Betta community advice needed

[Juicebox]

Hi guys,im new to the forum this is my first post,ive been lookin around for a couple days trying to soak up as much info as i can.ive decided to make a post and try get some info regarding my own tank..

i did have a 25 or 30 gallon tank about 10 years ago,i kept barbs and some other fish in it,i had it for a total of 1 year before i had to move..so im not a complete novice to fish keeping,although alot of the information i learned back that has been lost to me over the years

I just bought a new 14 gallon tank,i am going to set it up tomorrow and start cycling it, it came with everything i need, heater,filter,hood,lights etc..

i am not sure what fish to put in it,all i know is i must have a betta fish as i have fallen in love with them.. i would also like other fish with them so i would not get bored just lookin at a betta all the time,i like some variety..

i have learned i could have a sorority tank with 5 - 6 females, or i can have just 1 male.i am not sure which of these i would rather because i would like the females but in a 14 gallon could i have 5 - 6 females plus some other species of fish? or just the 6 bettas??

i think i could like some frogs/salamanders,or some crayfish/shrimp type creatures if possible in my tank.

im not sure if i need an algae eater fish in my tank also,could i get some info on this please?

if anyone could help me out with the correct info regarding the limitations of my tank and which creatures are posssible for me i would greatly appreciate it.

[homegrown terror]

salamanders are a negative...all the normally available species get big enough to eat or at least attack and kill a betta. also, some (like fire-belly newts) produce toxins in their skin which could also be dangerous. on top of that, most species need either a dry-land portion of the tank, or very shallow water, too shallow for for fish to swim in.

african dwarf frogs are a possibility. they tend to get mixed reviews on here as far as their compatibility, but from my end, i've always found them to coexist happily with my bettas and other fish.

there are several species of shrimp that can live with bettas, but be warned that your betta will probably end up eating some of them. crayfish are a BAD idea...bettas are slow swimmers, and a crayfish WILL catch, kill and eat your betta.

i've never had any experience personally with keeping other fish species in a sorority, but it's my understanding that it varies widely depending on the personalities of all the fish involved. if you go the sorority route, i'd have them up and running for a month or so before you try to introduce another species. that way you can gauge their group dynamic and have a good idea whether they would be hostile towards another fish in their domain. maybe buy the new fish from a store with an ironclad returns policy, and float them for an extended period so you can observe your girls' reactions, and if any of them begin flaring constantly, dart or charge the bag, or otherwise seem to be aggressive towards the newcomers, bring them back and get a refund. my sorority is species only, but i have a female crowntail in my livebearer community tank, and she gets along with everyone just fine.