okaquarium
Aquarium Advice Regular
i have a 10gal i am setting up with betta...like to add a few more fish...any suggestions what will get along with bettas...have thought about sword tails....or some type of tetra
10gal w/betta...what else can go
- Thread starter okaquarium
- Start date
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I'm sure others will pop on here with personal experience, but I think the general concensus is that there are no definite answers. It all depends on your betta. Some bettas will get along with other fish, and other bettas will persecute those same fish.
Bettas can present some issues in a community aquarium. First of all, you can have a betta that harasses the other fish, and then vice versa, other fish that harass the betta. You'll notice my 10 gallon is divided right now. This is because when I put the betta in with the killifish, the killifish started biting his fins. Others have had similar problems with tetras biting the betta's fins.
Unless others disagree with me, you could try various different fish (swordtails, tetras), and see how they interact, being prepared to take them back if necessary.
Paul
Bettas can present some issues in a community aquarium. First of all, you can have a betta that harasses the other fish, and then vice versa, other fish that harass the betta. You'll notice my 10 gallon is divided right now. This is because when I put the betta in with the killifish, the killifish started biting his fins. Others have had similar problems with tetras biting the betta's fins.
Unless others disagree with me, you could try various different fish (swordtails, tetras), and see how they interact, being prepared to take them back if necessary.
Paul
rubysoho
Aquarium Advice Addict
from what I've heard, nothing with longer tails, and I think some tetras are nippers (not sure if I am correct on that) and that will stress out the betta too much. Do you already have your betta? If not, maybe consider getting a female betta. I house 3 female bettas with 5 danios and 2 otos in my 10 gal, and everyone seems very happy. Plus the little girls are just full of personality (a lot more than they are ever given credit for) Danios may be a good choice for a male betta, because they tend to stick to picking on their own species if in a group of 5ish or more. I've heard guppies are a no-no, but I don't have any experience there. Oh, another option would be cory cats. They won't bother your beta, they stick toward the bottom of the tank (whereas your beta will normally be more free swimming... just have lots of plants because they like to rest on them) and are so much fun to watch. Maybe a group of 3 of the smae species. I know they are much happier when they have a small group to school with. The only problem I can see about that is cories like to have cooler temps and its not that the warmer water for the betta will hurt them, it just isn't an ideal situation. Good luck, and keep us posted on your decision!
oscarbreeder
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have cary cats, dwarf frogs and snails in with my bettas and all is well.
HTH
HTH
rubysoho
Aquarium Advice Addict
dwarf frogs are really cool, I have two with my male betta in the 5 gal here.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Good advice, everyone! I wouldn't try guppies -- their bright colors and long tails can make the betta think that it's another betta. I would steer clear of tetras too. I've seen a group of tetras at a hatchery gang up on and nip a betta. I told the owner and the betta was removed. I have seen a betta with dwarf frogs and all was well. If you get cories, get a group of 3 or 4. Cories do prefer cooler water than bettas -- about 78 degrees is their upper temperature range, but I don't think the cories will be harmed at the 80 degees that a betta likes. At the hatchery that I go to, the air temperature is kept at 80 degrees, and all the species are at that temperature. I haven't seen bettas and danios together at the hatchery, but you could try it. If some fish don't work out with the betta, make sure they can be returned, or ask pkremer about his divided 10 gallon. How is that working out, pkremer?
okaquarium
Aquarium Advice Regular
hi all thanks for all the advice....got 2 plattys to start....my wife and little girls picked them out....so far so good the betta was a little fiesty when i first added the plattys but now he seems ok with them....also had to add an upside down catfish i bought for my cichlid tank...ciclid is only about 2.5in but was attacking the cat so figured id move him untill he gets bigger then maybe try again
cheezysquirrelz
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have a betta in a planted 20 gal with neon tetras, glowlight tetras, danios, corys, plecos, and an upsidedown catfish. Theres no problems!!!!
So far the divided 10 gallon is working out very well for all concerned. The betta has become accustomed to his new home, and I bought him a little decoration and a silk plant for his side. He has the side without the filter, so there is very little current. When I drop in his betta flakes and bloodworms, they sit right on the surface until he 'attacks' them. He is the most violent eater of all my fish! He lunges at it...
The only problem I am facing (and would be open to suggestions about) is containing the algae growth. I don't want to stress out my chinese algae eater by transferring him back and forth, and so I am having no real way to deal with the algae growth on the bettas side. Then when I scrape it away, the water gets cloudy. I usually do a water change immediately and that take the cloudiness out of the water, but the algae is a hassle. I'm wondering how a couple otto's in there on the betta's side would do?
Paul
PS - I am still considering getting him his own 5 gallon aquarium, but I need to spread out these purchases or my family will think I am going crazy....hehe!
The only problem I am facing (and would be open to suggestions about) is containing the algae growth. I don't want to stress out my chinese algae eater by transferring him back and forth, and so I am having no real way to deal with the algae growth on the bettas side. Then when I scrape it away, the water gets cloudy. I usually do a water change immediately and that take the cloudiness out of the water, but the algae is a hassle. I'm wondering how a couple otto's in there on the betta's side would do?
Paul
PS - I am still considering getting him his own 5 gallon aquarium, but I need to spread out these purchases or my family will think I am going crazy....hehe!
rubysoho
Aquarium Advice Addict
try limiting the time your lights are one as that is a big factor in algea growth. Instead of 8 hours, make it 6. Or, set up a timer so that during the middle of the day, the lights go off for a couple of hours. I think getting real plants help as well because they absorb the excess nutrients faster than algea does so the algea has less to use and will not grow as quickly (at least that is what I gathered from other posts, hopefully I interpreted it correctly).
bunebop
Aquarium Advice Freak
I've had cory cats, plecos, guppies, danios, raspborras, tetras and many other things w/ my bettas and never had a problem. JUST DO NOT TRY ANY KIND OF BARB!!
smallfry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Paul,
You could get 2 or 3 otocinclus for the Betta side of your 10g. The best thing is to scrape all visible green algae first, then put the otos in - they will take it from there! To supplement their diet, put a slice of cucumber in once or twice a week.
HTH
You could get 2 or 3 otocinclus for the Betta side of your 10g. The best thing is to scrape all visible green algae first, then put the otos in - they will take it from there! To supplement their diet, put a slice of cucumber in once or twice a week.
HTH
