Betta - 54L Tank - And What?

[Meep]

Hey, getting a 54l tank this week and doing my fish research, so I'm all ready to buy once it's cycled.
 
Been told a Betta fish can be a fancy and fascinating addition and can actually be fine in a community tank - been browsing threads here, but want to double check.  Their name has 'fighting' in it, that and their rep. makes me a little nervous for all their so pretty.
 
Current plan is;
 
6 Neon Tetra
4 Peppered Cordy
1 Male Betta
 
I understand those are the min/max quantities of each.
Will be adding live plants and some ornamentation - preferably natural, to give fish hiding places and swim through features.
 
Does that sound an okay set-up so far? 
And all those fish are best introduced to a settled tank (I was planning Neon-Cordy-Betta) so I still don't have a first fish  I've looked as Raspboras, Cherry Barbs, Danios, Gourami but compatibility and if I do get a Betta then I need to avoid more shouls.
 
I'm a beginner, feel free to shout NO and direct my bemused eyes in other directions.

 

[the_lock_man]

Cories should really be in a group of at least 6, so I would suggest going for salt & pepper cories (one of the dwarf species) rather than peppereds. That will then let you have a shoal of 6 cardinal tetra, instead of the neons. These are slightly larger, a bit more highly coloured, and that bit more hardy in a newly-established tank than neons.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Agreed with TLM, and you'll also find those cories under the name of habrosus.
You'll want to have a back-up plan though, in case the betta you pick decides it doesn't want any tank mates.

 

[Meep]

I was told Neons were the better choice with a Betta, that Cardinals weren't compatible?
Same source that said 4 for Cories, I'll have a look for Salt and Pepper/habrosus - only seen the Peppered, Sterbai and FeatherFin (going from memory)
 
Could probably place a single fish tank the other size of the room if there were personality issues - will have to think more about a Betta.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Bettas can work in a community set up, but IMO it creates problems, such as fish nipping at their fins and also the fact that a lot of bettas like to steal the food the other fish are eating, which causes them to become bloated.
 
IMO you would be much better off with a honey gourami.
 
Both neons and cardinals are compatible with bettas, but neons can be a bit nippy and are generally more sensitive.
 
Other types of cory that could be considered for your tank are pygmy and hastatus. These types do inhabit the upper water column as well as the bottom, but from the research I have done, most bettas don't mind it.
 
Like Ninj said, it is a good choice to have a backup plan, like a spare tank or a breeder net.

 

[Meep]

Thanks - I was thinking Cardinals would be better especially as it'll be a new tank, so much conflicting info about.
 
I like Cories so will have to take a better look at whats available locally, I think they have Pgymys having googled a pic, but the LFS tanks aren't labelled very clearly though the staff seem quite good when I've asked anything  and will tell customers not to buy certain fish...
 
Early days, not picked the tank up yet let alone cycled it - Still its nice to plan ahead and people here seem friendly & helpful
Bettas are eyecatchers but then I'm happy watching a bright shoul so not got my heart on one.

 

[the_lock_man]

Same source that said 4 for Cories, I'll have a look for Salt and Pepper/habrosus - only seen the Peppered, Sterbai and FeatherFin (going from memory)

 
THey can be a bit of a pain to track down, but well worth it, they're hilarious little things.