HELP! My first fishless cycle - I don't think it's going too well!

[Iwtrclr]

Sorry wrong thread...but if help is here I am all for it

 

[librarygirl]

I would really like to start a community tanl in a 5 gallon Chi with a Betta and 3 neon tetras, but my fish supplier looked at me like I was a murderer. I read on a lot of posts about having community tanks with Bettas. Should I go a little larger and have 3 guppies? I plan on plants....

5 gal isn't big enough for neons; although they are small fish they are very active so a 20 gal at least is recommended for them. A 5 gal would be too small for guppies and a betta too. I have a betta alone in a 5 gal Chi and as he grows the tank is looking smaller, so keep that in mind too. If a 5 gal chi is all you can get, I'd just do the Betta and (if his or her personality allows it) some shrimp and maybe a nerite snail. If you can do a larger tank we can help more with possibilities of other fish (bettas might tend to go after things with similar flowing tails, so guppies are generally not a good idea with them either).

 

[Iwtrclr]

The fish supplier suggested small catfish with Betta for cleaning the tank.... The Betta seems to only be hovering in top 3 inches of the 5.5 gallon tank. is this a plan or a murder?

 

[librarygirl]

The fish supplier suggested small catfish with Betta for cleaning the tank.... The Betta seems to only be hovering in top 3 inches of the 5.5 gallon tank. is this a plan or a murder?

I don't think 5.5 gals is large enough for any catfish. I have a betta in a Chi by himself and the tank doesn't get that dirty. I wipe the tank walls with water changes and siphon the gravel weekly. If your betta will tolerate it, you could try a small snail like a nerite to keep it clean; I tried it with mine but he attacked the snail 30 seconds after I put it in, so I moved the snail back to my 40 lol

 

[tamtam]

I would really like to start a community tanl in a 5 gallon Chi with a Betta and 3 neon tetras, but my fish supplier looked at me like I was a murderer. I read on a lot of posts about having community tanks with Bettas. Should I go a little larger and have 3 guppies? I plan on plants....

Like library girl said 5 gals is too small for neons and add to that they are schooling fish, you'd need 5 at least. I have mine in a 20 gal community tank and they are all over the place! Very active little guys.

Really a 5gal isn't big enough for much. A betta alone, or try the snail like librarygirl mentioned. Communities can be done with bettas but it's pretty hit or miss in that department and comes down to good planning with tank mates and the personality of the fish. Even in a bigger tank I wouldn't try a betta with guppies, some have luck but in my experience someone ends up missing chunks of fins.

 

[Iwtrclr]

I moved Fantasy back to bowl and moved Franz Kline into 5.5 Kline is much more active and aggressive I can't see introducing anything in the tank with him. He's got ever corner scoped out! Thank you both for you insight