New Tank, What Fish?

[Cosette]

i am getting a 20 gallon tank, not sure what fish to put in. right now, i am thinking 12 neon tetras, 6 peppered corys and 1 or 2 dwarf gourami. thoughts on this combo, or recommended other combos? note: i have a very limited budget. 

 

[TallTree01]

It sounds like a good plan. Can I advise against dwarf gouramis as they can be a tad aggressive. If you opt for the more peaceful honey gouramis it would be much safer for the tetras. It will be quite a heavily stocked tank so be sure to keep up with your water changes!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The dwarf gourami would probably be fine with the neons and cories... mine was.  But, if you go the DG route, only get one as they are very territorial with each other.
 
As for the other stocking options, a 20 is a bit small for peppered cories, as they can get a bit bigger than many others.  These are some of the smaller species... some are more commonly found than others.
 
I'd recommend:
pandas < 2 inches
trillineatus ~ 2 - 2 1/4 inches
lamberti, ~ 1 1/2 inches
habrosus, ~ 1 1/2 inches
adolfoi...  ~ 2 1/2 inches
 
 
 
If you go with honey gouramis, they are smaller and a trio wouldn't be a bad thing.