New member! Looking for a centerpiece

[ToxicSteve]

Hey everyone! My name is Steve and I'm a freshman in college! I was thinking about a centerpiece for my dorm room and saw this: Aquarium Coffee Table

I thought it would be perfect! But I didn't want to just dive in and add some fish to a tank and hope it works out. I've been really missing my pets I used to have before I had to give them up to a good home (pet rats). Fish are the only thing allowed in the dorm rooms (up to 20gal).

So this is where I am beginning my research and hopefully get a tank going soon. I am thinking of a planted tank with tetras, platys, and maybe a beta? (I don't know if they are all compatible however).

If you could point me in the right direction for the type of tank I am mainly looking for:
Non-smelly
Limited water changes (2-4 times a month)
20-gal (or 10) tank

Thank you so much!

 

[jcolon]

For a dorm room you'll want small and simple. I'd say a 10 gal with 8 - 10 neon tetras and some ghost shrimp. Small bioloads and pretty easy to do a weekly 50%
PWC. If you get one with a stock hood and lighting, low light plants like Anubias and bamboo would work. This set up is pretty much what my son's 10gal is like.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hi and welcome!
You will want I cycle your new tank when you get it.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

 

[ToxicSteve]

For a dorm room you'll want small and simple. I'd say a 10 gal with 8 - 10 neon tetras and some ghost shrimp. Small bioloads and pretty easy to do a weekly 50%
PWC. If you get one with a stock hood and lighting, low light plants like Anubias and bamboo would work. This set up is pretty much what my son's 10gal is like.

What is one "big" fish that would play nice with those guys?

Hi and welcome!
You will want I cycle your new tank when you get it.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

Is the need to cycle that great with plants? I've heard mixed things.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Well that depends. If the tank is heavily planted with faster growing plants and very lightly stocked in the beginning IMO you wouldn't have to technically 'cycle' the tank because the plants would be consuming the ammonia.
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_silent_cycling.php
This is the article I roughly followed when I silent cycled my 70g planted tank.

 

[jcolon]

What is one "big" fish that would play nice with those guys?.

In a 10 gal you'll be limited, maybe a dwarf gourami or a betta.