New Tank Setup

OmnipotentFishOverlord · Sep 23, 2026

Hi! I'm starting to look into a 50 gallon tank for my bedroom. My question: Can I keep 15 Chili Rasboras, 6 Duplicate Corydoras, and a single white veiltail Betta in a 50 gallon or is that unhealthy? Should I add shrimp or snails? And what plants should I add? I have kept fish in the past so I know how to take care of fish, but a 50 gallon is new territory for me. Any advice is welcomed. Thanks!

cdr63corv · Sep 23, 2026

Your fish numbers seem OK to me. Never kept shrimp and not much luck with snails, so no advice there. I have a fifty gallon tank I'm using as a grow out tank for some black Venezuelan corries I've been breeding lately. Love that tank, good luck with you decision.

bgarthe · Sep 23, 2026

Hello and welcome to FL.

Your fish choices are very nice and will be a low bioload which is good. That tank is more than big enough for them. You could even enlarge the shoal of Chilis to 24…a larger shoal will feel more secure and venture out more. Snails and shrimp is a personal choice, but is likely to be ok. Plants…..the sky is the limit. Match plants to what kind of light you have (intensity and duration) and what type of fertilizer you’re going to use if any.

Feeding…..Betta food. Chili Rasbora food is tiny and needs to be put in open of tank area so they can find it in this large a tank. Corycats will need pellets specifically for them as the left overs from the other fish will be negligible.

Just curious……what are your water parameters and type of filtration?

OmnipotentFishOverlord · Sep 24, 2026

Thanks for the feedback! Water parameters:
PH-6.5
Temperature-77 degrees Fahrenheit
Filtration:
Mechanical filter, probably a sponge filter.

Also, about the Rasboras, will I be overstocking my tank if I have 6 Cories, a Betta, and 24 Chili Rasboras?

bgarthe · Sep 24, 2026

Imo, absolutely not. You’d still be understocked. What is your GH and KH?

With such a large tank, you might consider several sponge filters or even a HOB to both filter …and… move water around some.

OmnipotentFishOverlord · Sep 24, 2026

Imo, absolutely not. You’d still be understocked. What is your GH and KH?

With such a large tank, you might consider several sponge filters or even a HOB to both filter …and… move water around some.

GH- I'm shooting for 8 dGH
KH- Not sure. Maybe 5 dKH?

Regarding the stocking, what else should I add? I might ditch the idea of a Betta and instead get 3 or 4 pearl gouramis.

bgarthe · Sep 24, 2026

I would advise against putting Pearl Gouramis with Chili Rasboras. The pearls might find the tiny Chilis to be just a bit too tempting.
Instead of Pearls, you could do a shoal of Green Neon Tetras or Espei Rasboras. They get along fine in my 55g tank full of nano fish including my Chili shoal. Chilis tend to favor the top region, Espeis the middle region, and Green neons like the mid to lower regions. This is much like my 5(g tank except I also have some Gold Tetras, dwarf golden barbs, and a few ember and GlowlightvTets either some CoryCats.

bgarthe · Sep 24, 2026

I would advise against putting Pearl Gouramis with Chili Rasboras. The pearls might find the tiny Chilis to be just a bit too tempting.
Instead of Pearls, you could do a shoal of Green Neon Tetras or Espei Rasboras. They get along fine in my 55g tank full of nano fish including my Chili shoal. Chilis tend to favor the top region, Espeis the middle region, and Green neons like the mid to lower regions. This is much like my 5(g tank except I also have some Gold Tetras, dwarf golden barbs, and a few ember and GlowlightvTets either some CoryCats.

Meant to say ..55g, not 5(g
Meant to say ….Glowlight Tets with some CoryCats.
I have to pay better attn to posting

Noroomforshoe · Sep 24, 2026

I Would add more then 6 cories since you have the space. They love company.
If you add 24 nano fish, you could keep 9-12 cories at least.
Im not sure if pearl gourami would be a good idea, I think honey gourami would be a safer option.

another thought, you could do the galaxy rasboras, which frequent the middle a lower areas, the cories at the bottom, and platies at the top for a burst of color.

OmnipotentFishOverlord · Sep 25, 2026

I Would add more then 6 cories since you have the space. They love company.
If you add 24 nano fish, you could keep 9-12 cories at least.
Im not sure if pearl gourami would be a good idea, I think honey gourami would be a safer option.

another thought, you could do the galaxy rasboras, which frequent the middle a lower areas, the cories at the bottom, and platies at the top for a burst of color.

I absolutely love Galaxy Rasboras. I think that is a wonderful Idea. So far my fish numbers will be 24 Chili Rasboras, 10 Duplicate Cories, and 13 Celestial Pearl Danios. For Platies I'm thinking 7? Since I have never kept a 50 gallon before I am worried I may be overstocking.

Noroomforshoe · Sep 25, 2026

What are the mesurments of the tank? 36 or 48 inch long?

OmnipotentFishOverlord · Sep 25, 2026

What are the mesurments of the tank? 36 or 48 inch long?

36.5" x 18.25" x 18.88"

Noroomforshoe · Sep 26, 2026

I would suggest, add fish slow and you will be able to tell if the numbers are working.

OmnipotentFishOverlord · Sep 28, 2026

I would suggest, add fish slow and you will be able to tell if the numbers are working.

Great, thank you!

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