A few questions (shrimp & cichlids & betas)

[millerb7]

1. Okay. I have a 5 gallon tank with a beta and now two ghost shrimp (had 3 but one just wouldn't ever eat or anything and died). How many of these ghost shrimp are a good idea to have in a group? I want to pick up a few more but don't want to overdue it. The beta won't really eat any pellets or flakes, mainly just frozen blood worms. He's a picky little guy.

2. Now to the real questions. I have a second beta, who I planned on putting in my 29 gallon tank. It's almost done cycling so I'm starting to get down to the wire on picking what I want. It seems with the beta my options are REALLY limited. Should I:
* Get another 5 gallon for the beta, and just do a totally different setup with the 29 gallon? Maybe make it a cichlid tank? Or just a Guarami, some tiger barbs, and some other schooling fish?
* Just deal with it and use the beta in the 29 tank? What else can really work with one?
* I know a lot of cichlids are rather big... my LFS has a good selection of the 3-5" range ones though.. so I could get a couple different schools of those.


This beta seems to really be limiting what I can do though. Every fish I've liked so far I can't get because it doesn't seem like it will work with the beta.

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[LyndaB]

I have ghost shrimp in a 46 gallon. They're not so tiny that I would even consider them for a 5, alongside a betta.

I would obtain a second 5 gallon tank for the second betta and go with your idea of different stocking for the 29. Tiger barbs can be really nasty so if you do get them, be sure that your other fish in that tank can stand up to them.

 

[millerb7]

I have ghost shrimp in a 46 gallon. They're not so tiny that I would even consider them for a 5, alongside a betta.

I would obtain a second 5 gallon tank for the second betta and go with your idea of different stocking for the 29. Tiger barbs can be really nasty so if you do get them, be sure that your other fish in that tank can stand up to them.

I appreciate your input.

If I end up putting the beta by itself like the other one (in a 5 gallon) I'll probably turn my 29 gallon into a cichlid tank.... I really like some of colorations and different personalities of them.

I tell you what... stocking a tank is like the hardest decision I've had to make in a long time! To many options! I need more tanks!!!