Thank you for the welcomes!
This is not my first tank, though it's been a while since I had a freshwater and I've never had a tall tank before. I recently read all about cycling my tank, I've only done fish in cycling before, and that's what my mother wants to do this time (it's her tank too) but I'm going to test the water daily and change it as often as needed. I had originally wanted a comet goldfish (I love their tails) but since we ended up with a tall tank that is out, and my next thought was a betta. I've been reading about other's experience keeping them in communities and am hoping to find a fish or two one can live with.