stepmom wants to stock a small water garden

[_Sushi_]

My stepmom has one of those half whiskey barrel type deals filled with water, and a spigot shaped fountain. She is wondering what kind of fish she can put in there, my dad wanted goldfish, but it's maybe 40 gal tops (I'm thinking more along the lines of 30 ish) so not enough room for anything more than a single fantail. She also wants live plants, and from my experience with goldfish, that could get pricey real quick (mine were plant destroying pros) what would you experienced ponders suggest? Thank you in advance for the help!

 

[Dreamsofpeace54]

mollys/platys would do well in the warmer months, keeping down mosquito larve and algae. They would have to be brought inside in the winter.

 

[twilight zone]

Minnows or mosquito fishes.

 

[Chub_by]

A pair of pumpkinseed sunfish maybe?

 

[_Sushi_]

pumpkinseeds are a bit much. Where is she supposed to get them? and where is she supposed to winter them? she's really not experienced enough to tackle fish like that, if I were doing a watergarden, I would do them though, that's a pretty nifty idea. Don't they need more than a 30 though? I have till winter to get her a tank all set up to winter her fish, is there anything small like that that doesn't happen to put the reproductive prowess of Rabbits to shame? I don't want her inundated with babies she has no way to get rid of.