Betta in a 5 gal. wants a friend

[mom2reds]

What kind of fish can I put in a five gallon tank with my betta? He seems very lonely and my tank seems empty.

Tess

 

[blazeyreef]

maybe 3 or 5 smaller corries

 

[theotheragentm]

If you're not stuck on the idea of a fish, I always mention Golden Mystery Snails.

 

[leoslizards]

Golden Mystery Snails will eat your plants. I would go with a blue, black, albino, or ivory Mystery Snail.

 

[Purrbox]

Actually it's not the color of the snail that determines whether or not it will eat plants. There are some perfectly plant safe snails that are labeled Golden Mystery Snails. You just need to make sure that you are buying a Brig rather than say a Cana. Check out Applesnail.net for tips on how to tell the difference between these snails.

That being said, a snail is not likely to be the best compaignon for a betta. If the betta is at all aggressive it will nip at the snail. This will lead to the snail spending much of it's time hiding in its shell instead of roaming the tank. Further the betta could end up injuring the snail by nipping off its antenae.

Whether or not your betta will tolerate any company is highly dependant on it's personality. Whatever you pick, you'll want to have another tank available incase things don't work out. I would agree that dwarf cories are the most likely to make good tankmates, but even they aren't a sure bet if the betta is aggressive.

 

[mom2reds]

Thanks I think I will try the cories would panda cories be O.K.

Tess

 

[blazeyreef]

Thanks I think I will try the cories would panda cories be O.K.

Tess

they should be, although they tend to be a little sensitive I think they will be fine

 

[tropicfishman]

what about a small school of zebra danios, they stay samll, there really active and quite pretty IMO

 

[JustOneMore20]

I think danios are too active for a tank as small as a 5g. They are best in atleast a 20g IMO.

 

[jbarr]

That's what I was going to say, onemore20. I think cories would go even crazier than they normally do in a 5g.
EDIT: Oh wait you said danios. Well I stand by my opposition to cories in a 5g.

Howbout..
A sort of shrimp? A mystery snail? A bumblebee catfish? Plants!

 

[tropicfishman]

get a freshwater clam lol

 

[JustOneMore20]

That's what I was going to say, onemore20. I think cories would go even crazier than they normally do in a 5g.
EDIT: Oh wait you said danios. Well I stand by my opposition to cories in a 5g.

I feel the same way about cories. 5g just isn't big enough, unless you have the Dwarf cories, and I personally wouldn't keep them in a 5g either.

 

[Sicklid]

I had a Betta that killed my cory cats in a 10 gallon, and my current Betta has just turned on my snail and has made a snack of his antennae... It all depends, but being that he is in there alone, he may not want any newcomers in there and will defend his territory.

 

[mom2reds]

this is getting harder than I thought all of you guys have fery good points.
thanks Tess

 

[MyCatsDrool]

microrasbora galaxies =)

 

[mrspughster]

I had the same problem. I put him in my 55g with several other fish. He seems to get along with the guppies. I guess it just depends on the betta.