortably.

Dietary requirements of the fish

Food is necessary for your fish’s good health and longer lifespan.

It becomes challenging for us to feed all the fish when setting up a community tank by adding many different fish types.

When fish don’t regularly get food, they become weak and prone to various diseases and parasites.

When setting up a community tank, you can consider adding the top, middle, and bottom swimmers.

Various foods are available in the market for surface and bottom swimmers.

Adding bottom and surface swimmer fish in the community tank will make it easy for you to feed your fish.

Also read: How Often Should I Feed My Fish?

How many fish can I keep in a 50-gallon community tank?

Always follow the one-inch one-gallon rule when deciding how many fish to stock in a tank.

The one-inch one-gallon rule means one inch of fish per gallon of water.

For example, cory catfish can be as long as 4 inches in size, so if we take an average of 2.5 inches, we can stock 15-16 cory catfish in a 50-gallon tank.

Make sure to deduct some gallons when following the one-inch one-gallon rule, as some of the space will be covered by plants, substrate, and other decors.

Also read: Best Fish For A 15-Gallon Column Tank?

How to decide what fish to keep in a community tank?

We should always consider adding fish species that are compatible with each other.

Now, when it comes to creating a community tank, you have two options, either you can go by stocking big fish in your community tank, or you can go stocking small fish.

Now, you cannot add different species of big fish in a 50-gallon tank as big fish will require more space than that.

There are multiple fish species available when adding small fishes to your community tank, like guppies, mollies, tetras, gouramis, and swordtails.

Keeping fish of similar size is a wise choice; as we discussed above, big fish will try to chase and hunt smaller fish.

Also, it is necessary to ensure that all the fish species we are going to add to our community tank share similar water parameters requirements.

Also read: How Many Fish In A 10-Gallon Tank?

Here are the 10 best fish for a 50-gallon community tank.

These are the 10 best fish for your 50-gallon community tank:

1. Molly
2. Platy
3. Neon tetras
4. Cardinal tetras
5. Dwarf Gouramis
6. Swordtails
7. Guppies
8. Zebra danios
9. Cory catfish
10. Bristlenose plecos

Molly

• Scientific Name: Poecilia sphenops
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Size: 4-5 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 20 Gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 75-80 °F 
• Water pH level: 7.5-8.5
• Swimming level: Middle and top 
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Mollies do great in a community tank with other fishes because of their peaceful and calm nature.

Also, their bright color will make your tank look attractive.

Mollies come in different color patterns, and they all are peaceful, so you don’t have to worry about their temperament when adding them to your community tank.

Keep mollies in a group of 3-4, and they will thrive.

Platy

• Scientific Name: Xiphophorus spp.
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 2.8 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 20 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 70-82 °F 
• Water pH level: 7-8
• Swimming level: Mid and top
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Adding platies to your community tank will also make it look attractive.

Platies are livebearers fish and give birth to fry. They are also peaceful creatures, making them the perfect fit for a community tank.

Platy fish will help you eliminate algae from the tank.

These are schooling fish and prefer to live in a large group of at least 5-6.

Neon tetras

• Scientific Name: Parcheirodon innesi
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 1.5 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 68-82 °F 
• Water pH level: 5-7.5
• Swimming level: Middle
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

These eye-catchers will make you look at your community tank again and again.

Seeing them moving back and forth in a group will be a joy to your eyes.

There can be nipping if they don’t get enough room to live comfortably, so take care of that.

Keep them in a large group of at least 6-8, and they will thrive.

Also read: Can Zebra Danios Live With Neon Tetras?

Cardinal tetras

• Scientific Name: Paracheirodon axelrodi
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 1.25 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 20 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 73-80 °F 
• Water pH level: 5-6
• Swimming level: Middle 
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Cardinal tetras are also a perfect fish for your 50-gallon community tank, like neon tetras.

Cardinal tetras have a red stripe, making them look different from neon tetras.

Both neon tetras and cardinal tetras share similar water parameters and requirements and love to live with other non-aggressive tankmates.

Dwarf gouramis

• Scientific Name: Trichogaster lalius
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Size: 2.5-3 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 10 Gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 75-80 °F 
• Water pH level: 6.8-7.8
• Swimming level: Mid and top
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Add a pair of dwarf gouramis to your community tank, and it will look fantastic.

They are hardy fish and can live between a wide range of water parameters.

These colorful creatures are peaceful fish and prefer to live with other peaceful fish in a community tank.

Swordtails

• Scientific Name: Xiphophorus helleri
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 5.5-6.3 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 15 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 64-82 °F 
• Water pH level: 7-8.5
• Swimming level: Middle and top
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

These creatures are also a good option for your 50-gallon community tank.

They are attractive, especially the male ones, because of their sword shape caudal fin.

Also, keeping more males than female swordtails can create aggression in the tank, so consider keeping females more than males.

Guppies

• Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 1.2-2.4 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 10 Gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 72-82 °F 
• Water pH level: 6.8-7.8
• Swimming level: Middle 
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

These peaceful creatures with colorful fins and bodies will live happily in your 50-gallon community tank.

Males are more attractive than females, but adding more males and fewer females will cause aggression and stress.

So, consider adding them in a ratio of 2:1, which means two females for every male.

Also, they are schooling fish, so keep them in a large group of at least 5-6.

Also read: Can Guppy Live With Molly?

Zebra danios

• Scientific Name: Danio rerio
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 1.5-2.5 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 64-75 °F 
• Water pH level: 6.5-7.5
• Swimming level: All levels
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Zebra danios are also the most beautiful creatures, and keeping them in a community tank will make them thrive.

They come in different colors and are peaceful creatures.

There is no doubt that they will make your tank look very attractive.

Keep them in a group of 4-5 of their own, and they will thrive.

Cory catfish

• Scientific Name: Corydoras
• Difficulty Level: East
• Size: 2-4 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 20 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Water Temperature: 72-82 °F 
• Water pH level: Between 7 and 8 
• Swimming level: Bottom
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Cory catfish are bottom dwellers and spend most of their time scavenging on the bottom, searching for food.

They have long barbels, which they use to navigate the food under the substrate, and then use their mouth to dig into the substrate and suck the food.

They are peaceful fish and will love to live and swim with other peaceful fish in a community tank.

Keep them in groups of 3-5 of their species, and they will thrive.

Bristlenose plecos

• Scientific Name: Ancistrus cirrhosus
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Size: 5 inches
• Tank Size Requirement: 40 gallons
• Diet: Herbivore
• Water Temperature: 73-81 °F 
• Water pH level: 5.8-7.8
• Swimming level: Bottom
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Planted Tank Suitability: Yes

Bristlenose plecos are also bottom dweller fish and will be at the bottom of the tank most of the time.

This fish will help you get rid of soft algae and other waste from the tank.

Consider adding one bristlenose pleco to your community tank.

Also, they are peaceful creatures and will live calmly in a community tank.

Also read: Can Cory Catfish Live With Plecos?

Ideas of stocking community fish in a 50-gallon tank.

Fishkeeping Idea	Fish For 50-Gallon Community tank
Stocking idea no 1	5 guppies, 3 cory catfish, 5 cardinal tetras, 2 dwarf gouramis, 3 molly
Stocking idea no 2	5 platy, 1 bristlenose pleco, 4 guppies, 5 zebra danios, 2 swordtails
Stocking idea no 3	4 cory catfish, 5 platy, 6 guppies, 6 zebra danio
Stocking idea no 4	1 bristlenose pleco, 1 Kuhli loach, 2 Amano shrimp, 5 guppies, 5 neon tetras
Stocking idea no 5	10 neon tetras, 5 cardinal tetras, 5 guppies, 5 zebra danios, 1 kuhli loach
Stocking idea no 6	1 bristlenose pelco, 12 neon tetras, 2 swordtails, 5 guppies

How to set up a 50-gallon community tank?

When setting up a 50-gallon tank, all you need is the following:

1. A filter
2. A heater
3. Substrate
4. Live plants
5. A light
6. An air pump

Filter

Adding a filter to your tank is the essential thing you should always make sure of.

A filter will help you keep the water clean and protected from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.

Consider adding a good filtration system with biofilter media to your 50-gallon community tank to ensure good water conditions.

If you don’t add a filter to your tank, more frequent water changes will be required, which will be problematic for you. So, make sure to add a filter.

There are different types of filters in the market, like a sponge, hang-on, canister, and internal filters.

A canister filter is the best one you can go for a 50-gallon community tank.

Heater

Adding a heater to your tank will ensure the ideal water temperature for your fish.

Many fishes, like neon tetras and guppies, require a well-heated tank to thrive.

Also, you must know that unstable water temperature can make your fish come under stress, and they will become prone to various diseases and parasites.

Adding a heater will ensure stable water temperature and prevent your fish from stress.

Substrate

A substrate is an inch-thick base we create in our fish tank.

It makes your tank look beautiful, and your fish engage in it in search of food.

When planning to create a planted tank, a substrate is necessary as it provides a place for your plants to root.

Make sure to add a soft substrate like sand when having a bottom-dweller fish in the tank, as a hard substrate can harm their barbles.

We recommend using a dark substrate for your fish tank as it will look attractive and help mimic your fish’s natural habitat.

You will be required 50 pounds of substrate for a 50-gallon tank.

Plants

Adding live aquatic plants to your fish tank makes it look attractive and helps keep the water clean.

Plants absorb the nutrients from the water, which keeps the water clean and prevents algae growth.

Plants are also super good hiding spots for your fish, and your fish will require hiding spots when they are under stress and vulnerable.

Lights

If you are going to create a 50-gallon planted tank, light is the necessary item you should consider adding.

Lights will be necessary for the growth of your plants.

Also, adding lights to your fish tank makes your tank look attractive.

Consider not keeping the lights on for more than 8 hours, as it can result in algae growth.

For that, you can add a timer to your light so that it gets on and off automatically according to the time you have set.

Air pump

Adding an air pump to your tank will ensure enough oxygen for your fish.

A lack of oxygen in the tank can make your fish suffer, and they will gasp for air at the tank’s surface most of the time.

To eliminate such issues, adding an air pump is a wise choice.

Also, you must know that beneficial bacteria in our tank system require oxygen to break down harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.

So, adding an air pump to your tank will keep the tank well-oxygenated and prevent such issues.

Conclusion:

When creating a community tank, make sure to add peaceful fish species with similar water parameters requirements.

There are varieties of fish you can consider adding to your 50-gallon community tank.

Fishes like molly, platy, guppies, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, swordtails, gouramis, corydoras, and bristlenose plecos are the best fish for a community tank.

To avoid overcrowding your fish tank, follow the one-inch one-gallon rule, which means one inch of fish per gallon of water.

Consider adding a filter, heater, light, air pump, plants, and substrate to your tank to ensure your fish’s comfortable living.

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Reference: AquariumIndustries